Bloomingdale’s Favorite Wine Festival

Beaujolais Nouveau Day at Mahan Family Wines on the second Saturday in November

There’s a little known celebration in France that takes place every year on the third Thursday in November – the day is marked with fireworks, music and lots of wine drinking. 

Under French law, the wine is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the wine's grapes have been harvested. Barkeepers & Restauranteurs famously race to retreive the coveted Beajolais Nouveau & put up their sign “le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!”. The celebration has been known to include floating barrels of wine down French rivers to arrive at their final destinations. 

Wine Lovers descend on their favorite spot in town to share in the celebration of the first wine of the season; uncorking their mutual love for great wine and company.

You don’t need to travel to France to enjoy Mahan Family Wines 2024 Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration but, you will need to be given the location of the Secret Door of Mahan Speakeasy!   (We are approximately at the corner of Lake & Bloomingdale Road, in Bloomingdale, Illinois)     

What is Beaujolais Nouveau

In its most direct translation, Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. 

The wine is known to be fresh, fruity, and very low in tannins. Part of the reason Beaujolais Nouveau can be consumed so soon after harvest is due to the Gamay grape - as it is very straightforward in flavor and therefore doesn’t require the same aging as other varietals to be so delicious.

Why the second Saturday in November?

While the tradition in France is held on the third Thursday in November, in the United States, preparations and travel for Thanksgiving are well underway. 

Rather than throwing up our hands and declaring that we can’t hold one of the most epic wine celebrations of the year, we’ve decided to do it just a little earlier than French law would allow. 

I guess you could say we’re law breakers.

Join the fun!

If the lawless rebel in you loves wine and great people as much as we do, we invite you to join us on the second Saturday in November in Bloomingdale, Illinois as we celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau Day in style. 

Bottles of Mahan Family Wines will be available that night, so you can bring the party home with you.

Make Your Reservation now!

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