WE CAN ONLY HOPE

On this day, I hope we can remember what it was like to have an inspirational leader who spoke to us, and what it was like to listen.

 Yes, today is the day. The liveliest wine day of the year.  As the website for Beaujolais Nouveau Day states:

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is marked in France on the third Thursday in November with fireworks, music and festivals. Under French law, the wine is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the wine's grapes have been harvested. Parties are held throughout the country and further afield to celebrate the first wine of the season.

Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be drunk young. Most vintages should be consumed by the following May after its release. However, in excellent vintages (such as 2000) the wine can live much longer and can be enjoyed until the next harvest rolls around..

This year's vintage is very fresh and fruity, not quite the body of last year's heftier wine, but bright and very fruit-forward, with some pepper and peach in the nose, and then a big boom of berries, strawberry and raspberry upfront, blackberry toward the back of the sip.

Here are some comparative tasting notes of nine different BNs from the folks at Wine Spectator, specifically Gillian Sciaretta:

JEAN BERERD & FILS Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau Domaine de la Madone 2016 Score: 87 | $13
This light-bodied red is creamy, with ripe layers of macerated cherry and pureed strawberry, edged by licorice drop and cocoa powder accents. Marjoram and plum aromas linger into the finish. 6,000 cases made.—G.S.

GEORGES DUBOEUF Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2016 Score: 86 | $13
Fresh blackberry, spice box and pomegranate aromas show savory undertones of pink peppercorn and herb. The juicy finish is highlighted by minerally details. 3,000 cases imported.—G.S.

JEAN-PAUL BRUN Beaujolais Nouveau Terres Dorées l'Ancien Vieilles Vignes 2016 Score: 85 | $15
A light-bodied red, with floral aromas giving way to juicy cherry, currant and raspberry fruit, backed by licorice snap, anise and cedar accents. Offers a clean, lightly tannic finish. 800 cases imported.—G.S.

JOSEPH DROUHIN Beaujolais Nouveau 2016 Score: 85 | $12
Juicy cherry and strawberry flavors burst through the creamy midpalate, with licorice drop and floral details giving expression to the finish. Light tannins. 5,000 cases imported.—G.S.

GEORGES DUBOEUF Beaujolais Nouveau 2016 Score: 85 | $12
This light-bodied red displays a creamy palate of cherry, pureed raspberry and marjoram flavors, with licorice snap and light smoke details lingering into the lightly chewy finish. 85,000 cases imported.—G.S.

DOMAINE ROCHETTE Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2016 Score: 85 | $10
A savory edge of grilled herb and fresh earth lines the boysenberry and cherry fruit. Ample sweet spice and zesty elements linger into the tangy, lightly grippy finish. 400 cases imported.—G.S.

PASCAL CHATELUS Beaujolais Nouveau 2016 Score: 84 | $9
Bright and fresh, with raspberry and strawberry flavors matched to creamy gumdrop and light spice details. Offers a zesty, clean finish. 415 cases imported.—G.S.

MOMMESSIN Beaujolais Nouveau 2016 Score: 84 | $13
Crushed raspberry and cherry notes are interwoven with pink peppercorn, anise and light herbal elements, accented by fresh earth undertones. Offers a modest, clean finish. 1,946 cases imported.—G.S.

PAUL DURDILLY Beaujolais Nouveau Les Grandes Coasses 2016 Score: 83 | $14
Aromatic and zesty, with tangy raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, backed by grilled herb and gumdrop details. Crisp finish. 7,000 cases imported.—G.S.

So get out there and grab some bottles, for early quaffing, but especially for Thanksgiving. You won't find a better wine match for all of the diverse flavors of Turkey Day than Beaujolais Nouveau.  

Cheers!  Let me know what you think of this year's BN!

TONE DEAF

Here in Lawrenceville, the school district has just informed parents that Donald Trump's May 19 appearance at the National Guard Armory on Eggerts Crossing Road will bring increased activity and traffic at around the same time as many children are leaving Lawrence Intermediate School across the street. 

This fundraiser for Trump's chubby Sancho Panza, Chris Christie, and the NJ Republican party, will bring countless TV trucks, TV and radio reporters and gawkers from all over the state and will  bring "congestion in the area" says the school district's gently worded announcement. 

That's an understatement.  Eggert's Crossing Road is a very busy two lane road. Traffic to the Armory will be thick for a couple of hours before the anticipated start of the Trump "rally". 

On top of that, Trump's arrival will strangle activity travel to and from  the seven baseball, softball and soccer fields at Central Park, also across from the Armory, as kids, parents and coaches all attempt to get to games and practices scheduled for that day.It's the height of Little League baseball season here in Lawrenceville. Thank God my son doesn't have anything scheduled there tthat day.

In case people need reminding, Trump and Christie are showing the electorate just how insensitive, self absorbed and tone deaf they really are when it comes to the average American, and especially children, whose lives they will be disrupting on Thursday. All this rudeness is taking place to help PAY OFF CHRISTIE'S CAMPAIGN DEBTS and raise money for the NJ Republican party. As with most Republicans, this is all about them and not about us. 

And if you ever wanted a preview of things to come in a Trump presidency, Thursday will be it---Trump's first financial bailout of one of his friends. 

ELECTION 2016 FOR ME.

I’ve put a great deal of thought into this. I have scoured my brain through every scenario. I have explored the depths of my soul. I have wrestled with my conscience and played the devil’s advocate and almost every introspective cliché I could find. But, in the end, at the very end of the day, only one conclusion was left to me.

I’m endorsing Donald Trump.

I should have known the inevitability of this decision. The facts are overwhelming. The momentum is unstoppable. And the nation is definitely rallying around The Donald, and now so will I.  I love rallies. The louder the better.

There’s something about the way he shoots from the hip verbally that appeals to the PR person in me. And his endless memory for impressive fact from economics to foreign relations to construction and downright deal-making grabs the intellectual in me. What a command of damning facts this man can recall in an instant!

And he and I share the same alma mater, Penn. Yes, he was Wharton School and I was Classical Studies, but you never forget your alma mater. I wonder if he knows Latin like I do. I bet he does.

But perhaps the most impressive thing he’s done to far is to align himself with NJ Governor Chris Christie, a real Jersey guy like me, a real tough Jersey guy, and a real big Jersey guy. Like me.

Well THIS Jersey guy is going to stand behind Donald Trump, starting today. Believe me, this is just the beginning. 

THE ETERNAL OPTIMISM OF BRACKETOLOGY

The anticipation is almost too much to handle for those of us who go crazy for the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship, known everywhere but Mars as "March Madness". Yes, I'm one of those guys that gets totally caught up in every one of the 36 games that lead up and through the three weeks of thrilling college basketball. And I play as many bracket contests as I can find. I don't (and won't) bore anyone about my research and hours of analysis of all of the matchups, annd my strategy for winning every year, but suffice to say, I love this time of year.

I don't think it's a coincidence that baseball's Spring Training season and March Madness and Little league baseball all start at around the same time. Despite any unusual temperature fluctuations outdoors,this is the Season Of Eternal Optimism, Fresh Starts and Anyone Can Win It All.

Buds are on the trees, green is poking up from the earth, and it's time to win something.

Bring it on.

THE HOLIDAY SEASON

I know a couple of people who will will be missing a loved one this Christmas. My thoughts go out to them. I have lost a few friends this year, too, and it colors the season a little differently this time around.

Some thoughts as we enter the holiday season:

It's important to remember that not everyone is surrounded by large wonderful families. Some of us have problems during the holidays and are overcome with great sadness when we remember loved ones who are not with us. And many people have no one to spend these times with, and are besieged by loneliness. We all need caring, loving thoughts right now. I ask my friends, wherever you might be, to give a moment of support to all those who have family problems, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind and just need to know that someone cares. 

Do it for all of us, for nobody is immune. 

Be grateful! Merry Christmas!

The Day IS Here: Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrive'!!

I love this day. But after several years of my hyperbole on the matter, you should know what I'm excited about. And from everything I've been reading so far, this year's edition of Nouveau should be epic.

The folks at Sherry-Lehmann, NYC's preeminent purveyor of the Georges Debeouf version of Nouveau have posted this review from Debeouf himself:

“The 2015 vintage is going to be one of the all-time greats. The colour is a beautiful red with tones of purple and deep garnet. As for the nose, it offers a magnificent array of forest fruits: blackcurrant, blackberry and blueberry. On the palate, these are round, savoury, rich, full-bodied, unctuous and silky wines. Even better, they offer a truly exceptional persistence in the mouth. What a wealth of delightful flavours! The quality of this vintage is unprecedented. We are exploring heights which we’ve never seen before. You know that every vintage has its own history, and we know that 2015 will be breath-taking. What pleasure awaits the drinker!” -Georges Duboeuf"


So, as you might expect, I am very excited to try some. I will report back as soon as I do.  I'd also be interested in hearing YOUR take on the wine this year, and how many different bottlers you've been able to find.

A votre sante'!