Traditionally, Beaujolais Nouveau Day is celebrated in the French region of Beaujolais (30km northeast of Lyon) on the third Thursday in November to mark the first release of Beaujolais Nouveau red wine. Beaujolais Nouveau Day began in the Beaujolais region to toast the harvest of that year’s vineyards.
Didier Talpain, the consul general of France in Kolkata, got the celebrations going on Thursday, November 16, as he hosted the iconic French wine festival of Beaujolais in his home. The wines flowed as friends and family joined the celebrations.
“Tonight, we celebrate the spirit and taste of France, which is without a doubt a significant part of us,” said Talpain in his welcome speech, adding that France is usually associated with luxury red wines. “The French are usually associated with drinking world-famous wines and France is usually associated with red wine. But we French people in the consulate have made it our duty to correct this myth.”
In pictures: A glittering guestlist
For the occasion, Talpain invited the team from the French Consulate, along with other friends and allies. A number of well-known names from F&B, and other celebs also made it to the celebration.
Also in attendance was Sidi Ami Frantz, Attache linguistique, French Institute in India
L-R: Nicolas Facino, the director of Alliance française du Bengale with president of Kolkata International Women’s Club Iryna Vikyrchak, model Lana Munshi, DJ Ayca Armand-Delille, French musician Paul Armand-Delille better known as Polocorp, and Meghdut Roy Chowdhury of Techno India Group and Offbeat CCU
Food writer Rukshana Kapadia and partner Suneha Saha were checking out the French buffet
Actor and Kolkata girl Tridha Choudhury — who dropped by for the meeting after meeting David Beckham in Mumbai — and (right) Indrajit Lahiri of Foodka, enjoyed their choice of reds and whites
Kolkata-based actress Richa Sharma donned a black dress for the evening
Social entrepreneur Imran Zaki, whose Eid and Ramazan parties have always been admired in the city, was also present for the event
A delightful soiree
Conservation flowed as easy as the wine in the lit-up lawn of the French Consulate in Kolkata
The garden of the French Consulate in Alipore was decked up with fairy lights while melodious French music weaved through the pauses between conversations. There was a selection of French wines, not only from Beaujolais but also other regions in France.
Some of the wines for the evening
There was a Sauvignon Blanc and a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon from Beaujolais, along with a Chateau Henri Bonnaud Terre Promise from Provence and a Trenel Beaujolais Blanc, as well as B from Bordeaux 2021 Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, along with other drinks and cocktails.
The buffet at the event
The buffet for the evening had French staples such as the meatball-like Boules de Picolat, Tomates Farcies or stuffed tomatoes, Salade De Figues and more. They even had a pastry trolley that had delicate, colourful and delicious French sweet treats.