Le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé

Voila! November 20th has arrived, and with it the yearly arrival of the Beaujolais nouveau. While most people believe that wine gets better with age, there is one wine which is made to be drunk young: le beaujolais nouveau. Oh yes, September was a good month, wasn't it?

Lyon's proximity to the Beaujolais region makes it an excellent center for tasting the nouveau. The festivities began 2 nights ago with horses trotting alongside the Saône to deliver 2008's Beaujolais Nouveau to Place Bellecour. The revelers enjoyed live music and fireworks until exactly midnight, when they were allowed to pop open this year's vintage.

I'm sorry to report that I missed these festivities, but I did go out last night and saw the setting up for non-stop holiday celebrations until Christmas. This time of year, most restaurants in Vieux Lyon set up a table outside where they sell Beaujolais Nouveau or vin chaud, and people gather outside late at night eating crepes and drinking wine. I tried some B.N. last night, and I have to admit that it tasted like wine that had been bottled 2 months ago. The wine isn't that great, but somehow we all get swept up in it anyway. I do like vin chaud though. It is delicious on a cold winter's night.