(HuffingtonPost) - Red wine lovers, prepare to either cringe or cheer. According to Fox News, some wine enthusiasts in Japan are celebrating the launch of the 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau season by taking a bath in the fruity red. The boozy bathing ritual, which is taking place at the Yunessun Spa Resort in Hakone, Japan, is part of the festivities surrounding the annual release of the French wine. As Phil Vettel of the Chicago Tribune writes, the yearly launch of the Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated around the world "with parties, special menus and festive cries of 'Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive!'" Under French law, the third Thursday in November is the "earliest permissible release date" for the popular beverage.