12/21/2011 Update – Found it cheaper at the following store:

$7.53 at BottleBargains.com

And if you can’t find it there, try it for $9.09 at WinesAnywhere.com.

12/8/2010 Update – A lot of people have been reading this post, so I felt it pertinent in these Holiday-ish times to offer up some other cheap Beaujolais deals I’ve seen around the interwebs. Just click here to see what Snooth has to say: Beaujolais.

Huge Producer, Huge Deal

Maison Louis Jadot is one of the oldest and most respected producers of Burgundy wine in France (and if you’ve followed the site for a bit, you should know that “Burgundy” means Pinot Noir. Founded by Louis Henry Denis Jadot in 1859, the Louis Jadot name has become synonymous with fine quality (and expensive French Burgundies), but also with inexpensive, lighter varietals for us working-class folk.

The Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages is not technically a Burgundy (thus, not Pinot Noir). While Jadot is known mostly for their Burgundies, this wine comes from the Beaujolais region in France. Wines from this area are made mostly from the Gamay grape, a hearty varietal with thin skin, yet low tannins.

To put it simply, if you want to impress some people at a party by showing them you like or “know” French wine, but don’t want to break the bank, try Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages.

Color

Dirty garnet with some dark places lurking within.

Nose

Mash some fresh strawberries together with some sugar, then sprinkle fresh-cracked black peppercorns all over it. Do this in a musty old barn. All that put together gives you the smell of this stuff.

Taste

Everything in the nose is back, with a vengeance. Not overdoing it, just there. Big time. The fruit is very good, with good acidity and a nice, silky, long finish. The pepper lingers in your mouth just as the tannins kick in a bit to tighten up your tongue. We didn’t expect many tannins here since the wine is primarily Gamay (see above). Very interesting for such a popular wine.

With Food

Works well alone, so we wouldn’t exactly call this a “food wine,” but we could see it working with a variety of roast meats such as lamb, mutton, or some peppered beef.  Mild cheeses and red fruits would work as well.

$8.65 at NapaCabs.com!

Check out our other Louis Jadot wine review!

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