The third Thursday in November is always awaited with a certain degree of excitement here in France. This is the date when at 12.01 am the Beaujolais Nouveau is released – that much-ballyhooed cherry-red coloured vintage that’s best served chilled — is clearly not for wine snobs. This fresh and fruity red is the result of a quick fermentation process that ends up with a tasty, clean wine that is enjoyed by palates the world over. The Gamay grapes that go into Beaujolais Nouveau are handpicked in the Beaujolais province. The wine actually originated about a century ago as a cheap and cheerful drink produced by locals to celebrate the end of the harvest season. 2019 has been hailed as a good year.

Being France, it is also a very good reason (who needs one of those?) to celebrate with some form of party, social gathering or whatever. Locally we had a picnic! Yes, I know it’s mid-November and it is cold and wet, but this was indoors. Nine of us friends went and sensibly decided in advance who was making/cooking what. We’ve been here before and ended up with a lot of the same things! The picnic was fun, plenty of food – far too much food, and wine. A local band played (far too loudly) music from the 50’s through to the present day, the focus being on the ‘old’ hits. Their sound sytem would not have been out of place in a small stadium. Hearing-aids were hastily removed or turned off!

Unfortunately the turn out was low and as I looked around the room it reminded me of God’s waiting room. I reckon the average age was pushing 70yrs, and the sound of creaking backs, clicking hips and knocking knees gyrating on the dance floor was drowned out by the music. By 9 pm the table opposite were yawning and several were visibly nodding off. Surveying the room it was like a ‘Darby & Joan’ convention! By the end of play at 11.30pm most had gone home or had succumbed to Death, with one or two determined to compete with the band by snoring rather alarmingly. Hopefully they had a good time.

Oh well, there is always next year’s harvest to look forward to! Cheers everyone 🙂

A Bientot!