By Mohalenyane Phakela
MASERU — As part of the annual French Wine harvest celebrations, Alliance Française Maseru held a wine and cheese tasting get together at their offices last Friday.
Beaujolais Nouveau is a rare French purple-pink wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France.
It was first produced in the early 19th century and became popular for being fermented for just a few weeks, explained the director of Alliance Française Maseru Camille Perdereau.
“The harvest normally takes place in August and September and, as a tradition, the harvest was celebrated with this wine which is meant to be drunk the very same year it is harvested.
“It is to be consumed not earlier than the third Thursday of November which is marked as the Beaujolais Nouveau Day on the French calendar. The wine, which is only produced in France, is shipped to different parts of the world before this day so that it can be available on the market on that day.
“Although it arrived here later than scheduled, we are using the opportunity to celebrate it.
“Wine is normally kept for a long time so it can ferment but this one ferments for only a couple of days which makes it lighter than South African wines,” Perdereau said, adding that the wine does not improve with age which is why it is intended for immediate use.
During its primary days in the market people used to criticise it, saying it was immature but now it has grown so popular that the style is adopted by other countries like Italy.
The wine was served with a variety of cheese, together with biscuits, grapes and peanuts.
The mood was so tranquil with soft music playing at a low volume as the invited guests mingled.
