What is Beaujolais Nouveau?

Ten, nine, eight, .....  three, two, one.... It's Beaujolais Nouveau time!

Every year around the world, the party begins on the third Thursday in November.  At the stroke of midnight the cork is popped and the 2010 Beaujolais Nouveau will take a bow.

There are about 120 festivals that pay homage to this wine release - and that's in the Beaujolais region alone.  In 2007 nearly 10,000 bombarded the small town of Beaujeu to be part of the uncorking ceremony.  Globally the celebration is a much anticipated event and in the U.S. that's no exception.  In every region in our country, festivities are planned to celebrate the annual release of this red wine made from Gamay grapes that is produced only in the Beaujolais region of France.

A young, fun and not-too-complex wine, Beaujolais Nouveau is ready to open just 6-8 weeks after production and is best enjoyed within the first year.  In the early 1960's the Vintner Georges Deboeuf saw its potential as a profitable and promotional enterprise and thus began the race to Paris carrying the first bottles of the newly-released vintage.

Bring your friends along to taste this year's offering on November 20, 2010.