Paris:- Thursday, 21. November 1996:- This year's version of Beaujolais Nouveau went on sale at 00:00 here today - 23:00, 20. November GMT - throughout France and throughout the world.

Although most bars are closed in France as I write this world-shaking Flash News Bulletin, Beaujolais Nouveau fans in London, Tokyo, Sydney and Lost Vegas are eagerly awaiting the opening of crates and barrels and bottles, specially air-freighted for the event.

From a tiny area of France, between Lyon and Mâcon, this wine will cover the world like - it's red wine, watch out for stains! The crop, made up of one-third Beaujolais Villages and two-thirds just plain Beaujolais carries the usual generic forecast of charm, and flavors as diverse as the number of growers in the region.

To serious wine fans this means nothing. Wine now sold in bottles that is made from grapes that were hanging from bushes just a few weeks ago - is not considered to be the nec plus ultra of wines - instead Beaujolais Nouveau represents the world's fascination with a natural product capable of making consumers dizzy. And it is legal.

Some years it isn't too bad and in other years it isn't too good - it is in fact, never very good. But it is a good excuse to go out and drink a glass or two - in moderation - especially if it is the only wine you drink all year.

Read a full report about Beaujolais Nouveau mania in Paris in next Monday's edition of Metropole Paris - online on Monday, 25. November at the usual location on the World Wide Web.