The Beaujolais Nouveau effect
Date: 15-11-2017
Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!
This is what people all over France announce as the third Thursday of November comes around every year. Millions of cases of Beaujolais Nouveau are shipped all over the world for us to join in on one of the most celebrated rituals in the wine world. It has become a race to serve this new wine of the harvest – and we in New Zealand are lucky enough to be the first!
Beaujolais is a sub region located just north of Lyon. Beaujolais, the wine itself is a light red wine made with Gamay Noir grapes. It is a wine made fast, with a rapid fermentation and speedy bottling. Due to its production the wine isn’t left with astringent tannins (normally found in red wines), which makes it an easy to drink, fruity wine. The fact that it’s as close to white wine as red wine can get and that it’s best enjoyed when chilled, makes for a very popular drop for even non wine drinkers. The Beaujolais Nouveau was officially recognised in 1951, the local tradition had gained so much popularity that word spread to Paris. Not long after that did countries far and wide join in on the ritual. There was however one of many strict rules put in place, the wine would not be sold before midnight on the third Thursday of November.
With the triumph of marketing and promotion around the event, what used to be 1 million bottles produced is now more than 70 million. The uniqueness of this day is knowing that on the same night all around the world, millions of people will be raising a glass in celebration of the Beaujolais Nouveau.
