I hadn't planned it...after all, we left on Wednesday, and my stated goal had been to come home the following week, on Thanksgiving Day. (It's all about the low season with us...) While I knew the third Thursday was the release day, I never put the two together. I was so busy with vacation logistics and finding a petsitter who could give insulin that it never entered my mind that there was a distinct overlap.

SO imagine my delight as we rode into Paris that every cafe, bistro, and food shop we passed had the same sign, "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!" (The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!)

As wine lovers (but not snobs, at least about wine), we had developed an appreciation for the annual Beaujolais Nouveau release from afar, here in California. Each November for several years, we would scope out local wine stores for tastings. And with the consideration that some might put into buying a car, we would carefully choose two or three of our favorites and enjoy them over then next month.

And I now was confronted with it everywhere...the best deal I saw was at Monoprix (as close as you can get in Paris proper to a Target or Kmart-ish store, but that does not do it justice) with bottles of several brands for two or three Euros each. Suddenly I was regretting my decision to pack lightly and not bring an extra suitcase, as I realized the exact same wine would be 3 or 4 times as much back in the States...if that brand even made it over there. (But not to worry...we managed to cram in several bottles from our stay in Beaune the next week...)

This was the only picture I could find of an Arrivé sign, for a Kosher Beaujolais Nouveau, on the door of L'As du Fallafel in the Marais. Even the specialty producers get into the hype. And it's not your imagination...if you look closely at the picture, you'll see that L'As du Fallfel is recommended by Lenny Kravitz. That isn't what brought us in (an open eatery on Sunday was!), but even now it makes me smile to think about it.

The logistics that go into planning this annual celebration - a completely manufactured one, mind you - must be mind boggling. It seems to me that the French have taken some very American marketing concepts and put a distinctly French stamp on them. And while there is a lot of hype, it doesn't seem to be the "wear me down until I buy just to make it go away" hype I see here on a daily basis. (And yes, there is a Flash-based at that link, and I do hate that, but I guess this is an ok use for it if there ever was one.)

It's a great "hanging out" wine...very drinkable, lovely with a casual dinner or just watching a little TV. I'm not much of a red wine drinker, but there's something about the young Gamay grapes that I really enjoy. I've heard it described as the closest to white wine you can get with a red...and while some may say that with derision, I love it.

So with great pleasure I fall prey to this hype...although I'd rather do it closer to the source.

Update: We did indeed taste the new releases on Thursday evening. We tried six, and walked away with two: Joseph Drouhin and Mommessin. I thought Mommessin was particularly clever with their labeling; there were four different labels available and it was very hard to choose (they were all very pretty!). I guess not choosing was the point...buy four bottles so you can have all four label designs.

 Beaujolais Nouveau, Paris, buzz, hype