Every year in November, the Beaujolais Nouveau, a young red wine, is released for sale. All over the world, the uncorking of this fruity wine is traditionally celebrated with parties and much fanfare. Manila is no exception.

On the 25^th of November, Sofitel Manila, celebrated the Beaujolais Nouveau with a wine dinner at La Veranda, an indoor lounge in the hotel. The event was in association with P. Ferraud & Fils and Le Cellier.

“Sofitel has French roots and we want to bring our passion for wines all around the world. Hosting such events is a great opportunity for us and our guests to meet with the winemaker, and share a convivial dinner with wine lovers,” says Matthieu Chapuis, the assistant F&B manager at Sofitel Manila.

The development of the event was a synthesis between Sofitel, Le Cellier, and P. Ferraud & Fils. “Le Cellier is our supplier for many wines including P. Ferraud & Fils. Bernard Flour from Le Cellier came to us when his friend Yves Dominique Ferraud was visiting Manila. We were delighted to meet with Mr. Ferraud,” adds Chapuis.

Consequently, Mr. Ferraud, the owner of P. Ferraud & Fils, was the guest of honour at the event. Mr. Ferraud tells PhilippineTatler.com, “Since 1882 we’ve been a family business. We produce wine from the Beaujolais region, and supply 45 countries.”

The wine dinner featured eight wines from the Beaujolais region, which is situated between Lyon and Mâcon. Three additional wines from the Macon region, situated between Burgundy and the Beaujolais, rounded out the dinner. The vintages varied from the refreshing, fruity flavours of The Macon Rouge to the vibrant Brouilly and Morgon. According to P. Ferraud & Fils, each vintage is aged separately according to its temperament, and stored in old oak barrels.

Sofitel’s Chapuis, a native of Burgundy, finds that “Beaujolais produces great wines, especially in the 10 ‘Cru du Beaujolais’ (Brouilly, Régnié, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Saint-Amour, Chénas, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent) and I like the more bodied one, especially the Morgon.”

These wines made their way to Manila through Le Cellier, a wine supplier for Sofitel.  The company imports and distributes French wines to the Philippines. Le Cellier tastes and selects the top wines, which France’s wine-producing regions can offer.

The wines were paired with Sofitel’s Cheese Room, which features a wide variety of meats and cheeses; as well as the famous Spiral’s buffet, which provides 21 dining ateliers-artist’s special workshop. These workshops featured a plethora of cuisine from sushi to steak.

Besides Mr. Ferraud and Bernard Flour, founder of Le Cellier, others were present to sample the various wines and cuisine including Michael Whiting, the vice president of the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. Ultimately, the event was a smashing success.

Words by Mario Villamor | Photos courtesy of Ecrit-com, Inc.