This week there’s a little something for everyone  by way of wine news, regardless of your specific interest in the science behind wine. Some way, somehow, these headlines are sure to hit close to home. Let’s jump right in!

I’m a visual, tactile person so I usually embrace every opportunity to better engage my senses to remember something. In the wine world, that usually means taking my time to engage ALL of my senses as I evaluate a wine. But can aromas be visualized? Do we need them to be?  For better or worse, the folks at Aromicon are taking this idea for a test drive. Check out this article at Springwise to get the scoop!

I couldn’t find my related post about pests in the vineyards (sometime last year, I believe), but there’s a shocking bit of news coming out of UC Davis regarding work to mitigate – or eliminate – the nematode problem perplexing California vineyard managers and winemakers. Apparently the Dept. of Nematology at Davis is being shut down, despite the fact that the problem has yet to be resolved. Wines & Vines didn’t report on the politics or economics or whathave you happening behind the scenes there. But here’s an update on the situation plaguing Northern California in particular. If you know a bit more on this, please weigh in below!

In other news, somehow I missed last year that Boisset decided to ship Beaujolais Nouveau in plastic bottles – to reduce costs of shipping the historic, annual November wine. (I wonder why they chose plastic over bag-in-box…). And, it seems this year Japan is taking things one step further by selling the wine as such – without re-bottling it in glass first. Did you see or hear any further news on this plastic-ization of BN last year – or more recently?

I’m cooking a harvest-themed feast for a few friends this year and couldn’t be more thankful to avoid the madness of travel including, but not limited to: airport delays; someone else’s Aunt Tilda and her generous supply of lipstick and perfume; and the screaming baby in the seat across the aisle. I’m not a Bah Humbug for Christmas, but I’ve lived through too many challenging Thanksgiving trips to want to head elsewhere for the otherwise great event.  An entertaining parade that inspires nostalgia, football (no matter how bizarre the match-up), a feast chock full of friends and good humor and a great bottle of wine (or two or three) are all the ingredients I need for a lovely day of giving thanks.

If you haven’t made it to your wine shop to select a bottle of wine this year, today might be a good day to drop by. It will only get trickier to navigate the aisles as mid-week approaches. And if you don’t already have a favorite Pinot Gris, Riesling, Beaujolais Villages, or Pinot Noir picked out, remember to consult your shop’s wine buyer. There are some fun things on the market this year you won’t want to miss. (Two that come to mind are the Michlits Frizzante Pinot Noir (the winemaker made it for her wedding a few years ago and it was so amazing, her importer asked her to make it a regular in her repertoir) or the Clos de Rochers Pinot Gris, a very cool, slightly sweet Pinot Gris from Luxembourg – you don’t see that everyday!) No doubt having a little one-on-one help will certainly ease your pre-holiday stress.

But even if you wait to the last minute or the wine managers on duty are helping other customers, for heaven’s sake, don’t panic! There is too much parking lot drama at every grocery store and fine wines shop this time of year, you don’t need to add a little something I like to call “Bottle Stress” to your life. Even if you are meeting your boy/girlfriend’s family for the first time, here are two stress-reducing strategies for Thanksgiving Wine-Selecting Success:

Option A: Simply stick to one of the classic Turkey varietals I listed above. You’ll be A-OK on optimal food pairings.

Option B: If those varietals aren’t your bag, select a bottle or grape YOU like; it’s probably just the balm you need! (Eric Asimov and his eno-friends recently reiterated the point beautifully (and comically) at The Pour….)

For those of you ahead of the rest, won’t you help your friends with a little insight? What do you plan to pour this Thanksgiving?

Before Harry Potter book signing parties, there were other parties, wine parties, that came more frequently than those of the Harry Potter variety. They came every 3rd Thursday in November to be precise. And the tradition lives on….

Just one week before Thanksgiving stacks of the colorful Georges Duboeuf’s famous Beaujolais Nouveau are sent out to wine shops from Beaujolais, France (think Southern Burgundy where Pinot Noir thrives). Wondered what it is? Beaujolais is a wine made from a grape called Gamay. The Nouveau style is made through a fermentation process called carbonic maceration and is released super-duper fresh, i.e. from harvest to bottle to market within mere weeks! It is intended consumers drink this wine young, and certainly no longer than 6 months. Why? Well, Gamay is a low-tannin varietal, which makes it optimal for those who prefer a light-styled, fruity, fruity wine. But even with it’s naturally high acidity (another “age-worthy” component for wine), the fact that the wine goes through carbonic maceration hurts the wine’s natural ability to age.

The hoopla of this catch-and-release process began in the late 1800s. Locals recognized this light-styled red wine was perfect for the transition between seasons and the unofficial ’switch’ from white to red wine drinking – and they made a party of it (just imagine! pitchers of wine from the barrels were on offer!!) while the more grand Beaujolais wines were still working their mojo and evolving. The French government decided to reign in the revelry a little bit in 1938 and then in 1951 declared the “3rd Thursday in November” rule.

I don’t mean to mislead you, however. Georges Duboeuf isn’t the only producer of Beauojolais Nouveau; he’s just the most famous because he produces so much of the stuff. Regardless who’s Nouveau you select to sip, expect tooty-fruity red berry flavors. It’s not my bag, though I have come to appreciate Beaujolais/Gamay when on offer from one of the premiere villages where the wine hasn’t been quite as fast-tracked, e.g. Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon, Fleurie and Brouilly. Those wines tend to offer a bit more complexity – a touch of earth, a touch more depth, and a touch of tannin to offset all of that boisterous fruit! Their light style, much like Pinot Noir, is indeed a great complement to your turkey dinner.

So the question is… will you Nouveau?