Parisians raise glasses to Beaujolais Nouveau wine in annual tradition

Record ID: 78230

  • Title: Parisians raise glasses to Beaujolais Nouveau wine in annual tradition
  • Date: 17th November 2016
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF RESTAURANT "AU BISTRO" SIGN READING (French) "Beaujolais nouveau, Thursday 17 November 2016. Please book your tables."
  • Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 14:50
  • Keywords: wine Beaujolais nouveau France bar restaurant
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158U2PND
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Glasses were clinking at a central Paris restaurant on Thursday (November 17) as Parisians welcomed the uncorking of 2016's Beaujolais Nouveau.
    The world renowned French wine, made from Gamay grapes picked only two months ago, is released after the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday in November per French law.
    Wine enthusiasts celebrated its opening in bars and restaurants across France, with manager Amaury Drain of 'Le Bistrot' restaurant in central Paris saying the day is one of the key events of the year.
    "It's has been a French tradition for around 60 years, I think. It's weakening a little because a large majority of the production goes to Japan. It's weakening, but it remains... For us, it's one of the events of the year like Christmas. We organise three or four parties over a year: a white party, disco party, things like that. This is one of those events," he said.
    The taste of Beaujolais Nouveau is traditionally light and fruity, and the 2016 vintage surprised customers a little.
    "It's an easy wine to drink. While it doesn't necessarily have a good reputation, I am rather pleasantly surprised. It's easy to drink. It's a little bit fresh like it is. It goes down well," a customer said while tucking into his lunch.
    Snubbed as a gimmick by many wine experts, the wine has been known by some to taste of bananas, but customer Francis was impressed with the tipple.
    "I think it's already a mature wine, it might need to age a little, but really, it suits my pallet, visually too. Everything is great," he said.
    But Michel, who used to run a bar himself, was a little less enthusiastic, saying the wine lacked the "sparkling element" it usually had.
    After its commercial release in France, Beaujolais Nouveau will be exported around the world in millions of bottles, with Japan, Germany and United States traditionally the biggest importers.
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