Beaujolais Nouveau: "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!" ("The New Beaujolais has arrived!")
Every year, on the third Thursday
of November, France erupts in massive celebration in honor of the unveiling of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine. Over a million cases
of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey from the southern part of the
Burgundy region in France to
Paris for immediate shipment to the four corners of the world. Le
Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! ("The New
Beaujolais has arrived!") is proclaimed by all!!
When it is over, about half of the region's total annual production of Beaujolais will be distributed and consumed around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve this newly harvested wine. This production comes from a quick harvest, a speedy fermentation, and a hasty bottling, to be ready by the midnight hour in mid-November.
Beaujolais Nouveau began as a local phenomenon in the local bars and bistros of Beaujolais and Lyons. Each fall, shortly after harvest, the new Beaujolais would arrive with much fanfare. In pitchers filled from barrels, wine was drunk by eager Frenchmen. It was wine made fast to drink immediately while the better Beaujolais was taking more time to age and improve. Eventually, in 1938, the government stepped in to regulate and restrict the sale of all this quickly transported wine.
In 1951 though, these regulations were revoked by the region's governing body and the Beaujolais Nouveau was officially recognized. The official release date was set for November 15th. By this time, what was just a local tradition had gained so much popularity that the news of the event reached Paris. The race was on!! It wasn't long before this celebration became a world-wide event. In 1985, the date was changed again, this time to the third Thursday of November, tying it to a weekend (for more fun and frivolity) and making the celebration what it is today. Wherever the new Beaujolais went though, importers had to agree not to sell it before midnight on the third Thursday of November. In Paris these days, restaurants and bistros host their Beaujolais Nouveau parties, staying open through the night and uncorking hundreds of bottles after midnight.
The race from harvest to glass may be silly, but half the fun is knowing that on the same night, all around the world, the same celebration is
taking place. It is not, by any means, a great wine, but it is
always good and well worth taking part in the celebration. Look for the
label to the left in your local wine stores. Georges Duboeuf has been a
tireless promoter of the event world wide. The wines are popular
because they are red wines with white wine characteristics. They are
pressed so fast that the tannins usually found in red wines are not
present and what is left is an easy to drink, fruity red wine. They are
best served "chilled". The wine world can at times be snobby and
aloof. . . but not with this event. Go out this year and take part in
this long held tradition and know that there are millions around the
world doing the same!!
For those in southeast Michigan. . . there is a party celebrating the Beaujolais Nouveau. Lee Hershey, a very well respected wine professional and the instructor of my wine classes at Schoolcraft College, holds his 22nd/23rd Annual (he can't remember how many there have been)Beaujolais Nouveau get-together. . .
This year's party will be on Sunday, November 21st at Karl's Log Cabin Restaurant, 6005 Gotfredson Rd, Plymouth, MI 48170 (just N of the Gotfredson exit off M-14) from 3PM to 8PM.
This is a BYO event - Bring a bottle of wine (doesn't have to be Nouveau Beaujolais), a "dish-to-pass", your own wine glass, utensils, and a fun attitude
Lee will be bringing in some rare and prized bottles from his well-stocked wine cellar to be raffled off.
So come on by - bring your family and friends - the more the merrier - and join us in the celebration. No RSVP's required.
See ya there!
When it is over, about half of the region's total annual production of Beaujolais will be distributed and consumed around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve this newly harvested wine. This production comes from a quick harvest, a speedy fermentation, and a hasty bottling, to be ready by the midnight hour in mid-November.
Beaujolais Nouveau began as a local phenomenon in the local bars and bistros of Beaujolais and Lyons. Each fall, shortly after harvest, the new Beaujolais would arrive with much fanfare. In pitchers filled from barrels, wine was drunk by eager Frenchmen. It was wine made fast to drink immediately while the better Beaujolais was taking more time to age and improve. Eventually, in 1938, the government stepped in to regulate and restrict the sale of all this quickly transported wine.
In 1951 though, these regulations were revoked by the region's governing body and the Beaujolais Nouveau was officially recognized. The official release date was set for November 15th. By this time, what was just a local tradition had gained so much popularity that the news of the event reached Paris. The race was on!! It wasn't long before this celebration became a world-wide event. In 1985, the date was changed again, this time to the third Thursday of November, tying it to a weekend (for more fun and frivolity) and making the celebration what it is today. Wherever the new Beaujolais went though, importers had to agree not to sell it before midnight on the third Thursday of November. In Paris these days, restaurants and bistros host their Beaujolais Nouveau parties, staying open through the night and uncorking hundreds of bottles after midnight.
The race from harvest to glass may be silly, but half the fun is knowing that on the same night, all around the world, the same celebration is
taking place. It is not, by any means, a great wine, but it is
always good and well worth taking part in the celebration. Look for the
label to the left in your local wine stores. Georges Duboeuf has been a
tireless promoter of the event world wide. The wines are popular
because they are red wines with white wine characteristics. They are
pressed so fast that the tannins usually found in red wines are not
present and what is left is an easy to drink, fruity red wine. They are
best served "chilled". The wine world can at times be snobby and
aloof. . . but not with this event. Go out this year and take part in
this long held tradition and know that there are millions around the
world doing the same!!For those in southeast Michigan. . . there is a party celebrating the Beaujolais Nouveau. Lee Hershey, a very well respected wine professional and the instructor of my wine classes at Schoolcraft College, holds his 22nd/23rd Annual (he can't remember how many there have been)Beaujolais Nouveau get-together. . .
This year's party will be on Sunday, November 21st at Karl's Log Cabin Restaurant, 6005 Gotfredson Rd, Plymouth, MI 48170 (just N of the Gotfredson exit off M-14) from 3PM to 8PM.
This is a BYO event - Bring a bottle of wine (doesn't have to be Nouveau Beaujolais), a "dish-to-pass", your own wine glass, utensils, and a fun attitude
Lee will be bringing in some rare and prized bottles from his well-stocked wine cellar to be raffled off.
So come on by - bring your family and friends - the more the merrier - and join us in the celebration. No RSVP's required.
See ya there!
Posted by thewinemonologues.com at 11/15/2010 9:15 AM 
Categories: General Wine Information
Tags: Nouveau Beaujolais
Categories: General Wine Information
Tags: Nouveau Beaujolais
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