Las Vegas Weekly

November 18, 2009 · 6:28 AM

Holly Madison to stomp grapes in Beaujolais Nouveau welcome

By Robin Leach

Holly Madison on the set of her photo shoot with Jim Decker for the cover of Luxury Las Vegas at Rao's in Caesars Palace on Oct. 29, 2009.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

At one minute past midnight this evening, huge celebrations break out in France -- and around the world -- for the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau now ready for consumption just six weeks after the harvest. Fortunately for us, that will be 3:01 p.m. this afternoon with the time difference in Europe.

Our highly anticipated tasting of bottles shipped here from France and arriving early afternoon comes with the most glamorous and unique party. Blonde bombshell, Peepshow headliner and reality TV star Holly Madison will uncork the first bottle and receive the first taste.

Holly also has a special surprise for everybody. She will have a Lucille Ball impersonator with her for a traditional grape stomping reminiscent of the iconic I Love Lucy scene.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Holly Madison on the set of her photo shoot with Jim Decker for the cover of Luxury Las Vegas at Rao's in Caesars Palace on Oct. 29, 2009.

“Yes, I’m going barefoot,” Holly told me. “I’ve stomped grapes before but never in front of hundreds of people on the Las Vegas Strip. I’ve bought a cute costume just for this party. I’m really looking forward to this because it will also be the first time I’ve ever sipped Beaujolais Nouveau.”

Fans are welcome to attend the ceremony on the patio of the Paris outside Ah Sin starting at 3 p.m. today. After stomping and uncorking, Holly will host a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner and tasting in Mon Ami Gabi. Last year’s Beaujolais Nouveau celebrity at the Paris was Lance Bass fresh from his finals appearance on Dancing With the Stars.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Yann Bourigault, North America export director of Les Vins Georges DuBoeuf, Lance Bass and crew celebrate the new Beaujolais wine.

Over the next few months, 65 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau will be consumed. Starting tomorrow at noon, representatives of France’s largest vintner, Georges Duboeuf, will pour free samples in commemorative glasses at a special bar set up in the Paris lobby. In all, the resort will have five days of special events to mark this year’s harvest.

We’ll have photos from the event this afternoon right here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow, and we’ll also post live tweets from the Paris on Twitter.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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