Definition: Beaujolais Nouveau 1

It is also known as Beaujolais primeur. The first wine of the year. The harvest is still in full swing in many vineyards when the first wine of the year is uncorked, traditionally at midnight on the third Thursday in November. All over the world, the opening of the Beaujolais Nouveau barrels gives rise to festivities for lovers of this young, fruity, impertinent and unpretentious wine.

Stored in old barrels, the wine suffered from summer temperatures, becoming acidic or giving off a musty, barrel or cellar smell.

City dwellers were so eager for this new wine that the must was often distributed around the world before it had time to finish fermenting. Until the 1930s, trade was not subject to any regulations.

Fortunately, the introduction of the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system helped to raise the profile of Beaujolais wines. In 1951, the region's winegrowers were granted the right to market the new wine, known as "Beaujolais Nouveau" or "Primeur", from Saint Martin's Day (11 November). This marketing initiative, launched by Georges Duboeuf, played a decisive role in establishing Beaujolais's worldwide reputation as a wine-producing region. It gave rise to the most successful marketing campaign of the post-war period: in 1985, the sale of "Beaujolais Nouveau" was set for the third Thursday of November at midnight, and since then, producers have organised races every year to determine who will deliver the "Beaujolais Nouveau" first to London. The tapping of the barrels marks the start of a particularly lively weekend, punctuated by celebrations, parades and feasts. In the best years, no less than 500,000 hectolitres have been sold.

Why the third Thursday in November? A brief history of a date set in stone. On 8 September 1951, a decree relating to the marketing of wines from the current year's harvest was published in the Official Journal. It stipulated that wines with a designation of origin could only be sold from 15 December onwards. However, following lobbying by wine unions, a note dated 13 November specified "the conditions under which certain wines may be marketed immediately without waiting for the 15 December release". Beaujolais Nouveau was born. For fifteen years, the date varied. It was not until 1967 that it was set at 15 November. For practical reasons (it sometimes fell on a weekend), the third Thursday of November was adopted in 1985. This is still the rule today.

However, the pendulum soon swung back: following the abundant harvest of 2002, nearly 10 million litres of Beaujolais had to be turned into vinegar. Prosecco and sweet alcoholic drinks have relegated Beaujolais Nouveau to the background for festive occasions.

Today, this fruity primeur wine with hints of raspberry and banana is mainly exported to Japan and the United States. The Japanese can enjoy it before the French due to the time difference.

In 2006, sales reached 370,000 hectolitres and the quantity forecast for 2007 is expected to be no less. Half is exported.

See also Primeur.

AOC, Villages and Crus wines

Beaujolais is the only region in France to produce exclusively AOC wines from the Gamay grape variety, mainly vinified as red wine, but also as rosé. The twelve appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) of its terroir are divided into three regions.

• The ten Crus in the north, which account for a quarter of production, are the jewels of Beaujolais, a production region located in Rhône-Alpes. These wines mature for between five and ten years in the bottle. The following villages are entitled to the AOC:

Saint-Amour (317 ha), the northernmost, Juliénas (609 ha), Chénas (285 ha), Moulin-à-Vent (681 ha), Fleurie (879 ha), Chiroubles (376 ha), Morgon (1,132 ha), Régnié (746 ha), Côte de Brouilly (331 ha) and Brouilly (1,315 ha).

• The Beaujolais-Villages AOC covers 6,250 hectares, which also accounts for a quarter of production. It is at this level of quality that the most experimentation takes place and new avenues are explored. A third is marketed under the "Beaujolais-Villages nouveau" appellation.

• In the south of Beaujolais, the vines grow on clay soils known as "Pierres Dorées" (golden stones). The Beaujolais AOC, which covers 10,500 hectares, is the largest wine-growing area. These wines are pleasantly fresh, young and cheerful. Half is marketed under the "Beaujolais nouveau" appellation.

See Beaujolais.