"Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!"
Every year on the third Thursday of November, this sentence echoes across wine bars, restaurants, and celebrations worldwide. The traditional French slogan: "The new Beaujolais has arrived!", kicks off one of the wine world's most joyful and fun traditions.
At Forest Wines, we love this celebration. There's something special about opening bottles of wine that were grapes just weeks ago, surrounded by friends, French food, and that festive energy in the midst of the colder and darker days. This year, our own Beaujolais Nouveau celebration is returning with our French chef Marie!
🎟️ Grab your tickets here before they sell out!
What is Beaujolais Nouveau?
Beaujolais Nouveau is a young, fresh red wine made from Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region of France (just north of Lyon in southern Burgundy). What makes it special? It's bottled just 6-8 weeks after harvest, an incredibly short timeframe in winemaking.
The wine uses a technique called carbonic maceration, where whole grape clusters are placed in sealed tanks filled with carbon dioxide. This initiates fermentation inside the grapes before they're crushed, extracting fruity flavours and aromas while softening tannins, creating that signature light, juicy style.
What does Beaujolais Nouveau taste like? Expect flavours of red fruits such as cherry, strawberry, raspberry, with hints of banana, candy floss, and sometimes bubble gum! The wine has higher acidity and very little tannin compared to other red wines, giving it a purple-pink colour that reflects its youth.
How to serve it: Slightly chilled at 12-14°C to highlight those fresh, fruity flavours. It's designed to be enjoyed young, ideally within the first six months of release.
The history of Beaujolais Nouveau
The tradition dates back to at least the 1800s when Beaujolais growers would gather to celebrate the end of harvest by toasting the vintage with the young wine produced that year. Lyonnais bar owners and restaurateurs would buy barrels of this new wine, pressed in September and ready to serve in November!
In 1951, French regulations officially allowed the sale of Beaujolais wine before the traditional December 15th release date. By 1985, the third Thursday of November became the official release date, and Beaujolais Nouveau Day was born.
Today, half of Beaujolais Nouveau production is exported, notably to Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, making it one of the biggest events in the wine world.
photo credit: Euronews
How the world celebrates Beaujolais Nouveau Day
In France: Towns and villages host festivals, parades, and tastings, accompanied by live music, dancing, and hearty regional cuisine. The village of Beaujeu holds the famous Sarmentelles celebration with a torchlit procession and ceremonial tapping of barrels at midnight. Lyon's traditional bouchons serve special menus pairing Nouveau with local charcuterie and cheeses.
Around the world:
-
In the United States, it's promoted as a drink for Thanksgiving (which falls exactly one week after release)
-
In the UK, Beaujolais Day is particularly popular in Swansea, Wales, where people book tables up to a year in advance!
-
Wine bars from Tokyo to New York host release parties
-
Restaurants create special menus celebrating the new vintage
At Forest Wines: We're joining the global celebration with our own Beaujolais Nouveau event featuring our French chef Marie Gonfond creating authentic French dishes designed to pair perfectly with the fresh, fruity character of this year's Nouveau. Traditional pâté, pork belly, choux and vegetarian options like mousseline with aged comté: all the things that make Beaujolais Nouveau shine.
Book your tickets for our Beaujolais Nouveau celebration here – spaces are limited and this event sells out every year!
The Beaujolais region
While Beaujolais Nouveau gets all the attention in November, the region produces exceptional wines year-round that deserve more attention.
The region: Located just 30km north of Lyon in southern Burgundy, Beaujolais stretches across hills with granite and schist soils perfect for Gamay grapes.
The Gamay grape: Beaujolais wines are made from Gamay, this grape creates wines that are bright, fruity, food-friendly, and accessible: the opposite of heavy, tannic reds. Think of Pinot Noir, with more fruits.
A modern renaissance
Today, Beaujolais wine is enjoying a revival. Many producers have scaled back mass production, focusing on smaller batches that highlight Gamay's natural character and the region's terroir.
Once criticised for uniformity and lack of complexity, winemakers now focus on producing wines that better reflect the terroir and style of each estate. With modern drinkers more inclined towards juicy, light-bodied reds, this is a great opportunity for the Beaujolais region to get some attention and be rediscovered.
In the world of natural wine, Beaujolais winemakers are also known to be pioneers in low-intervention winemaking in France. Domaine Marcel Lapierre, which produces our Raisins Gaulois and a group of 3 other Beaujolais winemakers and a oenologists, today known as the Gang of Four, have sparked the natural wine movement in the 1980s, criticising uniformity and biodiversity damage in modern agriculture.
Beaujolais Nouveau food pairing
The light body, bright acidity, and low tannins make Beaujolais Nouveau incredibly versatile:
Classic French pairings:
-
Charcuterie boards (salami, prosciutto, pâté)
-
French cheeses (Comté, Brie, aged goat cheese)
-
Coq au vin (traditional dish from Burgundy)
-
Lyonnaise sausages
Modern pairings:
-
Roasted turkey or chicken
-
Mushroom dishes
-
Light pasta with tomato sauce
-
Pizza
-
Even sushi works!
Join us for Beaujolais Nouveau Day!
Whether you already know all about Beaujolais Nouveau, or trying it for the first time, this tradition captures everything we love about wine: community, celebration, and the simple pleasure of sharing a delicious bottle with good people.
This year's Beaujolais Nouveau releases on Thursday, November 21st, 2025. Wine bars and restaurants around the world will be hosting celebrations, and we'd love for you to join ours at Forest Wines.
Our chef Marie is creating an authentic menu designed to pair perfectly with the 2025 vintage, and we'll have plenty of Nouveau flowing!
Reserve your spot at our Beaujolais Nouveau celebration
Can't make the event? Pop by the shop anytime in late November and December to grab bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau while it's fresh. But be careful, they sell fast! We'll also have our full range of Cru Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages available for those who want to explore what this region offers beyond the Nouveau hype.
Beaujolais FAQs
What makes Beaujolais Nouveau different from regular Beaujolais
Beaujolais Nouveau is a young wine released just weeks after harvest, every year on the third Thursday of November. It’s meant to be enjoyed fresh, fruity, and lively — a celebration of the new vintage — while regular Beaujolais wines are aged longer and often have more depth and structure.
When should I drink Beaujolais Nouveau?
Beaujolais Nouveau is best enjoyed young, ideally within six months of release. It’s all about freshness, so chill it slightly and open it soon after the bottle hits the shelves.
Is Beaujolais similar to Pinot Noir?
Yes, in some ways. Both are light-bodied red wines with soft tannins and bright fruit notes, but Beaujolais (made from Gamay) tends to be a touch more playful and juicy compared to Pinot Noir’s silky texture and earthy undertones.
When is Beaujolais Nouveau released?
Beaujolais Nouveau Day happens every year on the third Thursday of November — it’s a long-standing French tradition that’s now celebrated all over the world, from Paris to London wine bars.
Where can I buy Beaujolais Nouveau wine?
You can find Beaujolais Nouveau right here at Forest Wines, where we feature small, independent producers from the region. Look out for limited releases — they often sell out quickly.
What’s the difference between Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Villages?
Beaujolais Nouveau is the youngest and fruitiest style, while Beaujolais Villages wines come from selected villages with higher-quality vineyards. Villages wines have a bit more structure and complexity, and can age for a couple of years.
How is Beaujolais Nouveau made so quickly?
The secret is carbonic maceration, a winemaking technique where whole grapes ferment inside their skins, creating bright fruit flavours and minimal tannins. It’s what gives Beaujolais Nouveau its signature juicy, easy-drinking style.
Is Beaujolais sweet or dry?
Most Beaujolais wines are dry, but their fruity, juicy nature can make them taste slightly sweet. Don’t expect dessert wine levels of sweetness — just ripe, bright fruit.
