Beaujolais Nouveau is a great attention getting red.

Chill it, pour it, and drink it heartily – Beaujolais Nouveau is the red that break the rules. This fruity, young wine is an attention-getter in a lot of ways. Made exclusively from the Gamay grape that is hand-picked in the Beaujolais region of France, Beaujolais Nouveau is only allowed (by French law) to be released once a year at a minute past midnight on the third Thursday of November. Then, the wine that goes from grape to bottle in a matter of weeks travels to an eagerly waiting world by everything from concord jet to elephant. More than 70 millions bottles are sold each year.

Beaujolais Nouveau is easy to drink.

Aside from it quirky history, Beaujolais Nouveau is popular for other reasons. The Gamay grapes’ brief encounter with their skins means there are no harsh tannins making it an easy wine to drink. It is a great “white wine drinker’s red” or a good transitional wine for someone just starting to enjoy reds.

Beaujolais Nouveau pairs with a wide range of foods.

The characteristics of Beaujolais Nouveau make it perfect for pairing with a wide range of foods – the exception being red meat. It is an amazing complement to Thanksgiving dinner, going nicely with both light and dark meat, herbs, salads and especially cranberry sauce. It also pairs well with grilled and roasted pork or poultry, pastas and cheeses.

Beaujolais Nouveau is at its best at 55 degrees or about 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge. It is not meant to age, so be sure to enjoy it soon after you buy it. Just make sure you buy enough. A year is a long time to wait for this fabulous, fruity and fun wine.