(“What’s in Wine Girl’s Glass?” is a weekly quiz featuring a description of one of the wines she is currently enjoying. From the details of her tasting notes, readers can try to guess what sort of wine it is. The winners, if they like, will be named and quoted in the next instalment.)

Today I drank a fun red wine that went perfectly with a pastrami and cheese sandwich, dressed with a little fruit relish. The wine was light-to-medium bodied, ruby colored, and smelled of red berries and violets. Exuberant fruit, held together by a mouthwatering envelope of tartness, made it perfect with food. I like this wine young, but not as young as its “nouveau” version … what could it be?

Email me with your guess, or click “more” for the answer.

Answer: Beaujolais

The give-away was at the end, when I made reference to the wine’s “nouveau” version. In my glass was a Beaujolais, of course, from the Burgundy region in France. Most people know Beaujolais because of Beaujolais Nouveau, the fruity quaffer that gets released a few months after harvest, usually with a big party. But most Beaujolais is made like regular wine, with some ageing, which gives it seriousness and a little structure. Some winemakers even make Beaujolais from grapes that are sourced from only one place, or “cru,” which increases the quality of the wine (and the price). But you can still buy a perfectly good “cru” Beaujolais by George Dubeouf, for less than $15.

My Beaujolais was made by Jean Foillard, from grapes grown around a village called Morgon, and is named “Cotes du Py.” It was a 2004, and cost me $18.

Give yourself a bonus point if you know the kind of grape that Beaujolais is made from: gamay noir.