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This "Beaujolais Nouveau Day" sees heavy marketing, with races to get the first bottles to different markets around the globe. The race to be the first to serve this new wine of the harvest has seen it carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, Concorde jet, elephant, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination.
Beaujolais Nouveau is intended for immediate drinking and not for keeping. It is bottled only 6-8 weeks after harvest and this method of production means that there is very little tannin. The wines show definite variation between vintages, and as such are eagerly awaited as a first indicator of the quality of the year's regional wine harvest. Gamay (Gamay noir Jus Blanc) is the only grape permitted for Beaujolais and all the grapes in the Beaujolais region must be picked by hand. Fresh and tasty, with fruity flavours and flowery aromas, it's a wine to be enjoyed at 10°C (50°F) on all occasions and at all times.
The Beaujolais wine-producing region runs from Lyons to the Basse-Bourgogne (lower Burgundy), and is filled with great villages and its roadways are dotted with scenic vineyards. This is a glorious time to visit this part of France, with the stunning autumnal colours. In November the weather can be bright and fresh, or, with a bit of luck, even still warm in the south.
There are about 120 festivals to honour the arrival of this enticing young wine in the Beaujolais region alone, not to mention throughout France and across the globe. There are several festivals in the Beaujolais region, including:
Beaujeau has its Sarmentelles festival, which begins each year at 5 p.m. the day before the wine's release. It features a tasting of the region's wines, followed by a torchlit procession and the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau. The festivities continue through the weekend. Beaujeau is the historic capital of the Beaujolais region.
Tarare hosts La Fete de la Beaujolais Gourmand, commencing the day before the release and running through the weekend. The festival features five days showcasing gourmet food and wine.
Villefranche will be home to les Calades, a festival featuring the newly released wine and music.
Salles-en-Beaujolais holds its annual Nouveau Hike, which will take visitors to various cellars.
Lyon, the largest city in the region, holds its Beaujol'ympiades, which marks the midnight release with music and fireworks, followed by two days of sampling the newly unveiled wines.
Paris isn't exactly in the Beaujolais region by any stretch, but it has several bistros which celebrate the release.
To get there: Lyon is the closest city to fly to the Beaujolais Region. If you're flying from outside Europe into Paris, the express train service (known as the TGV) is a good option for getting to Lyon rapidly while enjoying the view of the French countryside. If you're renting a car, it's about a 50-minute drive from Lyon to Beaujeu, with most of the small towns easily accessible from the A6 highway. During the festival, a special bus runs between Lyon and Beaujeu, departing Lyon at 7 p.m. and returning from Beaujeu at 1 a.m.
If you can't be there in France for the much-anticipated midnight release, don't despair, there may be somewhere close to you that also celebrates the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. Alternatively, visit your local French restaurant or wine shop to get a bottle and join in the fun.
Santé (Cheers!).
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.jpeg "Holiday in Beaujolais")
.jpeg "Beaujolais")
