Les Vins Georges Duboeuf released the 2017 Beaujolais Nouveau on November 16, 2017 at 12:01 a.m. The “first wine of the harvest,” Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated every year on the third Thursday of November, per French law and tradition. The 2017 Beaujolais Nouveau features, for the first time in the wine’s history, an artist’s work on its label. The mixed-media piece, “Candy Coated,” was created by St. Petersburg, Fla., artist Ari Azzopardi-Robinson, selected for the inaugural “Artist Collector Series” label by a fan vote on social media; the work is now on more than a million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau in the U.S.
“This year’s vintage holds a special place in the history of our wines,” Duboeuf said. “We are celebrating the 35th year of Nouveau in the United States and the premiere label of the ‘Artist Collector Series’ with Ms. Azzopardi-Robinson’s art. Her work represents the same passion, youthfulness and joy found in Beaujolais Nouveau, and we feel the visual completely embodies the character of this year’s vintage.” The 2017 vintage is full-bodied, with fresh, fruit-forward notes of strawberries and raspberries, best served with a light chill.
