“Le Nouveau est arrivée!” One may see these words in the windows of wine retailers today, marking the release of the 2011 Beaujolais Nouveau. It is wine made of Gamay grapes and fermented for only a few weeks after harvest before reaching the market. Historically, the wine was for local (French) consumption only until clever marketers at negociants such as George Deboeuf found ways to cash in on the buzz that developed from the tradition.

I am not French, but have had the privilege of attending annual “Nouveau” parties with French ex-pats in the various U.S. cities I have lived in. They were always lots of fun, and until recently I could easily stomach shelling out $10 bucks a bottle for wine that offers a tremendous pucker factor. Beaujolais Nouveau by itself is usually not too enjoyable, and the only reason I would buy it is to use as a ticket to one of these parties.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love wines from Beaujolais. They are generally sold at three levels of quality: Nouveau, Villages, and Cru Beaujolais. The Cru wines will have a specific village designation, such as Morgon, Fleurie or Moulin à Vent. I count Cru Beaujolais as some of my favorite wines in the world. They offer great complexity at a low price. Many are worthy of cellaring; a few years back I popped the cork on a 1983 Moulin à Vent and it was delicious.

I have been watching the Twitter feed today and have seen retailers post prices exceeding $20 per bottle of this young wine. This blows my mind!  If I can offer one piece of useful wine advice all year: Avoid handing over your cash for this wine. Ask your retailer for Cru Beaujolais instead. Chances are you will only need to pay a dollar or two more for far superior wine.  I purchased the wines in the photo from Weygandt Wines in DC, and paid about $21 per bottle and $40 for the magnums (which I will set aside for a few years).  Pictured are wines from reputable producers Chiroubles, Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin à Vent and Brouilly. All represent the best that French Gamay has to offer, but each is distinct in character.  Taste a Cru Beaujolais next to this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau and you will immediately see what I mean.

As a member of the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, she spent 13 years at the ISANTÉ magazine and her book, About Wine, is popular in many culinary schools.

Ms. Rex has long been an admirer of the wines of Morgon, one of the 10 Cru Beaujolais. Gamay is the varietal, and Morgon’s soil imparts a bold structure that allows these wines to benefit from aging as many as 10 years and pair well with hearty meat dishes.

Many Americans are familiar with Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Village wines, but don’t realize that for only a few dollars more, they can enjoy the best Beaujolais region as to offer. You can likely find a Morgan made by one of many producers at your local wine retailer for between $12-$20.