When the clock strikes midnight on the third Thursday of every November, wine distributors are off to the races. Over 65 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau are hurriedly shipped around the world, as restaurants await the annual release of this much-anticipated French red wine.
The wine was released on Thursday and will be featured at Bistro Ten 18 (located at 1018 Amsterdam Ave. at 110th Street) for one week, until Wednesday, Nov. 25, with a prix fixe menu tailored to complement the wine. Harvested by hand just south of Burgundy, Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine made entirely from Gamay grapes, which have a thinner skin and lower tannin level than other grapes and are pressed after three days through the process of carbonic maceration. The process preserves the grapes’ fruity flavor and inhibits the withdrawal of the tannin—a compound that produces a dry feeling when red wine is first tasted—from the grape skin. It’s fruity indeed, yet it’s also forward, bold, and young.
Although students often overlook this chic, intimate neighborhood restaurant, there is now an even greater reason to stop by Bistro Ten 18. The $32 three-course dinner is paired with either an $8.50 glass or a $28 bottle of Domaine de la Madone’s Beaujolais Nouveau. An Endive and Roquefort Salad tossed with toasted walnuts and walnut vinaigrette is served with tender, poached pear slices. The Roquefort’s sharp taste and the pear’s sweetness balance the wine’s light-bodied nature. The entrée, boeuf bourguignon—a traditional French stew made with beef, pearl onions, baby carrots, and mushrooms—on the other hand brings out Beaujolais Nouveau’s meatier, bolder side. For dessert, a tarte tatin is drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. While the dessert is perhaps too sweet for this wine pairing, it does bring out an unexpected tartness in the Beaujolais Nouveau.
Morningside Heights is rarely a bastion of culture and fine wine, but this weekend, students can indulge in a southern French tradition only a few blocks from campus.
Comments
We're looking for comments that are interesting and substantial. If your comments are excessively self-promotional or obnoxious you will be banned from commenting. Consult the comment FAQ and legal terms.