Celebrations, Festivals and Music Mark the Annual Wine’s Release

The long-awaited release of each year’s Beaujolais Nouveau comes at the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday in November, which will be November 16th in 2017. This is a glorious time to visit this part of France as so many celebrations are taking place in towns and villages and in many restaurants. It’s easy to join in the fun as everyone is celebrating the same thing.

If you’re not in France, you can officially buy the wine at 12.01am on the day of release. To make this possible, it’s shipped earlier and held in bonded warehouses until that time. This anticipation adds to the excitement.

What is Beaujolais Nouveau?

Beaujolais Nouveau is produced from the Gamay grape and should be enjoyed young, certainly by the following May after the harvest. If it’s a very good vintage, the wine can be enjoyed until the following harvest in September or October. It should also be served chilled. This delightful wine pairs well with light meals, making it a go-to choice for casual dining. Although not considered a fine wine by connoisseurs, it remains very quaffable.

Initially produced in the early 19^th century, Beaujolais Nouveau was a lightweight wine sent to the renowned bouchons of Lyon, celebrating the end of the harvest. This soon sparked a trend where Parisian restaurants would race to serve the first bottle, eagerly displaying the sign Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé (Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!). By the 1970s, this charming tradition became a national event, spreading across Europe in the 1980s and later to North America and Asia in the 1990s.

Today, while the celebration is not as prominent outside of France, it is still worth purchasing the wine to enjoy with friends as soon as it becomes available.

The refreshing young wine is produced in the Beaujolais region, located 30 kilometers northeast of Lyon. Spanning 34 miles from north to south and around 7 to 9 miles wide, nearly 4,000 vineyards produce the 12 officially designated types of Beaujolais known as AOCs (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). These range from esteemed vintages like Chiroubles, Fleurie, and Côte de Brouilly to the more modest Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages.

Festivals Celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau

Throughout the Beaujolais region, there are at least 100 festivals dedicated to honoring the arrival of this enticing young wine, not to mention the celebrations occurring across France and around the globe.

Lyon Celebrations

As the capital of the Beaujolais region, Lyon is the premier location for celebrating the new wine. The festivities occur on November 16^th and 17^th, 2017, at the Place des Terreaux from 8 PM. Organized by young wine producers, the events include tastings, feasts, street theatre, a firework show, and more, running from 6 PM to 10 PM. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit local bouchons, as they are likely to host their own special events. Lyon is acclaimed as the gastronomic capital of France.

Festivals in the Beaujolais Region

• The charming village of Beaujeau, located northwest of Villefranche-sur-Saône, celebrates its Sarmentelles festival, which begins each year at 5 PM the day before the wine’s release. This event features a tasting of the region’s wines, followed by a torchlit procession and the unveiling of that year’s Beaujolais Nouveau, continuing through the weekend. Beaujeau, the historical capital of the Beaujolais region, hosts this festival from November 18^th to 22^nd 2015.
• Tarare, just southeast of Villefranche-sur-Saône, hosts La Fête de la Beaujolais Gourmand, starting the day before the release and running through the weekend, featuring gourmet food and wine showcases from November 15^th to 19^th, 2017.
• Villefranche-sur-Saône holds its annual celebration on November 21^st, 2015.
• For the truly dedicated, there’s even a Beaujolais Marathon and Half-Marathon.

For more detailed insights into Beaujolais events, including the various festivities, you can explore the Beaujolais Days website, which highlights the diversity and delightful absurdity of some celebrations, emphasizing the French love for a good party.

Paris Celebrations

Although Paris isn’t part of the Beaujolais region, it has its own unique way of celebrating the first wine harvest across the country. For information about the many restaurants and bistros that honor this special release, check with the Paris Tourist Office.

Beaujolais Nouveau Celebrations in the US

If you can’t be in France for the highly anticipated midnight release, there are numerous spots worldwide celebrating the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau.

Beaujolais Nouveau as a Gift

One cherished tradition is to present Beaujolais Nouveau on Thanksgiving. This young red wine is perfect for the Christmas festivities as well, making it a delightful holiday gift.

For the Wine Lover

France, one of the world’s major wine producers, boasts an astonishing array of wine routes and trails. This segment of French tourism continues to grow rapidly, as each region concocts new experiences every year.

• Discover the top wine tours and trails.
• Explore the underrated wines of Languedoc-Roussillon.
• Delve into wine tourism in and around Bordeaux.
• Visit the Cite du Vin in Bordeaux, which offers more than just a typical wine museum experience.
• Uncover wine tourism opportunities in the Jura region.

Edited by Mary Anne Evans