Le beaujolais nouveau

It's getting to feel a lot like that time of the year again.

No, not Christmas.

Although French supermarkets already are selling Advent calendars and Christmas chocolates. Bars have Christmas beers out. And the ominous red and white of year end consumerism are slowly invading the entire city.

No, I'm referring to le beaujolais nouveau.

Every year on the third Thursday in November, bars, bistros, and wine sellers across the country release a wine from the Beaujolais region that has only been fermented for a few weeks. Signs mark the occasion: "Le beaujolais nouveau has just arrived!!" There are even small parties to mark the occasion. Yesterday, the bar nearest my house had an unusually large number of customers for a Thursday, their beer mugs temporarily replaced with wine glasses for the evening.

In the grand history of French wine, it's not that old of a tradition. In fact, it's just a few decades old. After World War II sellers of the wine were granted AOC status and rushed to Paris to put their newest bottles on sale.

Last time I was in France, back in 2006, the owner of the bistro I frequented gave my friend and me a free glass to taste it. I don't remember much, though.

So, yesterday when I was sipping my coffee and reading in a café and I noticed the signs and hullabaloo, I decided to order a glass and test this great French production once again.

Bah...it tasted like a young red wine.