I live a double life. I am an American woman. I sneak into French territory, physically when I'm lucky, spiritually on a daily basis. My family is full of French names and French passports. We kiss on both cheeks when we greet. We eat bread at every meal. We enjoy snails and frog legs, champagne and stinky cheese.
This double life of mine affords me a glimpse into a different culture, a refreshing lifestyle, a new way of thinking. I don't always agree with what my French man's culture brings to our table, but mostly, I have embraced this new country with...... well, they don't hug (isn't that a shame!)
I have gained insight into the leisurely French--so frustrating when you need paperwork done but so lovely when you sit down to eat. I have studied, quite devoutly, the French table: its food and drink, their hospitality, their joie de vivre, that standard three course meal. This is my favorite part of my French man's contribution to our family, our well-being, our "this is how we roll." We entertain. We have people over. We celebrate; we feast; we convene.
When I see a French holiday that inspires a get-together, I adopt it. We do Bastille Day, that "crepe day" in February called "Chandeleur." (Do we need a reason to eat crepes for dinner?!) And one of my favorites: Beaujolais Nouveau.
This "holiday" celebrates the first wine harvested and bottled from this year's harvest, but Beaujolais Nouveau is not a real holiday. It is a marketing ploy by a French wine region to sell more wine. Beaujolais is a wine region north of Lyon, France. It sits between the Burgundy region just north of it and the Rhone -Alps to the south. The Gamay grape typically used in the wine is a Pinot Noir, adding acidic taste, with a older grape varietal that gives Beaujolais that fruitiness it is known for. This grape varietal, Gamay, was kicked out of Burgundy twice in one century before settling in the granite soil in what is now known as Beaujolais Province. (This wine has a reputation. It is not a good one....)
Beaujolais isn't a nuanced wine, especially new. It's a meat and potatoes kind of wine. The only attempt at sophistication may be the pretty label! Georges DuBoeuf, the most well-known Beaujolais producer, often commissions labels from artists. This wine works best with stews, charcuterie, estouffades, boeuf bourguignon, even chili.
This new red wine isn't a keeper. It is a very, very, very young wine, only a month or two old. You may have to shake the bottle to release those tanins. (I'm serious! It will change a young wine for the better...) Beaujolais is one of the few red wines that needs to be served slightly chilled.
To me, Beaujolais is the first stop along the Feasting Route that runs through New Year's. This harvest celebration occurs the third Thursday in November, exactly one week prior to our Thanksgiving. How perfect: an occasion to try out a few bottles of red to put on your table next week!
I invite you to add this one to your annual calendar. It's not hard. Get your crockpot ready. Thursday, stop by the store and grab a few diverse bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau. (A good grocery store will have a display! They know!) Throw one or two cheeses in your cart. Add a baguette. Invite someone over to empty a few bottles with you. (You'll survive Friday just fine!) Play taste test. Expand that oenology vocabulary with phrases like "...deep floral notes of lilacs..," "flavors of dried berry and sour cherries," and maybe "the afternotes of crushed strawberries." Let me know how it went! Santé!
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