So let’s see. The Beaujolais

So let’s see. The Beaujolais Festival is tonight. Since i have pretty much no knowledge of my own about this thing here’s what Heather’s list says about it:

It takes place every third Thursday in November. If you’re not familiar with the idea behind the festival, here’s the rundown: The dark gamay grapes produce the first drinkable wine early in autumn, so Beaujolais Nouveau had been the chosen wine for the old French celebration of Saint-Martin on November 11 (which is no longer celebrated since it became upstaged by Armistice Day after WWI).

Since 1951 Beaujolais Nouveau gets its own special day. There are a few people out there who humbug the fun, and even those who claim the wine isn’t any good. But there’s a lot of fun to be had in Paris (and no doubt in Francophile places around the world) no matter what your opinion is on the young and fruity red wine. This year, according to the French wine pundits, the new wine has hints of red currant, strawberry and raspberry, and a peony color.

In fact many of my work-mates think the Beaujolais is crappy wine. In a discussion this afternoon they introduced me to the word “Oenologue” which they defined for me as [verbatim] “a professor of wine science”. Which sent me into peals of laughter. This was an appreciative laughter, let me point out.

Anyway i guess all the old school cafes and brasseries celebrate with specials with specials on the wine, and i even read about what can be described as a “Wine Marathon”. This was a challenge where people were invited to do sort of a “pub-crawl” along all the bars/cafes in St. Germain. 42 to be exact, one glass in each. Cause you know there are 42 kilometers in a marathon. Now that’s my kind of marathon! Although i am still a major lightweight, i’d probably crap out before i even got into double digits.

So anyway i have no idea where to go. I’m thinking the Ile St Louis, which is this little island in the middle of the Seine, just because it’s sort of very quaint old little area which has not been modernized, but very well maintained. I pictured lots of dancing in the streets but i don’t think that’s the case unfortunately (until maybe after everyone’s real real lit anyway). Its also slated to reach 25 F (-4 C) this evening, so the only street dancing i can see myself doing is the dance of frooze toes. It’s real popular with Californians who’ve moved too far north and east.

There’s a buncha events in the states, mostly sponsored by the Alliance Francaise celebrating the event also. But if your appetite is whetted for a red-wine hangover, i bet if you go to the most authentic french restaurant you know, they’ll do somethin’. And if they aren’t, casually mention all the fun-facts i told you and maybe you’ll get to go home with an easily impressed frenchie (actually that *may* be an oxymoron).

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