Open in Latvia – new Beaujolais has arrived
Diplomatic Economic Club hosted an evening of wine-making history in France and traditional season opening of new Beaujolais wine (Beaujolais nouveau). Open in Latvia – new Beaujolais has arrived!
During the evening members of the Club got familiar with the culture of grape growing and wine preparation, viewed corresponding videos and enjoyed tasting of three kinds of products from different Beaujolais region manufacturers. Traditionally the arrival of the wine into the tasting room was accompanied by the slogan «Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!» Or in English «Its Beaujolais Nouveau Time!»
Beaujolais Nouveau is young French wine made from «Gamay» grapes, brewed in France, Beaujolais (Burgundy).
Wine is ready for sale immediately after fermentation, six weeks after harvest.
This wine has a strong taste without the tart fruity bouquet, light, lively, with hints of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, slightly transparent red (Beaujolais Nouveau is almost free from tannins). Beaujolais Nouveau is served chilled at around 14-16 ° C together with „rustic" cuisine. It can be combined with Camembert cheese.
Guests were entertained with a historical quiz on the emergence of the holiday and its importance in the current economic conditions in different countries. The winner was Valerie Palkovics (Hungary)
Separation process (softening) of organic cells in order to extract their goods (maceration) last for about 5-6 days. The juice, which counts for about 50% of the total weight of the grapes, is released under the weight of the grapes themselves. After that grapes are pressed, left for fermentation for about a month. Then the wine is bottled. This wine can be stored for no longer than six months.
Beaujolais holidays are very popular due to the fact that on November 11, the day of St. Martin, France has deep historical traditions of young wine feast. In the middle of the XIX century, winemakers from Burgundy came up with a profitable campaign to sell «first» wine. Since 1985, the date of holiday has been fixed- the third Thursday of November.
In the old days the wine was poured into special bottles, called «pot» (fr). Until 1846 those were 1 liter bottles, they were called "bottle Lyon» («Pot Lyonnais») or "Urban bottle» («Pot de ville»), and then its volume was reduced to the current 46 cl.
Bottles were exhibited at the bar and buyers paid for a meter, where a meter counts 12 bottles, and thirteenth was offered «on the house».
Approximate Beaujolais sales statistics: it is being exported to about 200 countries worldwide of total amount around 55 million bottles.
Evening guests :
D. Tomaszewski, A. Sava, P. Shepelyak, A. Kirwan, O. Butenko, M. Stolarova, A. Kozlov, S. Shushunova, R. Eberwein, I. Lokhmakov, V. Palkovits, K. Voronin, M. Preminin, V. Rolduginand others