Oui! Oui! Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Let’s toast to the fabulous tradition of Beaujolais Nouveau! At the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday of November each year, wine drinkers around the world pop open the annual release of this French wine. Under French law, the wine is released at 12:01 a.m., not long  after the wine’s grapes have been harvested (see video below for the whole story in less than 90 seconds). I learned of this fun tradition when my editor assigned me the story and I followed perpetually-dapper, bow-tie aficionado Bob Burke, owner of Providence’s well now French culinary hotspot Pot au Feu. Then friend of ours began having an annual Beaujolais party, and I’ve marked the occasion ever since. Named for the region the grapes are grown, the Beaujolais province of France, the wine is, quite frankly, cheap. The best known brand is by Georges Duboeuf, and in my opinion, usually tastes less than stellar (only slightly improved with use of an aerator), but the festive and secretive nature of the release is trés fun.

Local Newport shops carrying the 2013 Beaujolais Nouveau include Bridge Liquors, Vicker’s Liquors, Fifth Ward Liquor and Island Wine & Spirits.