Uncorked with Henry Butler: Beaujolais Nouveau is back in vogue

Henry Butler of Butlers Wine Cellar in Brighton

Yes it is! Beaujolais Nouveau has been in and out of fashion over the last few decades however currently it’s regaining popularity. Sales are not quite at the dizzy heights of the 1980s, but the market has definitely recovered from the disappointing acidic wines of the 1990s, when this fun wine fell out of fashion.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a young, fresh wine, from the Beaujolais region in southern Burgundy. The grapes are picked, harvested, fermented and sent on their way as quickly as possible. It is available to buy and drink on the third Thursday in November each year, which is a remarkably quick turn around. Historically many Beaujolais events were created, many based around who could drive to France and bring back the wine the quickest. Often these antics were used to raise money for charity.

Beaujolais Nouveau is made to be fun – you don’t need to think about it – most of the production will be drunk before Christmas. It’s essentially a vehicle for a social event. 

Beaujolais, as a region, has so much more to offer than just this one wine. It is an area dominated by red wines, made from the Gamay grape, but there are also small amounts of very good-quality white and rose wines made. There are ten villages within Beaujolais – which are called cru – that are allowed to add the village name to the wine label, such as Fleurie or Moulin-A-Vent.

These are generally more complex wines with greater concentration, and basically, a lot more going on in the glass. There is a common perception that Beaujolais should be drunk young, but this isn’t always the case. Some of the better producers make wines capable of ageing for many years, so there’s no rush to drink them.

Demand for chilled reds is increasing, Beaujolais is a fine example of a red wine which benefits from a light chill as it brings out more of the fruit and freshness, making it particularly enjoyable.

Here are a couple of Beaujolais Nouveau I like which have literally just arrived in the country. Both wines are available to collect from our store on Thursday 19th November. We’ll also be dispatching web orders on Monday 16th November to arrive in time for the big day on Thursday 19th November.

Château de Belleverne Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2026 (£15.49)

Light but not inconsequential, this is the perfect vin de soif for any occasion with bright and crunchy red fruits, fresh acidity and gentle tannins.

Pair with charcuterie, a ploughman’s lunch, bangers and mash, roast pork or duck, grilled tuna, vegetarian moussaka... the list is endless for this flexible wine. As great at a party as it is with your favourite TV box set on a rainy evening.

Beaujolais Nouveau Château Thivin Gamay Noir 2026 (£20.99)

Thivin had a very challenging harvest in 2026, with many vines damaged by hail storms. They have managed to salvage a small amount of quality fruit from one of their trusted grower friends. The wine making quality remains the same: top notch.

Butlers Wine Cellar, 88 St George's Road, Brighton BN2 1EE

01273 621 638 • www.butlers-winecellar.co.uk