23rd Annual “Beaujolais and Beyond” Food & Wine Festival in LA on 11/18/06. Preview and Tickets!
23RD ANNUAL ‘BEAUJOLAIS AND BEYOND’ WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL SET FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH AT HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
The 23rd Annual BEAUJOLAIS AND BEYOND World Wine and Food Festival, the largest event on the West Coast to carry on the time-honored tradition of welcoming the Beaujolais Nouveau each November, will take place on Saturday evening, November 18th at the famed Hollywood Palladium. Hosted by the French American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, BEAUJOLAIS AND BEYOND will feature an evening of gourmet food from local vendors and premium wines for tasting, casino gaming, live music and dancing and will run from 6:30-11:30PM.
The international celebration will draw wine connoisseurs, gourmands and Francophiles alike. Esther Galil, the internationally-renowned recording artist known for her varied repertoire that combines Moroccan, Spanish, French and Israeli roots, will perform hits such as her European chart-topper, “Le Jour se Leve.” She has sold more than five million records worldwide. The rhythms of world and Latin rock and smooth pop vocals of Patje will get party-goers out on the dance floor. Large-scale metal sculptures by Paris-born artist Pascal Giacomini—representing forms that embody indigenous, tribal traditions—will be on display.
Benefiting the work of the French American Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit, non-political organization created to encourage the development of economic relations between France and the U.S. and promote strong business ties, BEAUJOLAIS AND BEYOND will also feature a spectacular silent auction that will include abstract and modern artwork, entertainment and dining opportunities, gift baskets and recreational items. Among the auction items will be two round trip tickets to France, courtesy of Air France.
The 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau, culled from a remarkable harvest, is being called one of the best vintages to come out in years. A selection of gourmet food and premium wines will be available to accompany the tasting of the new Beaujolais. Guests opting to purchase tickets for the exclusive VIP Lounge will be treated to fine champagne, cognac and cigars in addition to the food and wine experience.
Beaujolais (pronounced: boe-zjoh-lay) Nouveau is a wine of the Gamay variety produced in the Beaujolais region of France. Gamay is the only grape permitted for Beaujolais, and all grapes of this region, along with Champagne, must be picked by hand. Beaujolais Nouveau owes its drinkability to a winemaking process called carbonic maceration. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the wine without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins. In the 19th century, wine growers began selling their harvest early, and, by the early 1950’s, it had become chic to consume Beaujolais wines before the aging process began. In 1985, the release of Beaujolais Nouveau was formally established to take place on the third Thursday of November each year.
The Hollywood Palladium is located at 6215 Sunset Blvd. at the corner of Argyle Street. Ticket prices for BEAUJOLAIS AND BEYOND are as follows: Chamber Members: $45/ Non-Members: $60; VIP Lounge: $100/$120 if purchased in advance by calling the French-American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles at