Where To Swig Some Beaujolais

Fritz Hahn of washingtonpost.com's GOG Blog has compiled an excellent list of Beaujolais Nouveau parties this week.

For Beaujolais newbies, the young and light bodied wine represents the first taste of the current year's harvest. The release is heavily hyped, and some would say a triumph of marketing over quality. According to French law, the wine can't be served until the third Thursday in November. That means Francophile bars and brasseries start the party on Wednesday night at the stroke of midnight.

Bistrot du Coin and Brasserie Les Halles typically host the biggest parties, but several more spots are throwing parties through the weekend.

Prefer a quieter Beaujolais toast? Cafe du Parc will offer complimentary small plates for every bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau ($30) purchased at the bar from Nov. 15-18, 5:30-9:30 p.m.