Text paraphrased from an instructive article here by Brad Prescott.
At one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of each November, banners proclaim the good news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! One of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world has begun. Just weeks before this wine was a cluster of grapes in a growers vineyard. But by an expeditious harvest, a rapid fermentation, and a speedy bottling, all is ready at the midnight hour. The race from grape to glass may be silly, but half the fun is knowing that on the same night, in homes, cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and bistros around the world, the same celebration is taking place.
It is a triumph of marketing and promotion, mostly due to the efforts of Georges Dubeuf. [Well done George. ed.]
Boozers rarely need an excuse... but this one def' makes it onto our calendar. A classic.
[one major caveat, sort of like drinking water that was shipped round the world, remember this stuff was airlifted from France in glass bottles... carbon footprint rather heavy. great article here about all that.]
