Much anticipated 2009 nouveau wines on sale at LCBO stores starting November
19

TORONTO , Nov. 12 /CNW/ - Eight nouveau wines, including Beaujolais Nouveau from the highly-touted 2009 vintage, will go on sale at more than 400 LCBO stores across Ontario starting November 19 .

The annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau and other nouveau-style wines on the third Thursday of every November is celebrated around the world. This year, a hot growing season with just the right amount of rain in France's Beaujolais region, is expected to produce some of the area's best wine ever, including high-quality nouveau wines.

"It's a tradition in November for wine drinkers to raise a glass of nouveau to salute the year's first wines," notes Susan Chee , LCBO Product Manager for European Wines. "This year is particularly exciting as it could be one of the best for nouveau wines."

Nouveau wines are traditionally among the fastest-selling products at the LCBO with most of the stock sold out in three to four weeks.

The complete list of the 2009 nouveau wines is as follows:

    
    LCBO WINES CATEGORY

    France
    ------
     -  Bichot Beaujolais Nouveau, 750 ml, $12.95 (900 cases)
     -  Mommessin Beaujolais Nouveau, 750 ml, $13.95 (1,050 cases)
     -  Duboeuf Gamay Nouveau, 750 ml, $8.95 (1,480 cases)
     -  Jeanjean Syrah Primeur, 750 ml, $9.95 (1,200 cases)

    Italy
    -----
     -  Mezzacorona Novio Vino Novello, 750 ml, $9.95 (1,150 cases)
     -  Negrar Novello del Veneto IGT, 750 ml, $9.95 (2,200 cases)

    LCBO VINTAGES FINE WINES AND PREMIUM SPIRITS
    --------------------------------------------

    France
    ------
     -  Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, 750 ml, $14.95 (400 cases)
     -  Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, 750 ml, $14.95 (2,000 cases)

    The arrival of the 2009 nouveau wines will also be celebrated with free
customer samplings at four LCBO stores in Toronto and Ottawa on Thursday,
November 19:

    Toronto   LCBO Queens Quay, 2 Cooper Street --11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
    -------   LCBO Avenue Road, 1838 Avenue Road -- 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
              LCBO Summerhill, 10 Scrivener Square -- 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

    Ottawa    LCBO Rideau Street, 38 Rideau Street -- 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
    ------
    

"These are wines to be enjoyed in the spirit of celebration," adds Chee. "They are best served slightly chilled and matched with lighter foods or appetizers. To fully appreciate their fresh, fruity flavour, it is best to drink them young, although they will hold their flavour to complement a holiday turkey or ham."

The nouveau wine tradition began in the vineyards of France's Beaujolais region more than 100 years ago when winemakers developed a quick maturing wine to toast the completion of the harvest with their workers. The result was a wine that they dubbed Beaujolais Nouveau or Beaujolais Primeur. News of this tradition spread and the annual release of nouveau wines eventually evolved into an international celebration. In the 1980s, Italy began exporting nouveau-style wines called vino novello and Ontario has, in some years, produced gamay nouveau wines.

The nouveau wines will be available starting at 9:30 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. on November 19 , depending on individual store opening hours. While there is more in stock this year, each LCBO store receives a limited quantity of these popular wines, so customers are encouraged to shop early for the best selection.

For more information on the 2009 nouveau wines and participating LCBO stores, go to infoline.com or call the toll-free LCBO Infoline at 1-800-ONT-LCBO (668-5226). In Toronto , call 416 365-5900 or visit your nearest LCBO store. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 416 864-6898 or 1-800-361-3291. You can also access the LCBO website at www.lcbo.com.

Consumers are reminded to bring a reusable bag when shopping at the LCBO and to take empty beverage alcohol containers (large and small glass bottles, PET plastic, Tetra Paks, bag-in-box and cans) to The Beer Store for a full deposit refund.

For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Trina Hendry, Media Relations Consultant, Marketing and Customer Insights, Tel. [phone], Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Chris Layton, LCBO Media Relations Co-ordinator, Corporate Communications, Tel. [phone], Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]