Jean-Claude DeBeaune Brouilly

Country: France
Region: Brouilly (Domaine Des Nazins)
Variety: Gamay Beaujolais
Year: 2006
Price: $15
Where I purchased it: Total Wine & More

This is the first bottle I cracked from my virgin run to the Glendale Total Wine & More. Before I get into the wine, let me make a hearty recommendation for Total Wine; I have trouble believing I'll be buying wine anywhere else for a while. Not only does it have an incredible selection, its prices are probably the best you'll find, anywhere.

As for the wine, it is exactly what I hoped it would be: Delicious.

Beaujolais is the wine I most often recommend to casual wine drinkers because it's the most accessible and versatile red on the market. It goes with just about anything in terms of food, and is light enough that most anyone can drink it without food at all. Plus, it's an excellent value for those looking for an inexpensive quaffing vino that doesn't smell and taste like turpentine.

Despite the fact that Beaujolais will only appear on this label in smaller print, it's still a Beaujolais in spirit. But where your standard Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Village will usually be a sweeter red with little in the way of body or finish, Brouilly comes in with a little more personality. This particular variety is among the lightest Brouillys I've had, but the essence is the same: Crisp, rich flavor that feels fresh on the palate but disappears almost immediately after the swallow. It's a totally enjoyable weekday wine for a small, light meal (I had it with a capicolla sandwich), and works best chilled (it came out of my cooler at 60 degrees, which is right in the middle of its ideal delta).

All in all, an excellent value and a definite recommendation.