Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!

With this slogan the Lyon’s bistros announced to the passers-by that the fresh wine is out; this was before 1941, when a local regulation set the 15th of November to be the date when the new wine was to be launched. Up to that moment, each year there was a fierce contest between the wine producers from Beaujolais to bring the new wine to Lyon. The wine supply in France did not meet the demand, so, at the end of summer the wine stocks were already finished; this was the reason why this wine was awaited with much impatience.

After the transport speed had increased and the product had appeared on the international market, the 70’s required an international regulation for the launching date of this wine. The selected date was the third Thursday of November and since then, a red wine celebration is organized all around the world. On this day, the wine is launched with much pomp in 120 countries around the globe. In order to coordinate the launching events, the wine is transported by airplane. Air France is usually the official partner of the events. Some consider the success of this fresh wine a good marketing move of the 20th century; one that has helped quite a simple wine reach impressive sales quota. Nevertheless, this wine is certainly responsible for the world fame of the area.

Read more in The Art of Living magazine printed edition