Georges Duboeuf, who transformed a quaint Beaujolais harvest ritual celebrating the year’s first wine into the global phenomenon of Beaujolais Nouveau, in the process turning his family’s small business into a worldwide powerhouse, died on Jan. 4 at his home in Romanèche-Thorins, France. Many wine regions enjoyed a similar harvest ritual, a festive local practice among friends and colleagues. Beaujolais was an especially enjoyable wine to drink young. It was fresh and easy in a way that, say, young Bordeaux, with tannins that could be unpleasantly astringent, was not. A thriving local market existed for the young wine.

Source: International New York Times January 10, 2020 21:45 UTC