The following eight Nouveau, Novello and Primeur wines from France, Italy and Canada will be released.

We are including the scoring system explanation and icons at the end of this newsletter.


Pisse-Dru Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2005
AOC Beaujolais-Villages, France $14.45 (932780)
This is the only one of the LCBO's Nouveaux wines sealed with a screw cap. Good for them, because if any wine should have this sort of closure, it's these. The Pisse-Dru has good vibrant red fruit, well balanced with acidity. It's dry with perceptible tannins and medium bodied. Drink it with a ham salad. (RP)


Mommessin Beaujolais Nouveau 2005
AOC Beaujolais Nouveau, France $13.45 (897934)
This opens up with a delightfully lifted nose of cherry bubblegum and candy floss. It has medium weight, nice raspberry and spiced cherry flavours and an enjoyably fruity and tangy finish. I quite liked this and would pair it with deli meats, olives and pickled onions. (VH)


Georges Duboeuf Gamay Nouveau
Vin de Pays de L'Ardeche, France $8.95 (891846)
A yeasty and sour cherry nose leads to a light-bodied offering that has some pleasant notes, but is light on fruit and complexity. It's astringent now, but should improve over the next couple of weeks. It would pair well with goat's cheese. (VH)


Jeanjean Syrah Primeur 2005
Vin de Pays d'Oc, France $9.45 (899948)
One of my favourites of this bunch, possibly because it was off the beaten path. It delivers dark berry and tree fruit (cherry, plum) wrapped in a full, smooth texture. It's mouth-filling and satisfying, and well priced. You could pair this with straightforward red meat dishes. (RP)


Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2005
AOC Beaujolais-Villages, France $15.95 (932780)
From the best-known name in Beaujolais, this is available in Vintages. It offers aromas and flavours of darker fruit than many of the others, with dark plum and some blackberry notes. The fruit is fresh, the texture is crisp and dry, and it's well balanced. Pair it with roast turkey and cranberry sauce. (RP)


Negrar Novello del Veneto 2005
IGT Novello del Veneto $8.95 (899955)
Good intensity off the nose with lilac, bubble gum and candy floss aromas. It's light to medium-bodied and quite refreshing. The flavour profile includes rich sweet banana and some dark fruit nuances. It gets in to high gear on the finish with a sweet and sour fruity finish. I'd try this matched to a baked ham with cheese sauce accompaniment. (VH)


MezzaCorona Novio Vino Novello 2005
IGT Vignetti delle Dolomiti, Italy $9.55
Made from the well-known Teroldego and Lagrein grapes, this delivers good dry texture, solid fruit, and good medium weight. There are light tannins and a clean finish, and overall it's an attractive enough wine. Pair it with grilled veal. (RP)

No rating
Ancient Coast Gamay Nouveau 2005
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada $9.95 (669267)
This did not come together well at all and I may know why. The grapes for this were picked one to two weeks later than the others we tasted and was bottled only 18 days ago. This often happens with Ontario Nouveau offerings and they get panned in tastings like this. I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt and say it needs to be re-tasted in a couple of weeks to receive a fair assessment. (VH)


We use the following symbols when rating wines:

	Wines achieving nirvana
	Wines of excellence
	Wines well worth trying
	Wines below average, but drinkable
	Wines better avoided, unless desperate
	Represents a half star
	We both agree —a brilliant wine!
	Drink now and over the next 2 years
	Drink now and over the next 5 years
	Place in cellar

Cheers, Rod and Vic