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FAIRBANKS — It happens all over the world, every year, on the same day, but the anticipation and excitement makes the event seem no less important than Paul Revere’s famous proclamation: “The British are coming.”

In this case, however, the invasion is from France, and is composed entirely of wine, specifically Beaujolais Nouveau.

“Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!” (“The New Beaujolais has arrived!”) is the shout that accompanies the arrival of the anticipated beverage.

“This is best marketing campaign in the history of the world when it comes to wine,” laughed Frank Eagle, co-owner of Lavelle’s Bistro, where a special celebration ushering in the first release of this year’s French wine harvest takes place Thursday night.

It is one of many such gatherings throughout the world.

“It’s a worldwide release on the same day,” Eagle added. “They’re sending 747s over to Japan filled with the stuff. We just happen to be lucky enough to be along the route.”

Each year the day chosen for delivery of the wine, as decreed by French law, is the third Thursday of November. It is only then that the current production of Beaujolais Nouveau can be released, and is the first official wine released in France each season. But Beaujolais Nouveau is not an ordinary wine, at least in the traditional sense of crushing, fermenting and aging. Beaujolais Nouveau is a fresh, young wine composed of grapes only weeks removed from the vine. What little fermentation and aging that transpires, much of it happens in the bottles.

Yet the idea is to drink this wine while it’s young so that the fruits stand out. Many believe that if the Beaujolais Nouveau fruitiness is plentiful, other grape varieties also will have fared well.

“Beaujolais Nouveau is fresh and vibrant with fresh fruits,” explained Jim O’Neill, high-end product specialist for K & L Distributors, which is providing the wine for Lavelle’s function, and will bring about 80 cases into Fairbanks. “It has very little tannic structure. So it’s not made to last. It’s made to celebrate the crush, the harvest each year.”

O’Neill said the wine is often served slightly chilled, and is produced to last about a year. However, he added, the wine is best when consumed in the first few months when the wine's key characteristic — the fruitiness — is at its peak.

Making wine fast

Beaujolais Nouveau is created though the process of vinification — using the whole bunches — which allows the fermenting technique known as carbonic maceration to take place. That means the grapes are not crushed for their juices like traditional wines, so essentially the fermentation of grapes occurring inside the skins. Whole grape bunches (the Gamay grape is used in the production of all Beaujolais varieties — Nouveau, Cru, and others) are stacked inside barrels and eventually the grapes on the bottom are slowly crushed by the weight of those above. This releases carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, which then helps ferment grapes higher up the stacks. This is a simplified version of the process. The total, detailed explanation can fill several pages of a chemistry book.

The wine matures to a drinkable level in a relatively short period of time, usually five to six weeks from first harvest to release. During the waiting period, the rest of the grapes are harvested for more traditional beaujolais wines.

A little history

Before the release of Beaujolais Nouveau became cause for worldwide celebration, smaller harvest festivals took place in the many small villages of Beaujolais, a small grape growing region south of Burgundy. Bringing in the harvest was a time-honored ritual, and the light, purple-pink wine was produced quickly so villagers would have something to drink at those gatherings while other wines aged. Thus, the Beaujolais Nouveau idea was a wine that was quick to make and, in turn, one that went down easy.

By the 1950s the popularity of this special wine and the regional celebrations spread to Paris. And, with a little help, it wouldn’t be long before the world took notice.

The concept behind the simultaneous worldwide release of the wine is the genius of French winemaker Georges Duboeuf, dubbed by wine critics as “le Pape du Beaujolais,” the father of Beaujolais. Duboeuf’s efforts as a champion of wine began in 1952 when, as a young, intrepid wine dealer, he sold his wares from the back of a bicycle. He watched these celebrations grow in popularity and knew the wine would be popular with a wider audience in Paris, and eventually beyond.

In the 1960s he developed the concept of a race for the Beaujolais Nouveau. He convinced all regional producers to wait until 12:01 a.m. on that third Thursday in November to release the wine from the vineyards. Previously, the wine could be released earlier, but merchants couldn’t sell the wine until the appropriate time. Duboeuf’s idea heightened anticipation and the novelty of being the first to have this wine drove up demand. According a Lavelle’s press release for the event, Beaujolais Nouveau “has been carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, Concorde jet, elephant, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination.”

It is estimated that approximately 70 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau will be released and shipped Thursday. Duboeuf is the world’s single largest producer of the varietal. (Learn more at his Web site, www.winewithoutrules.com.)

“It’s a way to promote French wines throughout the world. It’s kind of a gimmick,” O’Neill added. “Get the first harvest out there, the first crush, and go from there. It’s just become a tradition.”

How long the annual Beaujolais Nouveau tradition has been going on in Fairbanks is up for debate. O’Neill believes it’s been going on for about 20 years in some form, while Eagle can confirm at least 12 years — seven at Lavelle’s and five at his previous operation, the Wickersham Banquet Hall.

“In November what do we have to look forward to? A little more winter?” Eagle asked with a laugh. “So any reason is a good reason to celebrate up in Fairbanks. It’s the arrival of the newest, freshest vintage. This is an annual occasion worthy of a celebration.”

Pairing food with wine

One important aspect of Beaujolais Nouveau is the food that accompanies it. Since the wine is quickly produced and is allowed little time to “set up” in the barrel, the more complex attributes found in most red wines never materialize. Thus, Beaujolais Nouveau doesn’t hold up well against strong flavors, such as red meats. Based on the wine’s inherent fruitiness, simple foods are usually recommended: Cheeses like brie and camembert, fondues, mild sausages, hot dogs, light pasta dishes with olive oil rather than tomato sauce, and fruit plates.

The Lavelle’s celebration is a touch fancier than hot dogs, featuring a formal four-course dinner that will match different foods with the wine in order to bring out its best characteristics. While Eagle said this year’s menu will be unveiled with the wine, last year’s featured a beef consommé garnished with veal pinwheels, a salad of fresh field greens accompanied by warm hazelnut crusted goats cheese medallions, dried cherries, apple wood smoked bacon, and drizzled in a black cherry vinaigrette, plus an entrée of braised New Zealand lamb roast, served with a fall medley of roasted potatoes and crisp mixed vegetables.

The desert this year will be the same as last year, Eagle said: A poached pear stuffed with mascarpone cheese and drizzled with a raspberry Beaujolais Nouveau sauce.

The November release date of the wine also makes it an excellent choice for Thanksgiving dinners. The wine complements poultry dishes, holds up against creamy stuffing and yams, and is the perfect foil to the tartness of cranberry sauce.

“It’s really fun and we’ll keep doing it every year,” Eagle said of Lavelle’s celebration dinner. “We crack open a ceremonial cask and (shout) ‘Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!’ It’s a great tradition.”

Roasted Pork and Autumn Vegetables

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork, about 2/3 cup vegetables, and 2 tablespoons sauce)

2 fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 small onions

1 tablespoon, olive oil, divided

4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled rutabaga

16 baby carrots (about 3/4 pound)

1 (2 1/4-pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400°.

Trim stalks from fennel; discard. Cut each fennel bulb into 8 wedges. Peel onions, leaving root intact; cut each onion into 8 wedges.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel and onion; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Add remaining oil, rutabaga, and carrots to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place pork on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle pork with sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetables around pork; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Remove pork and vegetables from pan; cover loosely with foil. Remove rack. Place pan over medium heat; stir in broth, wine, and mustard, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with pork and vegetables.

Lavender Cauliflower Vichyssoise

Makes 8 to 10 servings

2 quarts chicken stock

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender

2 large russet potatoes

1 large leek

1 small head cauliflower

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste

Fresh chives for garnish

Heat the chicken stock just to a simmer and add lavender. Keep stock at just a simmer, while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes into a bowl and cover them with water. Set aside. Clean the leek and chop it into 1-inch sections, using all of the white and some of the pale green part. Chop the cauliflower into small florets.

Heat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, then saute leek and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and saute until it sweats.

Pour the stock into the vegetables, using a sieve to strain out the lavender as you pour. When the soup has returned to a simmer, drain the potatoes and add them to the soup. Add salt and white pepper to taste, and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let soup cool 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender. Cover and chill, then serve, garnished with fresh chives

RED WINE POACHED PEARS WITH MASCARPONE FILLING

6 firm Bartlett pears

1 bottle Beaujolais red wine

1 vanilla bean, whole

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

2 cups sugar

2 (8 ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, softened

1/2 cup heavy cream

Pinch cinnamon

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Peel pears and leave stem intact. In a large saucepan, bring wine and an equal amount of cold water to a simmer. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and add to wine and water mixture. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and sugar, to taste. Add pears to liquid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Cool pears in wine mixture to room temperature. You can refrigerate them in the poaching liquid until you're ready to fill them.

Remove stems from pears and set stems aside. Core pears with an apple corer, leaving pear whole.

Whisk together mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, pinch cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag, or if you do not have one, use wax paper tightly wrapped into a cone with the corner snipped off. Pipe filling into cored pears and finish by putting the stems gently into the mascarpone filling on top of the pears.

Bring sauce up to a simmer and reduce by half. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir until combined. Spoon generously over pears. Cool to room temperature before serving.

What: Beaujolais dinner, celebrating release of Beaujolais Nouveau wine

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Lavelle’s Bistro, 575 1st Ave.

Admission: $60 per person, call 450-0555 or 456-1669 for reservations, or email susan@lavellesbistro.com