Domaine de la Madone, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2020, France

Tasting Note: When you are choosing between Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages wines, you expect more there-there in the latter category.

Does that hold up for Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau?

Yes, but just barely for the price sensitive among us.

To celebrate the new vintage, stick with basic Beaujolais and choose one or two Beaujolais-Villages wines to splurge.

Deep-intensity purple in color, this wine has an aromatic, medium-plus-intensity nose of black plum, blackberry, raspberry puree, violet blossom, hibiscus and cranberry.

On the palate the dry, medium-bodied Beaujolais-Villages has medium-intensity, red-and-black-fruit flavors suggested on the nose supported by medium acidity and medium tannin ultimately completing with a medium finish.

The wine is straightforward with more complexity than basic Beaujolais lacking the latter’s bubble-gummy, carbonic notes.

Worth the Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau splurge.