AOC Beaujolais Nouveau

Beaujolais Nouveau is a red or rosé wine from the Beaujolais appellation, released from the third Thursday of November after its harvest: November 19 in 2026. It officially dates back to November 13, 1951, when a French tax authority note allowed certain appellation wines to be sold “en primeur,” before the general release date of December 15.

Gamay, Vineyard Area and Label: The Rules of Beaujolais Nouveau

The term “Nouveau” follows the Beaujolais appellation name, on its own or after “Villages.” In the latter case, the grapes come from the 38 villages in the north of the area: this is Beaujolais Villages Nouveau. The vintage must appear on the label, so you always know which harvest the bottle comes from.

Red or rosé, the wine is made from Gamay; secondary grapes such as Pinot Noir or Chardonnay may only be interplanted, up to 15% per plot. The decision comes before harvest: before June 30, growers declare which plots they plan to use for Nouveau.

From the Press to the Third Thursday of November

Beaujolais Nouveau is made only from grapes picked that year, with skin contact lasting 10 days at most. Growers often pick their earliest-ripening plots and use a winemaking method inspired by semi-carbonic maceration, which keeps the fruit bright. The wine may move between bonded warehouses from the 38th day before the third Thursday of November.

Sales to consumers open only on that Thursday, a shared date set in 1985. All Nouveau must be bottled or packaged by December 31 of the harvest year. Other Beaujolais reds follow a different pace: they age at least until January 1 and go on sale from January 15 of the following year.

Fresh and Fruity: A Wine to Drink Within the Year

Beaujolais Nouveau has a bright color, lighter than that of a wine made for aging, and an aromatic, fruity, tangy palate. These fresh, easy-drinking wines are meant to be enjoyed young, within 6 to 12 months of being made. So open your bottles within a year of release.

The habit of drinking young wine goes back to the 19th century. Merchants bought wine “straight from the press” and offered it weeks later to cafés and restaurants in Paris and Lyon, with fermentation often finishing on the road. For the history and aromas of this primeur, read our guide everything you need to know about Beaujolais Nouveau.

Looking for a red to cellar instead? Browse our Beaujolais wines: Beaujolais-Villages aged before release can keep for several years.

Beaujolais Nouveau Questions: Rosé, Primeur and Production

Is there a rosé Beaujolais Nouveau?

Yes, Beaujolais Nouveau comes in rosé as well as red: the Beaujolais appellation reserves the term “Nouveau” for these two colors. The rosé is also made from Gamay. A white Beaujolais, made from Chardonnay, never carries the term.

Are Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Primeur the same wine?

Yes, Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Primeur are the same wine. The Beaujolais appellation allows either term on the label, under the same production and release conditions, always alongside the vintage.

How much of the harvest becomes Beaujolais Nouveau?

Beaujolais Nouveau accounts for only part of the Gamay harvest. Its volume is capped at 0.6 times what a grower can declare as Beaujolais, and 0.5 times as Beaujolais-Villages. In the mid-1980s, sales reached about 13 million gallons (500,000 hectoliters), never more than half of the region's production.

Where can you buy Beaujolais Nouveau direct from the winemaker?

You can buy Beaujolais Nouveau direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each bottle is shipped by the producer who made it, with no middleman.

See also: AOC Beaujolais - Light and fruity red wines - AOC Brouilly