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Beaujolais Toasts from Coast to Coast

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It’s that time of year again! The French love to hate Beaujolais wine but they love to celebrate the Beaujolais nouveau, which is the bottle of choice to be consumed in large quantities in the name of celebrating the grape harvest — in spite of the fact that no one seems to like it very much. The Beaujolais feast tends to fall right around Thanksgiving and is not too different than our American holiday when you consider that both turkey and wine tend to make people excited, then happy, then very sleepy.

Below you’ll find some recommended places to celebrate this boozy event in NYC, California and Texas. Have another suggestion? Tell us about it in the comments section and maybe next year we’ll add it to our list!

 

CALIFORNIA:

Beaujolais Passions 2014

The Castaway restaurant in Burbank has partnered with the famous maker of Beaujolais nouveau Georges Duboeuf to bring you the total package: French food, a cabaret show, dancing and, of course, drinks. For $20 participants can enjoy a glass of the wine in question with a plate of hors d’oeuvres, check out the show and stroll a French marketplace. $50 gets you the VIP deal: a full meal and reserved seats. It all goes down on Friday, november 21st from 7pm-midnight.

The Castaway

1250 Harvard Rd.

Burbank, CA, 91501

Click here for reservations

The Alliance Française of Pasadena

Want to celebrate the Beaujolais nouveau in a more subdued atmosphere? Stop by the Alliance Française in Pasadena for a screening and lecture as part of an Alain Resnais retrospective and enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres provided by Georges Duboeuf. $10 per person or free for members.

7pm-9pm, Sunday, November 23rd

Alliance Française de Pasadena

34 E Union Street

Pasadena, CA 91103

To reserve a seat email [email protected]

Café Beaujolais 

When it comes to this Eagle Rock haunt the name says it all. Get the menu — trust us. And reserve your seat ASAP as seats are limited.

5pm-9:30pm, Thursday, November 20

Café Beaujolais

1712 Colorado Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90041

For reservations call: 323-255-5111

The Wine Country

Stuck in traffic? The wine bar The Wine Country is right up your alley with a new commuter tasting. For $10 per person you can taste 5 wines in addition to the Beaujolais nouveau and relax until traffic clears up (in moderation of course).

4:30pm-6:45pm, Thursday, November 20

The Wine Country

2301 Redondo Ave.

Signal Hill, CA 90755

L’Arlequin

This wine seller in San Francisco has organized a tasting of no fewer than 24 different Beaujolais wines. $35 per person.

6pm-8pm, Thursday, November 20

Arlequin Wine Merchant

384 Hayes Street

San Francisco

(415) 863 1104

Le P’tit Laurent

Don’t forget to eat! This delightful French restaurant has a fantastic menu paired with Beaujolais nouveau for the occasion. A little jazz concert beginning at 6:30 and you’re in business.

5:30pm-10pm, Thursday, November 20

699 Chenery Street, San Francisco

(415) 334-3235 – Reservations

San Francisco Wine Trading Company

Try Beaujolais Nouveau from three different domaines (and then take some home?) at this wine store on Taraval Street.

San Francisco Wine Trading Company

250 Taraval Street

San Francisco

(415) 731 6222 

Alliance Française of Sillicon Valley

Sillicon Valley wine fans patient enough to wait until December 5th can try offerings from three French producers who will present their wines from 6pm-8pm, followed by a screening of Bottle Shock, a film that tells the story of how California wine outshone French wine during a blind taste test in 1979.

December 5th at 6pm

555 Waverly Street

Palo Alto, CA

(408) 445 2095 – Tickets 

Alliance Française of Berkeley

The Berkeley Alliance Française offers conversation and Beaujolais over potluck. Don’t forget to bring a bottle and/or a dish to share! All Francophones and Francophiles are welcome!

6:30pm-8:30pm, Friday 21

Alliance Française de Berkeley

2004 Woolsey Street

Berkeley

Free! – More info here

(510) 548 7481

Showcase Café at Sonoma County Fairgrounds

Just north of San Francisco you can celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau with a buffet, dessert and especially dancing. You can even start your Christmas shopping since gift baskets will be available for purchase.

6pm-11pm, Friday, November 21st

Showcase Café at Sonoma County Fairgrounds

1350 Bennett Valley Rd.

Santa Rosa

$55 per single entry, $600 for a VIP table

Reservations 

Alliance Française of Napa Valley

For $20-$30 the Napa Valley Alliance Française is offering wine casting and jazz with charcuterie and chefs also on the menu. de la Napa Valley organise une soirée jazz et dégustation, le 22 novembre de 19 à 21h, au Napa Yacht Club.

Napa Yacht Club

7pm-9pm, Saturday November 22nd

100 Riverside Dr

Napa – Tickets Here

 

TEXAS:

The Alliance Française of Austin

This festival has become an essential event for celebrating the Beaujolais nouveau. For $45 ($38 for members) you can taste the 2014 edition and eat a delicious meal while listening to Chico Chico, a jazz band whose specialty is Django Reinhardt standards and popular 30s Parisian hits.

9pm-10pm, Thursday, November 20

Flour and Vine Restaurant

300 S Lamar Blvd.

Austin, TX

***SOLD OUT!***

French American Chamber of Commerce of Houston

The Beaujolais and Red Carpet even will give your the chance to taste dishes from 15 different Houston restaurants prepared be renowned chefs and accompanied by French wine, bien sûr.

Houston Hilton Post Oak

2001 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, TX

Online reservations $69, $49 for members; $104 for a VIP room

Prices at the door are $80, $60 for members and $115 for a VIP room

Tickets Here

The French American Chamber of Commerce of Dallas/Fort Worth

The Beaujolais and Beyond Wine Festival has food, wine, and even artisanal beer, but the best part is that you get to play dress-up. That’s right: you are hereby required to slip on a sexy dress or a dapper suit and become Brigitte Bardot or Cary Grant for a night (or just dig up a beret).

7pm-9:30pm, Friday, November 21

Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas

500 West Las Colinas Blvd.

Irving, TX

$65 per person, or $60 per person for a group of more than 4 people

$55 for members of the FACC

Tickets at the door: $70

Tickets Here 

 

NEW YORK:

An Evening with Franck Duboeuf 

In case you were wondering where the New York Beaujolais nouveau festivities officially begin, it’s at the TriBeCa Rooftop where the Georges Duboeuf brand along with Second Glass will do a ceremony midnight opening of numerous bottles. $50 per person.

It all begins at 7pm and ends at 1am the following morning.

TriBeCa Rooftop

2 Desbrosses Street

New York, NY

Reservations

French American Chamber of Commerce

The French American Chamber of Commerce New York is celebrating Beaujolais with not one but two évents. First, a tasting at Clarkson restaurant and then a meal (yes, there’ll be more wine) at Cercle Rouge. $40 for members, $65 for non-members. Tickets here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=d06ae93a-eecd-4edf-9a86-1e89541223ea&c=f6099a10-51e2-11e3-af0b-d4ae52754055&ch=f66cc8b0-51e2-11e3-af5b-d4ae52754055

6pm-8pm, Thursday November 20

Clarkson

225 Varick Street

7pm

Cercle Rouge

241 West Broadway

Beaujolais and Diplomacy

Here is where all the French diplomate will be hanging out over a glass of red. But for $10 you can comme too.

6pm at the World Bar

1st Ave between 47th and 48th

New York

Other restaurants celebrating in the Big Apple

OCabanon This French restaurant in Chelsea will be celebrating from the 20th until the 23 of November with pétanque, dance, and a wheel of fortune.

– Carroll Gardens’ (Brooklyn) favorite French eatery Provence en boîte will feature a special menu to go with the Beaujolais

– The legendary Tout Va Bien always fills up so be sure to make a reservation

– The Vin sur Vingt at the Nomad Hotel is also offering a spécial menu with jazz on Thursday November 20th from 8pm until 9pm

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