Beaujolais nouveau is one of the great November traditions. It is an en primeur wine, that is, a wine released just after it has been made. In 2020, its release date was set for 19 November. In any case, the release date for Beaujolais primeur is always the third Thursday of November. Let us set off to discover the history of this famous tradition.
What is beaujolais nouveau?
Beaujolais nouveau is an en primeur wine from the Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Village controlled designations of origin (so it is not an appellation in its own right). An en primeur wine is a wine put on sale almost right after the harvest. Indeed, if you have read our article on how to make wine, you know that the grape harvest ends in October, or even November. As a result, the bottle of wine you are about to taste has not had much time to rest. This wine is mainly made from the Gamay grape, famous in the region.
Beaujolais nouveau never exceeds half of the total production of the appellation. It takes a lot of work to bottle wine. So it is impossible for the local winegrowers to make much more than 50% of their production into Beaujolais Primeur.
You are surely wondering “where is beaujolais nouveau produced?”. As mentioned, Beaujolais primeur comes from the Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Village appellations: a particularly large appellation area between Macon and Lyon. To shed light on this appellation, here is a map that should make things much clearer. !Map of the Beaujolais Nouveau vineyard If you want to learn more about the Beaujolais region and its wine production, you can read the Atlas of French Wines by Laure Gasparotto.
What is the date for beaujolais nouveau?
The date for Beaujolais primeur is set each year for the third Thursday of November. So beaujolais nouveau will be on our tables on Thursday 19 November 2020. Here are the dates of the next releases of Beaujolais primeur in the coming years. With this table, you should be perfectly prepared for the years ahead!
| Release year | Date of Beaujolais primeur |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 19 November |
| 2021 | 18 November |
| 2022 | 17 November |
| 2023 | 16 November |
| 2024 | 21 November |
| 2025 | 20 November |
| 2026 | 19 November |
In the days before the release of beaujolais nouveau, the crates travel at full speed to the various points of sale. Picture this: in the space of a few days, the wine is bottled and transported across the whole of France.
Who invented beaujolais nouveau?
To really understand the tradition of Beaujolais primeur, you of course need to understand its history. The history of beaujolais nouveau begins with a decree of 11 March 1951. It stated that producers of appellation wines could not release and market their wines before 15 December of the same year. However, this new rule did not suit the winegrowers of Beaujolais. They decided to revolt and demand a change from the State. The Union viticole du Beaujolais then asked for the possibility of selling its wines en primeur, that is, before 15 December. On 13 November 1951, this authorisation was granted, and that was the start of Beaujolais Nouveau. In 1979, René Fallet published a novel titled “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé”. It was a real success and was praised by critics. The work of the merchants, in particular Georges Duboeuf, helped develop this event and turn it into a major marketing phenomenon in France and around the world. The event was only institutionalised in 1985 and has kept growing ever since.
Which beaujolais nouveau should you buy?
Every year, many bottles of Beaujolais nouveau are put on the market. The answer to the question of which bottle of beaujolais nouveau to buy is very difficult. Every year the offering changes. There are, however, producers well known for their reliability and the quality of their wine. Whatever you may think, beaujolais nouveau is a festive tradition, but there are also some very fine wines that will impress you in the tasting. You can even keep some bottles of beaujolais nouveau in your wine cellar for a few years. This is not true of every bottle, but some can hold pleasant surprises. Of course, there are also organic and biodynamic wines you can find for the occasion.
How do you drink beaujolais nouveau?
For the occasion, you have just picked up a fine bottle of beaujolais. So you will be able to enjoy it and make the most of the event. But what should you eat with beaujolais nouveau? Let us set off to discover the ideal pairing for your bottle of Beaujolais primeur. One of the rules of food and wine pairing is to match your wine with a dish from the same region. So, for beaujolais, we can recommend a fine board of charcuterie and cheese. It will be perfect and ideal for conviviality. That said, food and wine pairing with beaujolais can also be more complex. Indeed, the easy-drinking side of Beaujolais primeur lets you make interesting food and wine pairings with:
- Bresse chicken;
- White pudding (boudin blanc);
- A roasted rack of pork.
For the wine serving temperature, we advise you to aim for a temperature around 14 to 15°C. It will be perfect for enjoying your wine and your evening.
Where can you buy beaujolais nouveau?
Naturally, you have several options for buying Beaujolais primeur. To start with, you could buy it in a supermarket. As you might guess, this is not necessarily the best option. The selection generally favours the largest volumes, and you will surely find it hard to discover the gem for a great evening. So, to find a fine bottle of Beaujolais primeur, we recommend going to your wine merchant, making your selection online, or buying directly from the winegrowers you know. Smaller cuvées, often very precise but particularly pleasant, can be found there. You will then make a wonderful discovery and the people around you will be delighted! Do not forget to make a toast to our health and to enjoying your wine tasting! Map of Beaujolais created by: Cyril5555 - own work
