How is Beaujolais celebrated? Beaujolais in Moscow restaurants

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The French have long been famous for their wine culture. Their drinks are known and loved all over the world. And traditional alcohol festivals are gradually becoming international. The holiday that marks the beginning of the new wine year is gaining more and more popularity.

New Harvest Festival

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, France celebrates Beaujolais Day - a celebration of young vintage wine. This festival originated in the 19th century in the small town of Bozho.

Traditionally, local winemakers started the celebration. In the main square, vine torches were lit and six-week-aged Beaujolais barrels were opened. The drink was poured into liter containers, which had a special name - "Lyon bottle".

During the Second World War, the French stopped celebrating New Beaujolais. This was due to an increase in taxes on the sale of fine wines. However, in 1985 the tradition resumed.

Now Beaujolais Day is an international holiday. The famous French drink is imported to 200 countries. The number of deliveries exceeds half of the total produced incountry of young wine.

Beaujolais in Russia

At the end of the 20th century, the Young Harvest Festival came to Russia. Beaujolais was celebrated for the first time in Moscow. With the permission of the chairman of the International Wine Association, one of the famous restaurants of French cuisine held a solemn tasting of the drink three hours before midnight. The celebration continued at the Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel, where draft wine was brought on a troika of horses.

Traditional Russian dishes were served with Beaujolais: pancakes with caviar, salmon, stellate sturgeon, stuffed pig, to emphasize the connection between the traditions of the two peoples.

How Russia celebrates this day now

In many large Russian cities, the young wine festival has become a good tradition. From year to year, French restaurants and cafes offer special entertainment programs in honor of Beaujolais.

The event plan usually includes a brief excursion into the history of the holiday, a live performance of French songs, fun competitions, for which bottles of young wine are given as a reward. And of course, a tasting of different varieties of the drink.

For lovers of travel agencies organize special "wine tours" to the homeland of Beaujolais. The trip includes a city tour and a visit to the festival. It is not complete without drinking new wine in honor of the beginning of a new harvest year.

Beaujolais in Moscow restaurants

The celebration of the wine festival in the capital begins on November 19th. A bottle of festivedrink can be found in any restaurant or cafe specializing in French cuisine. But many establishments go further: they hold themed events dedicated to the beginning of the wine year.

In 2009, the Beaujolais Day was held at the Carre Blanc restaurant. The holiday was a very unusual experience for the institution. The interior of the premises was changed: the dining rooms were decorated with barrels, elements of wine cellars. Pets rested on the mats.

The first bottle of young wine was opened by the chef, who developed a special menu for the celebration. Visitors were offered simple peasant snacks to complement their drink.

In the same year, Café Jean Jacques invited visitors to celebrate the festival with live French music, washed down with roasted chestnuts and young wine.

In 2015, special programs of the Beaujolais festival were offered by Moscow City, Geraldine, Café The Most, Alpengluk restaurants. The establishments offered live performances of French songs, a special holiday menu, prize draws. Some restaurants held a celebration in a modern spirit, with incendiary dance music and a light show.

How to celebrate Beaujolais at home?

If you don't feel like celebrating the festival surrounded by strangers, you can always throw a themed party for your friends. Beaujolais Day is a holiday that does not require much effort in order to organize it.

It is enough to decorate the house, pick up music (French folk songs are best) buy drinks and cooksnacks.

Traditionally, the holiday should begin at midnight on the third Thursday of November. Celebrate the new wine year by opening a bottle of young Beaujolais.

How to choose wine?

Beaujolais Day is a holiday for connoisseurs of good French wine. Therefore, it is worth knowing which drink is better to choose for the celebration.

The price of a bottle of Beaujolais ranges from 400 to 2000 rubles for 750 ml. Only a fresh drink is suitable for drinking, so it is best to buy it in November.

Intense ruby color, sweetish taste and fragrant aroma typical of Beaujolais wines are fully reflected in Beaujolais Saint-Louis, Beaujolais Village, Beaujolais Blanc. Before serving, the drink is cooled to +12 - +14 ° C, so that its qualities are revealed to the maximum.

What dishes to serve with Beaujolais?

Young wine goes great with fresh red berries (cranberries, cherries, strawberries, currants), red and white meats, lean fish and seafood.

Traditionally, Beaujolais in France was served with pheasant, partridge, rabbit meat, hazel grouse, roe deer, wild boar. They successfully emphasized the spicy fruity aroma of the drink.

Symbol of the beginning of the wine year, one of the few drinks that goes well with egg dishes. This is due to the fact that Beaujolais contains a certain amount of tannins, which create a bitter aftertaste. Wine can be served with a classic French omelette, poached eggs.

Sweet lovers can safely combine Beaujolais with sweet fruit desserts, chocolate. Baking with sour berries will be a good addition.

Oddly enough, the drink does not go well with cheeses. But if you still want to serve cold cuts, it is best to choose cheese from goat milk or cabrio.

Meat with blood also poorly reveals the taste of Beaujolais, makes the wine bitter.

Whatever snacks you choose, the main thing in the festival is a bottle of good young wine and a good mood.

The Beaujolais holiday, which came from France, won the love of the inhabitants of many countries. And it continues to gain momentum. Perhaps in a few years the festival of young wine will reach the provincial Russian cities.