What's the Big Deal?
Tomorrow night, like every year, will be one of the biggest nights in Perpignan as the Beaujolais Nouveau (The New Beaujolais) hits the bars and restaurants.
The first wine from Beaujolais which is on average 8 weeks old , is , a very light red wine, with little or no tannin, to be drank straight away and not for keeping in your cellar ( like that ever happens chez moi!) It's an easy to drink, fruity, floral wine ( think strong ribena), made from the Gamay grape and , unusually for a red wine, recommended to be drank cold.
The wine is nothing to write home about but the Beaujolais Nouveau really is a marketer's dream , the main man behind this drive is a Monsieur Duboeuf, one of the main producers in the Beaujolais region, who has pushed the beaujolais nouveau concept to an event that is celebrated all around the world on the third Thursday of November. Sales have rocketed over the years and Beaujolais Nouveau events take place internationally in the race to taste the first wine of the season.
"Le Nouveau est Arrivé" signs will be everywhere tomorrow night and all the cavistes, restaurants and bars will open their doors, offering aperitifs and nibbles for those who want to sample the first beaujolais of 2011.
An excuse to have a little party in mid November and pourquoi pas?
Santé mes amis!
