The Great French Wine Race comes to Braddon
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Australians have just partied at a horse race this week on the sacrosanct first Tuesday in November.
But in France, their annual November race tradition is yet to come—and it’s all about wine.
On the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday in November, the light fruity red wine Beaujolais Nouveau is released and the whole country goes mad. The race is on. But rather than horses—it’s a race to Paris with a bottle of the new vintage in hand.
Local cultural organisation, the Alliance Française, is bringing the race down under by hosting a traditional Beaujolais Nouveau party on the third Thursday of the month at the aptly named Midnight Hotel.
The new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau is usually released at midnight, but Canberrans will get a sneak peek at 6 pm at a Gala Wine Party at the brand new Braddon hotel.
The tradition began about 100 years ago when wineries in the Beaujolais region of France started making a cheap and cheerful drink to toast the end of the autumn harvest.
The local tradition became a national event when, in a stroke of marketing genius, some vineyards came up with the idea of holding a race to carry the first bottles of the new vintage to Paris.
The idea caught on quickly: restaurants and bars welcomed its arrival with banners declaring “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé !” (the new Beaujolais has arrived!).
By the 1970s the race had become a national event. For the French, the annual release of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine is a time to party. There are fireworks, festivals, live music and dancing.
Buffets of regional Beaujolais fare—cheese, charcuterie (cured and smoked meats) and fresh bread—accompany the degustation of the new vintage.
The wine itself is a fresh and fruity red style made from Gamay grapes and intended to be drunk young. In fact, the wine is bottled just weeks after harvest and is best served slightly chilled—perfectly suited for drinking on a warm late spring night in Canberra.
The Alliance Française is partnering with Midnight Bar to bring the party to the capital. In fact, the head chef who has recently arrived from Dubai started the tradition going in the Arab Emirates and is thrilled to be part of continuing the party in Canberra.
As well as the long buffet of French cheeses and charcuterie, there will be a large selection of succulent canapés all to be savoured with glasses of the new Beaujolais Nouveau vintage.
The party atmosphere will be ignited by Sydney-based Mauritian song and dance group La Faya, coming down especially for the event, whose infectious cheer will get the room dancing.
There will also be the draw of the Alliance Française annual gala raffle – first prize two tickets to Paris! – and you can buy tickets on the night to be part of the draw.
With the end of the year in sight, it’s time to let your hair down. Be at the start of Canberra’s own Beaujolais Nouveau tradition: enjoy good food, good wine and good company. And kick back in the party atmosphere as you savour a little bit of France in Canberra.
the essentials
What: Beaujolais Nouveau
When: Thursday 21 November from 6 pm
Where: Midnight Hotel, Braddon
Cost: $105, includes a traditional buffet of French charcuterie (cured meats) and cheese, a selection of canapés, wine, music and dance from French Mauritian troupe ‘Le Faya’ and a Gala Raffle
Website: afcanberra.com.au
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