Alexandria will celebrate its international sisterhood with Caen, France, next week during a “Bienvenue Beaujolais” wine tasting fundraiser.
Guests at the cultural, culinary evening can expect guided wine tastings and French cuisine to commemorate Beaujolais Nouveau Day, an annual celebration of the year’s first release of the red wine.
Typically made with Gamay grapes, Beaujolais Nouveau is described as young and fruit-forward, Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee member Stephen Hartka told ALXnow. It releases on the third Thursday of November, prompting celebrations in France and across the globe.
“It’s a big phenomenon in France,” Hartka said. “For a lot of people, it’s an excuse to get together and have dinner, and there’s a lot of publicity that happens around the Beaujolais Nouveau.”
The event is the committee’s largest fundraiser of the year. It will be held from 7-9 p.m. next Thursday, Nov. 20, at Lloyd House on 220 N. Washington Street.
Local wine expert Marc Lotterie will guide attendees through a tasting inspired by wineries in the French countryside, and Gustave’s Boulangerie and Brasserie of Del Ray will cater “a mix of savory and sweet French bites that mirror what you might see in a neighborhood cafe or patisserie in France.”
Proceeds will benefit the committee’s programming, including its D-Day commemoration and its student exchange program with George Washington Middle School. The exchange included 26 American students, 26 French students and six teachers during its inaugural trip last fall.
It intends to operate every two years and offer two or three $500 scholarships annually.
“Everyone loves the culture, and that’s definitely part of the fun,” Hartka said. “But, we definitely try honor the spirit of the original sister city movements and build deep, human ties, based on exchange, based on commemorating history.”
Beaujolais Nouveau tickets are $70 and available on the city’s website. They typically sell out ahead of the event, so Hartka suggests purchasing them soon.
“People definitely have some time left to get a ticket, but I would get one sooner rather than later, if you’re interested,” Hartka said.
If the tasting fundraiser sells out, Hartka added that Alexandria residents have some other options in store.
- Josephine is planning a Beaujolais Nouveau Day party that leans into the wine’s reputation as a fun, approachable party wine.
- Bastille Brasserie and Bar is organizing a five course, five wine dinner built around Gamay to show how the same grape that produces young Beaujolais Nouveau can also yield more serious, structured wines.
Photo 1 via Alexandria-Caen Sister Cities/Facebook.
