Everybody grab your breathalyzer! It's time once again for Mill�vin, the annual festival in Avignon celebrating
the primeur (early or new) wines and other C�tes du Rh�ne vintages. Primeur, in
this case, refers to wines sold in the year the grapes are harvested. The idea
is similar to the Beaujolais Nouveau, with the wines officially released the
third Thursday in November.
This year, Mill�vin (Thursday, November 20) features both morning and evening events
where you can taste and purchase regional wines, gourmet food chalets, a
winemakers' parade and special menus in participating restaurants. The event is
designed for consumers, the trade and all other "adeptes de la bonne humeur."
Festivities begin at with preview tastings of the C�tes du Rh�ne Primeurs (12 wineries) in the Les Halles market from 10 am to 1 pm.
Then, on the Place de l�Horloge (6 to 9 pm; 5� per person for a glass, five tasting tickets and a breathalyzer), local wine
co-ops and winemakers will be offerings tastes and bottles for sale, of both new
wines and other C�tes du Rh�ne vintages. Chalets will be serving and selling
regional products including charcuterie, oysters, sweets and more. There will be
wine quizzes, a photo competition, a "Nez du Vin'' test that pits wine student
against the public and of course, a lot of people hanging around sipping and
shmoozing.
The D�fil� des Confr�ries starts at 6:15 pm, with roughly 160
winemakers and other wine-industry folks, parading along Rue de la R�publique to
the Place de l�Horloge, where they'll sing the beautiful Provencal song, La
Coupo Santo. Then, everyone heads off to various restaurants where, from 8 pm,
special C�tes du Rh�ne menus are being offered (with a free
glass of C�tes du Rh�ne of course). A list of
participating restaurants and a map is here.
For all the info, go to: millevin.fr. If you don't find what you
need there, you can call the Avignon Tourist Office (04 32 74 32 74 )
or Inter-Rhone: 04 90 27 24 00, maison@inter-rhone.com,
vins-rhone.com.
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