If you’ve been to any trendy wine bar within the last several years, you’ve probably seen a Beaujolais on the list. Beaujolais is a region in France, located directly south of Burgundy, that’s famous for its red wines made from the Gamay grape. If you like red Burgundy (which is made from Pinot Noir), there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Beaujolais as well. Although different winemaking styles can result in a wide array of flavor profiles, wines made from Gamay are often on the lighter, fruitier side.
So, why is November the perfect time to open up a bottle of Beaujolais? First of all, November is when Beaujolais producers release the current year’s Beaujolais Nouveau, which is the lightest, easiest drinking of the different Beaujolais styles. These wines are generally light, fun and inexpensive—perfect for opening during a boozy Friendsgiving. But even the more serious, study kind of Beaujolais is ideal for this time of year: Pair it with a hearty beef stew or roast dinner on those cold and cozy nights when you just want to stay in.
Let’s take a look at the different kinds of Beaujolais you can expect to see on the shelves at your local wine store so you can pick out a bottle that’s sure to delight the whole table.
Beaujolais Nouveau
Beaujolais Nouveau is a light, refreshing red wine that’s frankly too easy to chug. It’s juicy, fruity and more refreshing than a majority of red wines on the market. It’s generally viewed as a fun, unserious wine with a price point to match—this wine usually isn’t going to be too expensive. It’s often made with a process called carbonic maceration, which is currently ultra-popular in natural wine bars right now.
During carbonic maceration, grapes are fermented in whole bunches. They’re put into an anaerobic environment (by pumping carbon dioxide into the vat; hence the “carbonic” in “carbonic maceration”), and the juice starts to ferment inside the grapes until the grapes split open and the juice inside is released. This process gives the wine its red color but very little tannins, which is the compound that makes a red wine feel sort of rough, or drying, in your mouth. The result is a wine that’s soft and fruity, displaying notes of cherry, bubblegum and even banana. Some producers opt for semi-carbonic maceration instead. In this process, carbon dioxide is not pumped into the vat, but whole bunches are still used. The weight of the grapes at the top of the vat robs the grapes at the bottom of oxygen, and fermentation occurs inside those grapes just like it does with carbonic maceration. The finished wines will share similar characteristics to many fully carbonic wines.
Beaujolais Nouveau from the current year’s vintage is always released on the third Thursday of November—just in time for Thanksgiving. Grab a bottle of it to enjoy around the dinner table with people you love.
Beaujolais Villages
If you’re looking for a bottle that’s a bit more serious than the budget-friendly Beaujolais Nouveau, you might want to look for a bottle that reads “Beaujolais Villages.” These wines share some characteristics with their lighter, fruitier counterparts, but the grapes tend to come from better sites, and the wines will usually have more structure to them. They might undergo carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration, or they might not. They often see some oak, which gives them a heavier, slightly more intense feel to them. Although these bottles are going to cost more, on average, than Beaujolais Nouveau wines will, they’re still not super expensive.
Cru Beaujolais
Cru Beaujolais are the top-tier wines from this region. They’re usually significantly more structured than their cheaper, simpler cousins, and they tend to be more “serious,” with added complexity that you won’t find in a Beaujolais Nouveau, for instance. The grapes come from the best sites in the region. Most are capable of aging in the bottle for several years, which results in even more complexity. There are 10 different crus in Beaujolais, and each is known for a distinct, signature style. Cru Beaujolais wines that come from Fleurie, for example, often have a floral quality to them, while those that come from Moulin-à-Vent are usually more tannic and structured. Cru Beaujolais wines can vary significantly in price, but on average, they’re the most expensive of the bunch.
No matter what kind of Beaujolais speaks to you, November is the perfect time to explore this popular region. The most important part of drinking Beaujolais, though (or really any wine, for that matter), is not about the bottle—it’s about who you share it with. Pour two (or more glasses), and start sipping with someone you love.
Samantha Maxwell is a food writer and editor based in Boston. Follow her on Twitter at @samseating.