Beaujolais Nouveau is joy in a glass – and it deserves the celebration

Wine can be a very emotional drink – and no, I’m not referring to a desire to tell the world you love them if you’ve had one too many glasses. I’m talking about the emotions that a wine can stir in you. And for me, Beaujolais, and specifically Beaujolais Nouveau, gives me the most joyous feeling of optimism.

But what is Beaujolais Nouveau? And isn’t it just a bit... “naff”? Beaujolais Nouveau refers to a wine that is produced from the gamay grape, in the beautiful region of Beaujolais in eastern France, located at the southern end of Burgundy. It is a landscape peppered with village names such as Brouilly, Morgon, Chenas and Fleurie (my party trick is that I can name all 10).

Once the grapes have been harvested and the juice extracted, it goes through the process of fermentation, which normally takes somewhere between five and 21 days for red wine. The fermented juice is then left to settle and is bottled and shipped shortly after, making it a “new” or “nouveau” wine. This super-young wine is then released on the third Thursday of November, after just a few brief weeks in the cellar – resulting in a bright, juicy and (un)seriously fun drink.

This is not typical wine-making practice, as it is normally left to mellow out over the winter in tanks or barrels. It is then bottled the following spring to either age further in the winery, or sold ready for us to enjoy in its youth.

It is a wine made for celebration and parties – in fact, the wine-loving people of Beaujolais have been drinking Nouveau since the 1800s. It only touched our shores in 1970 when the wine merchant Joseph Berkmann and the broadcaster and writer Clement Freud came up with the idea of a race across France to be the first to bring the bottles back. This idea really accelerated in popularity when cohorts of speedy race car owners took up a challenge set by The Times in 1974 to be the first to bring back the juice.

It all sounds a bit too “Hooray Henry” for my tastes, and thankfully Beaujolais Nouveau is no longer the preserve of the Jaguar and jet-owning set.

My own first memory of the wine is of my parents pulling the cork on a bottle of Georges Duboeuf, purchased, no doubt, from our local Oddbins. Duboeuf was the French visionary vigneron who wanted to fill the world’s wine glasses with Beaujolais Nouveau and started an international campaign, travelling to the United States, Japan and Australia to spread the Nouveau love.

While it may have fallen out of fashion for some years – being seen more as a gimmicky wine that was not always particularly palatable – Beaujolais Nouveau has had a recent resurgence both in popularity and, more importantly, quality. Beaujolais Nouveau is now seriously tasty and widely available. Nouveau has been released back on to our shelves after years in the wilderness, from small independent wine bars, through to Majestic, M&S and The Wine Society, whose Le Bistro Beaujolais Nouveau, their first Nouveau for 30 years, was so popular it sold out as soon as it landed on our shores.

I get so excited about Beaujolais Nouveau day. There is something so magical and unique about drinking a wine that you know was in the careful hands of vineyard workers and winemakers just a few brief weeks ago. You feel like you’re drinking the last of the summer warmth in the dark and cold days, and it reminds us of the beautiful transition of seasons – and that brighter days lie ahead. It is with a deep sense of optimism that I hope Beaujolais Nouveau “est arrivé” for good!

Made from the endlessly gorgeous gamay grape, here are my picks of some Nouveaus available now, as well as some Beaujolais with a little more age and refinement to show you the glory this grape is capable of.

Wickhams, £14 (£12.60 in mixed 6), 13% abv

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Family-owned for four generations, this Nouveau is a party in the glass – it is strawberry juice galore with a crush of ripe red cherries, too. There’s also a familiar aroma of Hubba Bubba bubblegum (in a good way). It is fun and easy-going.

Uncharted Wines, £18.37, 11.5% abv

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Made by an outstanding organic domaine, this is a vibrant wine that reminds you why Nouveau is all about the party. It’s got a gorgeous, slightly peppery nose and abundant red cherries. It is super light in the glass, and feels like you’re drinking the freshest of juice.

Swig, £22, 12% abv

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This wine is a joy. My glass is brimming with fresh strawberries and candied cherries, it is a bright, light wine that is life-affirming and optimistic – get your friends together and have a party!

Wine Society, £14.50, 13% abv

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Made by a long-established producer, this is a wonderful expression of gamay. It is packed with fresh cranberries, deep raspberry, sour cherry and a pretty perfumed note too. It is light-to-medium bodied, and is endlessly drinkable with a plate of charcuterie, or just a hunk of baguette and salted butter.

Sainsbury’s, £16 (£14 with Nectar card until 10 Dec), 13.5% abv

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Could someone please find me a cosy corner with a wing-back armchair and a roaring fire, and pour me a glass of this beautiful wine? Made in one of the “Cru villages”, this shows the glory of gamay, and its many stylistic expressions. It has notes of dark chocolate, black cherry and ripe plums, with a lovely smokiness too. It is concentrated, generous and rather decadent, which I like… a lot!