2009 Nov 19 Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
It's the third Thursday of November, which means Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive! Originally made to celebrate the harvest in the Beaujolais region north of Lyon, this lightweight red wine is now a genuine globetrotter. A brief fermentation period means very little tannin and a dominance of fresh fruit flavors - think of it as a fading taste of European sunshine to be enjoyed now before the Beijing winter closes in. Here’s where to imbibe:
Enoteca
The wine buffs at this Shanghai import have made a deal with the Patriarche Pere & Fils winery to ship the bottles in early so that they can be uncorked the very same day as France. RMB 200 gets you a bottle plus a free flow of canapé-style tapas and live gypsy jazz. The fun starts from 8pm and runs for three days, or until the bottles sell out.
The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (6587 1578)
朝阳区光华路9号世贸天阶
La Baie des Anges
Tucked away in the hutongs south of Houhai lake, this cozy-hip wine bar has been staging Beaujolais Nouveau events for several years. This year, enjoy Beaujolais from the Avrinium winery by the glass (RMB 40) or bottle (RMB 200). For a light bite, RMB 80 gets you an “assiette gourmande” of saucisson, cheese and tapenade, plus a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau to wash it down.
5 Nanguanfang Hutong (just south of Hutong Pizza), Houhai, Xicheng District (6657 1605)
西城区后海南官房胡同5号（胡同批萨南边）
Café de la Poste
Long live the grapes! Café de la Poste is the bargain of the bunch here, with bottles at RMB 100 and a glass at RMB 35.
Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-late. 58 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6402 7047) www.cafedelaposte.com.cn
东城区雍和宫大街58号
Jenny’s (Lido and Shunyi branches)
If you’d rather imbibe at home, bottles of Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau will be on sale for RMB 178. Or reserve a case by calling 5165 5519 or e-mailing jenny@everwines.com.
Scarlett (Friday 20th)
Hotel G’s stylish wine bar/restaurant will be presenting their Avrinium Beaujolais Nouveau with a classic pairing of Brie de Meaux cheese (and a dozen other varieties) plus deli treats like Parma ham and foie gras rillettes. Head over from 7pm to enjoy a bottle and free flow food for RMB 218.
Hotel G, 7A Gongti Xilu, Chaoyang District (6552 2880)
朝阳区工体西路甲7号北京极栈内
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Dikran
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
WOW Tom, you should have posted this a week ago.....
I had ordered 4 days ago from 7/11 (Soho Dawanglu) and I went there today to pick them up...
I paid 218.00 RMB a bottle
This café de la poste selling 100 RMB a bottle, is it half a bottle or 750 ml??
Thanks for sharing.........
Gullekian
If you fall in love, don't blame it on gravity.
http://www.gullekian.com
tomomalley
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
OK, I've just had a chat with Christophe at Cafe de la Poste ... It turns out he has somewhat of a negative stance against the commercial rush of Beaujolais Nouveau, claiming it's the reason why all the Crus in the region so expensive. To this end, he's serving "Penglai Nouveau", a Chinese wine from Penglai in Shandong Province - merlot and cab sav grapes.
Follow my Beijing dining tweets on Twitter: Beijing_gourmet
Dikran
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
aha... I knew there was a catch, impossible a Beaujolais nouveau sells @ 100 RMB /btle....
So in another word, the guy is advertising French wine and when people go there he will be serving Chinese wine?
Thanks for ur feedback B)
Gullekian
If you fall in love, don't blame it on gravity.
http://www.gullekian.com
tomomalley
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
He wasn't advertising French wine, he was advertising Chinese wine all along - problem was his email was in French, and my French is, how you say ... merd.
Follow my Beijing dining tweets on Twitter: Beijing_gourmet
Jerry
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
Make that "merde"!
Jerry Chan, Editorial Director
admin
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
even 7-11 is selling beaujolais. is all this stuff essentially the same and how much should i be paying for a bottle?
Follow thebeijinger on weibo! http://weibo.com/tbjmagazine
Dikran
Re: Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!
Ok I see,
my apologies
By the way, yesterday I opened one of the Beaujolais nouveau that I bought from 7/11 and it didn't taste good, it had a sour taste, I think they didn't keep it well, or it could have been during the transportation, with the cold weather that we had lately, if they didn't use proper insulated trucks, then the wine could have been spoiled......
Too bad.............
next time I'll be more careful where to buy my wine....
Gullekian
If you fall in love, don't blame it on gravity.
http://www.gullekian.com