BEAUJOLAIS BEATS

A Beaujolais Nouveau wine evening with a difference at Alliance Française on November 21.

You may be mistaken to think that the Alliance Française in Durban was exclusively a place of learning French frequented by musty academic types with even mustier notions of having fun.

Since 1985, the world has been swept with the extravagant and wobbly wave of the Beaujolais region’s first harvest. On midnight of the third Thursday of November each year, millions of cases of Beaujolais Nouveau make their way through a sleepy France to ports to be distributed the world over. Thanks to savvy marketing, it has become a race to see who will consume the first harvest of the season. Motorcycles, hot air balloons, trucks, helicopters, elephants, runners and rickshaws have been enlisted to get it to its final destination.

For the wine connoisseurs out there, the Beaujolais Nouveau may not be the region’s finest export but its success lies simply with the fact that it is the closest to white wine that a red wine can get. It is an easy drinking fruity wine, best served when chilled, making for a festive wine to be enjoyed in good company and spirits rather than scrutinized.

And for this reason, with typical French flair, The Alliance will present classic and modern French sounds to accompany the celebrations. The Alliance Française has secured a shipment of the Beaujolais region’s finest (sold by the bottle and the glass) and will be serving this alongside a tantalizing selection of European beers, French cheeses and sausages. Wine lovers of all ages are encouraged to join in what promises to be a festive French affair.

The evening starts at 18h30 – entrance is free but booking is essential. For further information contact the Alliance Française of Durban on 031 312 9582 or email: durban@alliance.org.za