By Nick Askew
Village of Theizé in Beaujolais
The alternative Beaujolais Nouveau evening kicked off on Thursday night, November 19th at The Finch’s Arms on the shores of Rutland Water. With strategic barricades placed at all key points to seal off Hambleton peninsula from the rest of mainland UK the Leicestershire police were adamant that not a drop of that fermented Gamay grape juice known as le nouveau “beau jolly” would slip through and onto the tables of any unsuspecting diner. Even the famous Rutland Belle which daily ferries hordes of international tourist across this famous man made lake was being dusted for fingerprints by the villagers makeshift forensic team to make sure no clandestine Lyonnais was making an attempt to smuggle a few cases of this alcoholic Ribena across to hijack the event. The local RAF base at Cottesmore was on full alert and the Harriers were carefully patrolling the skys above Rutland just in case any aspiring Phileas Fogg was attempting to recreate that definitive “Montgolfier” moment and touchdown on the helipad next door to the pub.
Instead a vintage performance and tasting of the villages wines of the region prior to the dinner was being eagerly anticipated in order to give the locals a real flavour of the region before they sit down to a typical Menu Beaujolais with accompanying choice of wines from Louis Chedeville (Beaujolais & Macon Villages) and Mommessin (Morgon Griottes, Fleurie Cerisae & Moulin a Vent Canneliere) two of Beaujolais’ most respected Houses.
Beaujolais Wine Dinner Menu
In a slightly surreal Clochemerle meets ‘Allo allo vein you may encounter the odd dodgy onion seller, in striped T shirt and full-on moustache and the evening will accompanied by Jean-Francois “quick fingers” Dupont on the accordion…
Vive le Beaujolais libre…
Tags: Beaujolais, France, Hambleton