Friday, November 21, 2025

the friday feed: le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!

The third Thursday in November celebrates one of the wine world’s most exciting dates. “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!” (The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!) Every year, this is the moment when the very first red wines of the vintage are released. This year this wine was made available to the public at 12:01 a.m. (00:01) on November 20, 2025. What’s great about Beaujolais Nouveau is that, for once, wine isn’t taken seriously. There’s not a prestigious bottle, no need to be an expert picking up notes, and no tasting skills required. It’s just about celebrating wine and all the work that’s gone into this year’s harvest. This observance has grown from a local farmer’s tradition into a global celebration.

We were in Cleveland last weekend and one night babysat our little sweethearts while the big sweethearts went out for Jen's birthday celebration. Todd and Andrew had gone to Giant Eagle for a quick grocery run and when they got back to the house, Todd announced, "You'll never guess what I found!" He pulled a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau out of the grocery bag and after the little ones were all snug in their beds, we had a couple glasses. 


Young, lively red wine

to celebrate the harvest

at the midnight toll.


But then I got to thinking, this is November 15 and the third Thursday is the 20th. Hmmmm...somebody at the Giant Eagle didn't get the memo that this wine isn't supposed to be on the shelf until November 20. C'est la vie!



8 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness. I didn't realise that was still a thing.
    Back in the early 1980s there was always an annual trek across the Channel to stock up with the first of the Beaujolais Nouveau in the French supermarkets. The ferries must have made a good income from that!

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  2. It was the preview version! I used to get a bottle for Thanksgiving dinner.

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  3. I will try to remember to pick up a bottle, or two.

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  4. That bottle looks empty to me! 😉 It's okay. I won't tell.

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