What is Beaujolais Nouveau?
Beaujolais Nouveau is bottled only 6-8 weeks after the grapes are harvested and it's pinky-purple hues reflect its youth. Virtually free of astringent tannin, it's a bright, fresh and fruity red wine made from 100% Gamay that is simply made to be guzzled.
The tradition of Beaujolais Nouveau day dates back to the 1800s, with the festivities beginning at 12.01am on the third Thursday of November - the time at which it becomes legal each year to release the first wine of the vintage. It was used to celebrate the year's production and to mark the end of the exhausting harvest. It was also a wine that could be drunk in local bars and cafes in the same year the grapes were harvested. However into the 20th century, the release of the wine became a celebration in itself.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Beaujolais Nouveau's popularity grew when the fashionable citizens of Paris started to drink the wine. A quest began amongst merchants to be the first to get the wine there, and this competition then spread to various markets across the world. In addition, there was a departure from the old fashioned classic labels to brighter and more cheerful ones. At the same time, the impression that these were wines to be drunk, rather than assessed and critiqued, added to the allure. However, there is an argument that this smash and glugg attitude to the wine had an adverse affect on quality and lead to the truly dreadful Nouveau's of the 80s and 90s and in particular the awful stuff churned out in the millions of bottles by the dreaded Georges du Boeuf.
Jean-Claude Lapalu is defined by the distinctiveness of the wines he produces. The vineyards are old and farmed with minimal intervention, allowing the grapes to express their full potential and give the most comprehensive expression of the granite terroir. He uses biodynamic principles, natural ferments and virtually no sulphur save for a slight dose at bottling.
Lapalu is a third-generation winemaker but only began his own domaine in 1996. Previously, the family had been grape growers only and like many sold the crop to the local cooperative. Initially he didn't have a clear idea of the type of wine he wanted to make, only an idea of what he did not want to make! It took him over 5 years to covert and clean up his vineyard and he was very firm that he did not want to use any of the interventions and chemical use he had learned about at the wine school he attended in Carentay.
His vision and dedication to the natural way eventually led to the revival of the soils which in turn led to the production of stand-out natural Beaujolais. As well as the superb Nouveau, the best we have tasted, he also make a range of delicious Crus, the best of which we also carry, his complex and full bodied single vineyard Brouilly, called Croix des Rameaux.
THE 2024 NOUVEAU......
Beaujolais Nouveau Lapalu 2024, natural Beaujolais Nouveau, 100% Gamay, traditional whole bunch carbonic maceration. Beaujolais Nouveau Lapalu is a juicy red wine with intense aromas of fresh fruit, floral notes and hints of spice. On the palate it is young, bright and light. A beautiful wine which we were amazed by a couple of years ago after having been very sceptical about, (ok let’s be honest, openly didn’t like) Beaujolais Nouveau in the past!
From the horses mouth....
‘The years that are difficult to grow are generally easier to make wine in, and this year, 2024, was no exception. The spring and summer were wetter than a normal year and cooler too, which meant that the harvest date was around the 10th September, which is more in line with what we used to expect compared with the August harvest we have had in the last few years. Vinification was fairly easy, but yields were low, resulting in fairly fine, flowing wines with lower alcohol, between 11.5 and 12.5%”. Jean-Claude Lapalu
PRE-ORDER, THE LAW STATES THAT BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU CANNOT BE SOLD UNTIL THE THIRD SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER SO PLACE YOUR ORDER AND THE WINE WILL BE DISPATCHED FOR DELIVERY ON THURSDAY 21ST – BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY!
WE WILL BE TASTING THE WINE IN THE SHOP ON THURSDAY 21ST AS LONG AS WE HAVE STOCK LEFT!
