French Gamay Nouveau Party Planner

Like Beaujolais Nouveau in France, Winexpert’s Gamay Nouveau is a vin de l’année, a young wine to celebrate the end of harvest season. Nouveau-style wines are light, purple-pink, fruity, and considered by wine snobs to be ‘easy drinking’, usually accompanied by a nose-in-the-air attitude. The truth is that they’re joyful wines, consumed for sheer pleasure. No heavy tannins, no need to break out the look-sniff-sip-spit wine-tasting moves, just pour, enjoy, repeat. Add happy guests, delicious low-effort food, and you’ll have everything you need for a classic sophisticated but un-pompous get-together.

Ready to drink at less than two months after the grapes are picked, Beaujolais has become the focus of a celebration that goes beyond a simple harvest festival and allows people in cities and regions outside of Beaujolais to toast the fruits of the vineyard with a celebration and a light-hearted party. The French even make a great game of racing their Nouveau wines to market as fast as possible, by train, airplane, balloon, and even on the Concorde!

There’s no reason for those of us living outside France to miss out on a good party! The French have torchlight parades, fireworks and music festivals, but you can have as much fun on a slightly smaller scale, from a casual get-together, an appetiser assortment, or even a full French Bistro dinner! Friends, family, neighbours and winemaking pals will all want to participate. Don’t think of it as a ‘tasting’; think of it as a great excuse for a party. Here’s how to pull it off with flair:

The Party Vibe

Casual, conversational, fun and definitely stylish, but with a certain je ne sais quoi. How you say? Ah, oui: Not trying too hard. Pretty up your house with fresh flowers and candlelight, but don’t get too fussy. Think stand-up, move-around party, not sit-down dinner, and don’t gather people around and walk them through a tasting. Your everyday white plates are fine, and both stemware and rustic tumblers wil do for the wine. Disposable cocktail plates are okay, though for a more eco-friendly option, try super-stylish biodegradable bamboo plates, or renting plates from a party supply house. (BONUS: you return them as-is and don’t have to wash them!)

Step One:

Start your Winexpert Seasonal Release Gamay Nouveau! Then, decide:

Who is the party for? Friends, family, winemaking pals?
When is the party? Date, day of the week, time of day – make sure it’s scheduled for when the Gamay is ready to drink, so plan on six to seven weeks after you pitch your yeast. The third Thursday in November is traditional, but make the date work for you.
Where is the party going to be?
How many people are you inviting?
What type of party is it? Brunch, lunch, hors d’oeuvres, buffet or sit-down meal? Remember, Gamay Nouveau isn’t just for breakfast any more!

Step Two:

You’ve decided what type of party you’re going to host, so now it’s time to choose what sort of menu best fits the occassion. While you can serve any food you and your guests enjoy, French casual cuisine is a natural for celebrating this wonderful wine. Whatever menu you choose, it’s a great idea to be a “Locapour” and keep things local: The food and wine community has recently turned to the locavore concept, including the 100 Mile Diet, where consumers purchase local products both to support their community and to reduce their carbon footprint. There are even wineries now that only ship within 100 miles, and only in re-usable containers! If you’ve got an artisanal cheesemaker in your area, a great farmer’s market, a local butcher, be sure to make them part of your plans. You’ll support your local producers (never a bad idea!) and reduce your carbon footprint.
Here are three menus you can follow, all simple and fun:

Say ‘Fromage’: Cheese and Wine Party
The simplest way to enjoy your Gamay Nouveau is with a simple cheese plate. Gamay Nouveau and cheese is a tasty combo – unlike other red wines, which can become muddled when their tannins run into the richness of cheese, Gamay Nouveau is a perfect foil, fruity and crisp. Served with crusty baguette and chilled butter, the following cheeses are excellent:
Brie:
Brie is a soft, creamy French cheese that is best served very fresh—ripe Brie can get quite aromatic and overwhelm Gamay Nouveau.

Mild Cheddar:
Cheddar is a firm English cheese that comes in all strengths. Choose a mild one to compliment this gentle red.

Edam:
Edam is a semi-hard, creamy cheese from Holland. It’s slightly nutty and works well against the fruity flavors of the Gamay Nouveau.

Munster:
Munster is a French cheese – semi-soft, made from cow milk, with smooth holes. It can range from mild to sharp, but the milder version works best.

Swiss:
The classic! Elegant yellow cheese with large holes and a mild, nutty flavor, it’s a perfect foil for the soft fruitiness of Gamay Nouveau.
Le Cocktail Party
Perfect for any number of guests when you want a fun, celebratory mood. The classic French charcuterie platter is perfect for a Gamay Nouveau party.
Charcuterie offerings typically includes paté, petite sausages (you could grill them the night before, refrigerate them, then re-heat in the oven the night of your party), and an assortment of little savories like black olives, cornichons, mustard and breads like baguette or whole-grain peasant loaf.
You can include a cheese board, either with the varieties listed above, or if you have a good cheese supplier in your area, stretch your wings with a more challenging assortment of ripe Brie, Camembert, Morbier, Mimolette and Roquefort. For afters, lay on a tray of Madeleines, truffles or petit-fours with a steaming carafe of Café au lait.
Le Bistro Chez Vous
French Bistro cuisine is extremely hearty, unpretentious and the opposite of fussy, with many braises, stews and other dishes that are prepared ahead of time and served in generous portions with good bread, seasonal vegetables and plenty of vin Nouveau!
If you want a classic experience you could make steak-frites, a very simply prepared steak with a mountain of crispy French fries. How often does anyone make homemade French fries anymore? Your guests will think it an amazing treat. Serve with a salad of fresh greens and you’re set.
In Beaujolais vin Nouveau is used to make a traditional dessert with a glass of sliced peaches, topped with black currants and drenched in chilled Beaujolais wine. If peaches are out of season, or black currants are in short supply in your area, you can substitute fresh or thawed, frozen blackberries and peaches. Allow marinate for a half-hour before serving for a refreshing treat.

Whatever menu you choose, be sure to have fun. Remember, it’s a party, so make sure the hosts enjoy themselves as much as any guest!

Step 3: Let’s Start Planning Your Party!

Make list of people to invite.
Mark the date on your calendar.
Send invitations (by mail, e-mail, Tweet-up, e-vite or phone).
Make sure menu is set and suitable for party size.
Make shopping list (food, paper goods, and decorations).
Plan cooking schedule: Determine what can be made ahead and frozen, day before, and that day, and what you are buying already prepared.
Make list of equipment needed (do you need to rent or borrow chairs and tables?).
Plan the layout of the rooms. (Make sure all the food tables are not right on top of each other to ensure smooth flow for people to mingle.)
Plan music.
Plan lighting.
Buy or make a centerpiece or other decorations.
Ensure you have enough cleaning supplies for before and after the party.
Make a checklist of what you are making with appropriate cooking equipment needed for each recipe.
Make sure you have al the platters and serving pieces you wil need.

During the Party

Make sure you’ve got:

Coat rack (hangers or a separate room to put coats.)
A place to put boots or umbrellas
Ice, and enough ice buckets or coolers to keep your Nouveau chilled
Cocktail napkins (have enough for 2 per person)
Toothpicks
Candles
Paper towels
Extra toilet paper, guest soaps, paper hand towels and potpourri (for powder room)
Plates and cutlery (appetizer, salad, dinner, dessert)
Glasses: Nouveau can be drunk out of anything, so be creative. The French serve it in one-pint ‘Pot’ glasses, but chunky water glasses, cheap wine glasses or jelly jars work great. No Styrofoam cups though!
Other glasses for water and soft drinks, and coffee cups
Silverware (remember al of the courses, a fresh spoon or stirrer is necessary for coffee)
If grilling, check the tank/charcoal/lighter fuel, bug spray, and citronela candles
Coffee and assortment of tea bags
Cream and sugar
Salt and pepper
Corkscrews! Have more than one, as a broken corkscrew is a tragedy.
Cameras, spare memory or film if you use it.
Garbage bags
Dishwashing soap
Club soda (for any thing that may spil, a great spot remover)
Space to chill your Gamay. It only takes soda 20 minutes to chill on ice. A large tub or picnic cooler can be used in a back room.
Picture taking. Get some shots of the party set up before your guests arrive. You may also want to designate a photographer to get good shots during the party, of folks having fun and toasting the Nouveau.

Consumables

Your food and wine menu wil be taken care of, but there are other things you’ll need:

Ice. There’s no such thing as too much ice. You’l need lots for coolers and ice buckets.
Soft drinks, juice, tea and coffee. Make a pot when guests arrive and set it out with cream, sugar, and artificial sweetener. Take care of your designated drivers!
Music. You don’t have to hire a 15-piece band (although that would be totally awesome), but you should have a stereo system and a selection of party music. French chanteurs et chanteuses like Charles Aznavour, Serge Gainsbourg, Edith Piaf, Françoise Hardy, Jane Birkin, Stéphane Grappeli, Django Reinhardt, Plastic Bertrand,
Gypsy music or any sort of party tunes that you enjoy are all good. If your collection isn’t geared towards festive sounds, borrow from friends or have guests bring their favorites for a musical potluck. There’s always a closet DJ in the crowd.
Lighting. Overhead lights can really harsh a melow party. Keep lighting dim and indirect. Create dramatic pools of light in key areas by clustering choirs of candles together, balling up Christmas lights and setting them out in bowls. If you’re a real party maven you could instal a mirror ball with pin spot – they’re surprisingly affordable. Black lights should be avoided, because they instantly reveal who has fake teeth and who’s wearing a white bra under her sweater.
If you have a fireplace, light a fire to inject any party with relaxed elegance.
Decorations. You don’t need piles of balloons or miles of crepe paper – that’s for a high school prom. But it’s nice to have flowers, candles (always unscented), and event-appropriate visuals, such as a poster of the Seine or even a basket of baguettes and berets.

Notes On Party Equipment

Paper goods. Buy cups, heavy-gauge plates, and napkins in various sizes, and don’t forget the forks and knives. Even if you’re using your own glassware and tableware, you should have stacks of cocktail napkins on hand for use as coasters, grease blotters, spill wipers, and olive pit receptacles.
Ashtrays. Even if you’re banishing smokers to the back porch, have plenty of these on
hand.
Wine cooler. An antique copper kettle is the most attractive option. A galvanized aluminum garbage can isn’t as pretty, but if you can line it with a heavy-duty garbage bag it wil get the job done. The ugliest of al are those plastic coolers that get hauled to sports games, but that might fit in if your party is more of an ironic low-rent theme!
Trash cans. Keep a large trash can in the kitchen as well as strategically placed smaller trash cans so that guests can easy rid themselves of plates, napkins and the like. This will make your job of cleaning up a lot easier after the party.
And don’t forget…corkscrews, bottle openers, stirrers, cocktail shakers, ice bucket and tongs, cutting boards, and enough sharp knives to handle meats and cheeses at the buffet and anything else that needs cutting up.

One More Thing

Have the number of your local taxi or Safe Ride Home service posted beside your phone and make sure those who need it use it. You don’t need an excuse to have a party, but there’s no excuse for partying and driving, and Just Fine Wine wants everyone to have a safe, fun time.

And do remember to have fun: the best parties are those where the host has as much fun as all the guests, and the best question a guest can ask is, ‘When are you going to do this again!?’