Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!
Almost... Why Bojo Nouvo is still a deal
I’m posting a day early to invite those of you in Paris to join us on a ‘real Beaujolais Nouveau wine walk’ in Paris’ historic Latin Quarter - Thursday, 21 November at 3pm:
Does the idea of Beaujolais Nouveau no longer thrill? Have you been disappointed too often by the quality of the wine? This Thursday (Beaujolais Nouveau Day), step into the festive spirit with our exclusive 'Real Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Walk' and discover the parallel universe of real, living wines! Be among the first to taste this year’s fresh and fruity vintage while exploring the historic streets of Paris’ Latin Quarter.
A bit of background
In its heyday, Beaujolais Nouveau was the biggest party in the world. It was a massive success, drawing in people from every corner of the globe to taste a wine that had barely finished fermenting. Its distinctive characteristic is that fermentation is short, only a few weeks, and then released (to what used to be big fanfare and frenzy) on the 3rd Thursday of November (today). The light, fruity character of ‘vins primeurs’ (produced throughout the country) which is what this is, has enormous appeal for a lot of people, resembling the vitality of freshly squeezed juice with a bit of a kick.
What started as a simple local tradition in the Beaujolais region of France was turned into an international spectacle that might be described as the "New Year's Eve of Wine". And it was fun while it lasted. After a run that lasted longer than perhaps a lot of people expected, the world began to lose interest in what had obviously become a fad, which by definition is short-lived. As consumers became more interested in higher-quality wines, especially in emerging markets, the mass appeal of Beaujolais Nouveau began to wane. In addition, the rise of organic and biodynamic wines, as well as a greater focus on terroir-driven wines, made Beaujolais Nouveau seem less relevant.
The Decline
‘You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time’ and when it comes to wine, the world eventually wakes up. The world got better at wine. Eventually, people wanted more than just something fruity and quick. The ‘instant gratification’ appeal started to wear thin. By the 2000s, the buzz around Beaujolais Nouveau became a little quieter. Fewer people stood in line at midnight. Wine snobs turned their noses up. And, oddly, the trend became a little too mainstream, making it almost… uncool?
Yet, despite its decline, the Beaujolais Nouveau phenomenon still holds a special place in the hearts of those who like their wine fun, fresh, and unpretentious. You can still find parties, celebrations, and social media hashtags dedicated to this singularly quirky wine, though it’s no longer the global juggernaut it once was. But let’s be clear. Not all Beaujolais Nouveau wines are born equal.
The reputation of the low quality of wines sold under the ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’ label (the vast majority) had a very negative impact, from which, the region has yet to truly recover. The release of the wine was heralded each year with telling descriptions of it tasting of banana or ‘bonbons anglaises’, originating from chemical yeasts that were used so broadly, the region’s entire production was lumped together as though it were one huge industrial vat. And in the process, tarnished the reputation of the region so that to this day, Beaujolais is still seen as cheap and no longer really cheerful. Which is sad, as some of the greatest wines in France can be found in Beaujolais. The ‘cru’ villages of Beaujolais, which in the hands of the star winemakers of the region are among the most appealing wines in the world, were entirely eclipsed by this once joyful event.
A new generation of ‘real’ wine makers
It takes time to redeem a sullied reputation, and in some instances, that never happens. The negative connotations stick and despite very powerful evidence to the contrary, there’s no going back. But were the world to discover the ‘real’ wines made by an ever expanding generation of (mostly) young winemakers working organically, biodynamically, and ‘naturally’, the festivity, the joy, and the ‘ivresse’ that was once associated with Beaujolais Nouveau would be back in spades. Their motivation? Preserving the soil and making the best wines possible. Most of these young acolytes are following in the footsteps of an earlier generation who were at the origin of the natural wine movement.
The origin of natural wine
Beaujolais is the original source of ‘natural’ wines with sulphur-free experimentation beginning in the 1930’s with Jules Chauvet. His love and respect for nature proscribed all chemical inputs as he sought ‘naturalness’ in wine. In the 1960’s he mentored Marcel Lapierre, who was seconded by his friend Jacques Neauport. They were joined by Guy Breton, Jean Foillard, and Charly Thevenet, and became known as ‘the gang of four’. The natural wine movement, whose spiritual home is Paris, is therefore not a new trend, but something that started nearly a hundred years ago. The principal and universally held tenets of ‘natural’ wine include:
NO synthetic chemicals, herbicides or pesticides may be used in the vineyard or winery.
NO additives (including yeasts, enzymes, vitamins, lysozymes etc) may be used in the winery during fermentation
NO blocked “malo” (malolactic fermentation, where bacteria converts malic acid, which is naturally present in fruits like grapes and apples, to softer lactic acid)
Indigenous yeast, fungi and microbial life are encouraged in both the vineyard and winery.
Grapes are better off hand-harvested. Heavy machinery is not favoured.
Native yeasts ferment the wine (healthy yeast populations are encouraged in the vineyard and winery by avoiding sulphur dioxide and any peripheral cleaning chemicals).
Filtration or removal of anything from the finished wine is unnecessary.
Do as little as possible with what you have (the need oscillates based on climate, regionality and proximity to conventional farmers and other influences).
Gamay is the luminary of the natural wine movement and if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to try ‘natural’ Beaujolais wines, we encourage you to join us tomorrow!
One grape, one region
Gamay is the only red grape that one can grow in Beaujolais (if you want the Beaujolais appellation - there is some Chardonnay, but 95% of the region’s vines are Gamay). It is naturally inclined towards bright aromas of red fruits that can be both sweet and crisp, as well as the kind of balanced acidity that keeps the wines refreshing. Some are referring to the wines of this new generation as the ‘nouveaux grands vins du terroir’ (new great terroir wines). This is a far cry from the banana flavoured vintages of yore and if you are in the least interested in discovering first-hand what this means, we invite you (again) to join us tomorrow! Santé
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My book, ‘The Hidden Vineyards of Paris’ (reviewed in Jancis Robinson’s wine blog, the Wine Economist, National Geographic Traveler UK, UK Telegraph) is available for purchase via our website and at anglophone bookshops and wine shops in Paris. You can also find it at the Musée de Montmartre and the Librairie Gourmande.
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