The Wine Garden Hosts 'Nouveau Day' Tasting Event

Turkey fans may look forward to the fourth Thursday in November for Thanksgiving, but for wine aficionados Nouveau Day is their holiday.

The third Thursday in November is the first day consumers can try Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine which is made from the first harvest of grapes from the Beaujolais region of Burgundy, France.

The wine only ferments for a few weeks before it is shipped around the world, and into stores in St. Clair Shores including The Wine Garden, Nino Salvaggio and Bommarito Bakery.

To mark the occasion The Wine Garden has planned a special tasting event for 2012 vintage, and other French wines, paired with a freshly cooked turkey.

Wine Garden sommelier Tony Klee, who has yet to taste the new wine, said this type of in-store tasting event was made possible by a new law passed in 2010 which expanded sales and samplings.

"The new laws allow us to be more creative and show what we are about," said Klee, who added customers can now sample different wines before purchasing the whole bottle. "One of the hardest things is to sell (customers) a bottle when they don't know what they are buying."

The Wine Garden event will be from 5-7 p.m. tonight and will also include samples of other Thanksgiving wines including Chateau de Calavon Rose, Le Notes de Louis, Pommereaux, Tonnerre, De Venoge Cordon Bleu Select.

These wines pair well with Thanksgiving turkey, Klee said.