Novello, or Nouveau Wine, 2006 Released at 12AM on November 6
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Fedagri, an organization which groups various agricultural producers, estimates that the production of the 2006 novello wines will be 1.2 million liters, or 16 million 750ml bottles, valued at €80 million. "Of the 16 million bottles expected," said Fedagri-Confcooperative President, Paolo Bruni, "over 8 million come from cooperatives." The leading Italian producer is Cavit, from Trento, which produces over 1 million bottles, followed by Caviro, Cantina di Soave and Banear, all member of Fedagri. |
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On midnight Sunday, November 5, 2006, Italians started opening bottles of Novello wines 'made in Italy'. The release comes 11 full days before the release of the competing French Beaujolais Nouveau, which can be tasted only starting the third Thursday of November (the 16th).
The news comes from Coldiretti who emphasized that the Italian production, estimated by the organization at around 18 million bottles, will likely generate sales of €80 million.
"Novello wine", said Coldiretti in its report, "will be on sale in shops, restaurants, wine stores and wine bars, to be drunk at its best for the next six months". The life span of this kind of wine is determined by the production method, devised by French researcher Michel Flanzy.
The method used in producing these wines is very different from that of traditional winemaking. In fact, instead of being pressed and then fermented, the whole grape is left to ferment, in such a way that only a small part of the sugar is turned into alcohol. This procedure gives the young wine the characteristic fruity and pleasant taste, and at the same time is the reason for its short life span.
"Novello wines," reads the Coldiretti report, "made their appearance in France in the 1950s, in the Beaujolais region, however in recent years it has become a landmark product on the Italian market. These wines are usually more popular among the younger crowd and the less sophisticated drinkers, because of their light body and low alcohol content (11% by volume)."
The bouquet and the transparency of these wines, makes them an easy match for seasonal Fall products and regional foods, such as salami, pinzimonio (raw vegetables dipped, fondue-style, in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar), and spicy cheeses. The novello wines are a new tradition in Italy, and are drunk at home, in pizzerias, in enotecas (wine bars), at restaurants and in town squares, during events organized specifically to celebrate their release.
Novello wine, which must be drunk young, is gaining an ever-growing market share, in part because of its low price, which in most cases ranges from €3 to €7 per bottle, thus making it more accessible to young consumers with limited budgets.
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