Monday 17 November 2003

CELEBRATE IN STYLE

Locals in the small French village of Glizé will be celebrating in style this week as wine bars and restaurants in the UK pour the first glasses of this year's Beaujolais nouveau. Glizé is where nouveau was born as a marketing gimmick to boost flagging sales in Paris during the sixties.

According to Maurice Carroll of website, winedrive.com, 2003 could be about to produce an exceptional young wine. "While wine volumes are down throughout France, our vineyards are reporting excellent quality for 2003 and the nouveau is no exception. It could the best for more than 20 years."

Jean Jacques Baronnat of Winedrive vineyard, Maison Jean Baronnat is one wine grower who should know what he is talking about for his father was the pioneer of Beaujolais Nouveau marketing at Glizé. He added: "Our nouveau is going to be excellent this year. Although the recolte was just 25 - 30% of normal, the wine should be better than last, which was the best for many years. The price is likely to be about four Euros from the cave".

UK wine lovers can expect the nouveau to be available from Thursday after its traditional midnight release on the 19th November.

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