“Beaujolais Nouveau”, uncorking of the first wine of the year took place in Bangalore. The Consulate General of France in Bangalore heralded the event, which brought together Indian and foreign associates and partners working in close collaboration with France. This initiative was supported by the French flagship carrier – Air France, the France Tourism Development Agency – Atout France and The Taj West End hotel.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day is an annual celebration of the end of the grape harvest and the first taste of the new wine. From a local festival, this day has grown to become an international phenomenon used for heavy marketing, with a worldwide race to be the first to uncork this very young wine. It is said that the various means of transport that have been used to rush these millions of bottles to their destinations include balloon, Concorde jet, and elephant! Released exactly one minute past the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday of November as per French law, Beaujolais Nouveau is a bright flavourful red wine made from the Gamay grape. A harmonious wine with well-balanced flavours, the 2016 label can bring a harvest-to-table freshness to any holiday gathering.
Reflecting on growing tourist numbers from India, Mr François Gautier, Consul General, said, “This year again, the French consulate has issued a greater number of visas as more and more Indian nationals are going to France, for business or for tourism. France remains the top tourist destination in the world, and Rhône-Alpes is a lovely place to discover. With this event, we bring a little bit of France to Bengaluru and hope to encourage more people from Bengaluru to travel to France, to discover and to share our traditions, our culture, our gastronomy and our art de vivre. And that is what Beaujolais nouveau is all about – tradition, conviviality and art de vivre!”
Enthusiastically endorsing the event, Ms Sheetal Mushaw, Director – Atout France India, said, ” The annual heralding of the Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated with great pomp and glory in the picturesque Auvergne Rhone-Alpes region every third Thursday of November. We are very pleased to partner the Consulate of France in Bangalore and Air France in this initiative to recreate a festive atmosphere and celebrate the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. Celebrations are intrinsic to France’s art de vivre or way of life and this soirée provides a perfect occasion for our invited guests to enjoy an authentic “Made in France” experience!”
Speaking on the occasion, Max Smits, General Manager, Air France – KLM – Indian Subcontinent said, “Air France has been constantly making efforts to build connect with its Indian customers. Keeping this focus in mind, we are delighted to partner with Consulate General of France in Bangalore to bring the age old French tradition of uncorking the freshly produced Beaujolais Nouveau and rejoice in the most anticipated event of the year with our esteemed customers. We are honoured to be a part of the event and delighted to celebrate this tradition that gives our customers an opportunity to relish the flavour of France.”
