Raising a Glass in Solidarity With Paris
by Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thursday brings the annual release of a French wine that doesn't last on store shelves much longer than the six weeks it takes to go from vine to bottle. But after the massacre in Paris, this year's vintage carries extra significance -- and that's being noted at more than a dozen restaurants and retailers in Philadelphia.
This is the time of year when France marks the end of the grape harvest with a special wine that's celebrated by the rest of the world.
"Beaujolais Nouveau is about the spirit of France -- the good life," says Michael McCaulley, the wine director and a partner at Tria in Philadelphia. "It's about culture, wine, food, and people coming together. So I think it's very important that we celebrate this week."
When it comes to vin, Beaujolais Nouveau is as young as they come: it's released in limited quantities on the third Thursday in November about six weeks after the gamay grapes have been harvested.
"It's kind of joyful, juicy, delicious, light, tart red fruits made from 100% gamay grape," McCaulley says. "I think it's just a perfect fall wine with some autumn spices. It's certainly a perfect sipper with a slight chill -- more cellar temperature than served warmer. I love it with chicken, I love it with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes -- all the foodstuffs you'd think of for Thanksgiving."
Tria will pour what McCaulley calls a "slightly richer, more serious interpretation" of Beaujolais Nouveau and will offer a special menu.
"It's a great way to show solidarity with France and to have some fun and celebrate an important thing in French culture," he says.
Bars, restaurants, and retailers in Midtown Village are offering tastings and special menu options and will donate 10% of all Beaujolais sales to the French Red Cross. Bistro St-Tropez in Center City and Bistrot La Minette in Queen Village are among the Philadelphia restaurants with big plans for diners and drinkers on release day.