|
The Beaujolais BluffBe a Wine Connoisseur at your Beaujolais Nouveau PartyIf you have not had Beaujolais Nouveau, you have not really lived in the wine world. And right now is the time enjoy this special opportunity. Be a sport. Share it with your friends. They will always remember their first sip with you.
2. Attitude, baby. When your mother said “be yourself and everyone will like you” clearly, she was not referring to the dazzling, high-stakes world of wine tasting. It is important to project a certain image of leisure and worldliness, when playing the wine connoisseur, if possible try to begin all stories with “When Anka and I were biking through Romaneche Thorins . . .” or “Well, Michelin guide says . . .” 3. Gear. Would you go rock climbing without a harness? Would you go motorcross racing without a helmet? Then why would you host a Beaujolais Nouveau party without proper glasses? It’s just asking for trouble. Cheap stemware is available for as little as a dollar apiece, or be a rebel, serve out of plastic cups. We draw the line at Styrofoam though, it is not only bad for the environment, but it is considered tres gauche, which is French for “you are a tacky American.” 4. Wardrobe. We suggest you wear dark colors as we know you are clumsy and will most likely spill on yourself.
7. Food. They won’t know if it’s the wine, or your new-found charm that’s making them lightheaded, but your guests are bound to get peckish, at some point during the evening. Luckily, Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau is a versatile wine that goes well with both haute cuisine and Tuesday night’s meatloaf, so party snacks won’t break the bank. We enjoy a mélange of cheeses, cured meats, olives and nuts. 8. Disposition. Interesting fact: Francois Truffaut, Victor Hugo, Charlemagne, all very French, and yet not one of them would have thrown a good Beaujolais Nouveau party. Why? Because Beaujolais Nouveau is a reason to party. Just because you’re speaking French it doesn’t mean that you have to wear black and chain smoke. A good wine connoisseur knows that sophistication and fun are not mutually exclusive.
10. Enjoy yourself. The best hosts are always the ones having the most fun at the party. Have another glass of wine. Start that conga line. Yes, put the lampshade on your head. These are all good ideas. The night is as young as the wine, live a little, it’s a new year. Learning to Be a Wine WizardOldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine: 108
Ingenious Shortcuts to Navigate the World of Wine with Confidence and Style
Renaissance Guide to Wine and Food Pairing How to Pronounce French, German and Italian Wine
Names The Little Book of Champagne The Little Book of Cognac The Guide to Colorado Wineries Discovering Washington Wines Hidden Wine Country Touring Texas Wineries Access California Wine Country Great Tastes Made Simple Wine for Women Edited by Madelyn Miller |
|
TM
1.
Beaujolais Nouveau. Say it. Out loud. Let it roll off of your
tongue, Beaujolais Nouveau. That was awful. Try again, pretend
you’re Georges Duboeuf. Summon your inner Francophile and say “boh jhoe
lay.” That’s it, you did it! Congratulations, you have now taken your
first step towards coming off as a wine connoisseur. 
5.
Information. Sure, you could really study wine. Like Mr. Duboeuf himself,
you could spend years ruminating over tastings and pairings, fermentation
and vinification, or you could memorize a few quick facts about Beaujolais
Nouveau and be on your way to appearing more cultured, thus better, than all
of your friends. We knew you’d see it our way. 
6.
How to serve. Beaujolais Nouveau should be served slightly chilled, around
55º Farenheit. True wine connoisseurs will chill their bottles in a cave
(pronounced cahv), a cold chamber designed for maintaining the
integrity of fine wines. People pretending to be wine connoisseurs will
chill their bottles in their fridges, or perhaps mini-fridges. You will fall
into this latter category. 
9.
Finishing touches. Sometimes it’s the little details that make all of the
difference. Things to have on hand . . . because you never know: book of
matches, Wine Away stain remover, bandaids, fire extinguisher, tranquilizer
dart, passport under assumed name, one thousand dollars in unmarked bills.
Oh, and Aspirin, after all, you have work tomorrow.