Nouveau
Encyclopedia
A nouveau, or vin primeur, is a French wine
which may, under the Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) regulations, be sold in the same year
in which it was harvested. The most widely exported nouveau wine is Beaujolais nouveau
which is released on the third Thursday of November, often only a few weeks after the grapes were harvested. Nouveau wines are often light bodied and paler in color due to the very short (or nonexistent) maceration
period followed by a similarly short fermentation
. The wines will most likely not be exposed to any oak or extended aging prior to being released to the market. Nouveau wines are characteristically fruity and may have some residual sugar. They are at their peak drinkability within the first year. As of 2005, there were 55 AOCs in France permitted to make nouveau wines.
Vins de primeur should not be confused with the practice of buying and selling wines en primeur
.
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
which may, under the Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) regulations, be sold in the same year
Vintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
in which it was harvested. The most widely exported nouveau wine is Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is the most popular vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November...
which is released on the third Thursday of November, often only a few weeks after the grapes were harvested. Nouveau wines are often light bodied and paler in color due to the very short (or nonexistent) maceration
Maceration (wine)
Maceration is the winemaking process where the phenolic materials of the grape— tannins, coloring agents and flavor compounds— are leached from the grape skins, seeds and stems into the must. Maceration is the process by which the red wine receives its red color, since 99% of all grape juice is...
period followed by a similarly short fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
. The wines will most likely not be exposed to any oak or extended aging prior to being released to the market. Nouveau wines are characteristically fruity and may have some residual sugar. They are at their peak drinkability within the first year. As of 2005, there were 55 AOCs in France permitted to make nouveau wines.
Vins de primeur should not be confused with the practice of buying and selling wines en primeur
En Primeur
En primeur or "wine futures", is a method of purchasing wines early while a vintage is still in a barrel, offering the customer the opportunity to invest in a particular wine before it is bottled. Payment is made at an early stage, a year or 18 months prior to the official release of a vintage...
.