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Beaujolais Nouveau Day has been an eagerly awaited day in French calendars for many years. It falls on the third Thursday of November every year – this year, it falls on 20th November – and marks the first wine from the year’s harvest. Made in just a few months, it’s fruity and light, with lots of fresh red berry notes.
In true French fashion there are parties, fireworks, and celebrations to mark the occasion.
Beaujolais Nouveau is produced in the Beaujolais wine region of France. Made to be consumed when young and fresh, it’s juicy and approachable, with flavours of strawberry, cherry, and often a distinct banana, kirsch, or bubblegum flavour.
This distinctive characteristic comes from the winemaking method, techniques called carbonic maceration or semi-carbonic maceration. In full carbonic maceration, whole bunches of hand-picked grapes are sealed in a carbon dioxide-filled vat. With no oxygen present, the grapes go through intracellular fermentation, which converts some sugars to alcohol inside the berries. The weight of the fruit crushes those at the bottom while intracellular fermentation also causes the grape skins to split, initiating normal alcoholic fermentation, and the process eventually splits the skins, starting normal alcoholic fermentation. The juice is then drained and fermentation finishes off the grape skins, producing a fruity, light-bodied red wine with light tannins.
Semi-carbonic maceration is similar, however the vat is not pre-filled with carbon dioxide. The grapes at the bottom are crushed under the weight of the fruit above and begin to ferment normally. This fermentation produces carbon dioxide which fills the tank and the remaining intact grapes go through intracellular fermentation. This process also creates a light red wine, often with more subtle kirsch / bubblegum notes.
Many people recommend drinking Beaujolais Nouveau slightly chilled.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day can be traced back to the early 20th century. Traditionally, winemakers in Beaujolais would ferment Gamay grapes (the grape used to make Beaujolais wine) very soon after harvest, to make a light, fresh wine. This early bottling was known as ‘vin de primeur’ and was intended to be enjoyed by workers and local villagers.
In the 1950s, France finally created a law that officially allowed the early release of these wines and by the 1970s, Beaujolais Nouveau Day was a firm date in the calendar.
The Beaujolais Nouveau Run began in 1970 when London restaurateur Joseph Berkmann and broadcaster Clement Freud, dining in Romanèche-Thorins, decided to race back to London with the first cases of Beaujolais Nouveau. Their friendly wager inspired The Sunday Times in 1972 to challenge readers to “Bring Back the Beaujolais,” turning the private race into an annual motoring event. Over the years, it grew from a spirited dash through France into a celebrated tradition, attracting car enthusiasts and adventurers alike. Though now focused on navigation and charity, it still honours that original blend of competition, camaraderie, and love of wine.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day has been celebrated in big cities like London, New York, and Tokyo too, thanks to big marketing campaigns. However, if you’ve only just heard of it, you’ll be forgiven. Popularity waned in the early 2000s as winemakers began focusing on quantity over quality and as such, people stopped drinking it so much.
Over the last few years, Beaujolais Nouveau celebrations in the UK have picked up again, thanks to new marketing campaigns and a drive for higher quality wine. As such, wine bars have begun hosting their own parties, spreading the word about the famous Beaujolais Nouveau Day.
