You're Invited: Millévin is Nov. 21 in Avignon

It's time again for Millévin, the annual festival in Avignon celebrating the primeur (early or new) wines and other Côtes du Rhône 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, Millévin (Thursday, November 21) 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 consumers, the trade and all other "adeptes de la bonne humeur."

Festivities begin at with preview tastings of the Côtes du Rhône Primeurs in the Les Halles market from 10 am to 1 pm.

Then, on the Place de l’Horloge (6 to 9 pm; 3€ per person for a glass and a breathalyzer), local wine co-ops and winemakers will be offerings tastes and bottles for sale, of both new wines and other Côtes du Rhône vintages. Chalets will be serving and selling regional products including chacuterie, 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 Défilé des Confréries starts at 6:15  pm, with roughly 160 winemakers and other wine-industry folks, parading along Rue de la République 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 Côtes du Rhône menus are being offered. A list of participating restaurants and a map is here.

For all the info, go to: www.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.