LUXE Serendipity magazine

By Donna Richardson

When I was gathering the wine for my WSET Course I asked my local wine merchant George Hill for a Beaujolais and they told me, come back on November 20. I was intrigued, why then?

So I delved a bit deeper as it seems such a beautiful name for a wine – one that rolls off the tongue – and I wondered what makes it so special?

I spoke to Loughborough wine merchant George Hill who told me that the limited edition only released on a the third Thursday of November and to come back then. I then discovered that the wine has its own very special day! How cool is that!

The UK embraced Beaujolais Nouveau from the 1970s’ and Wales in particular loves to hold a Beaujolais day party – with Swansea turning it into a huge local event- the unofficial start to the Christmas season – so from one valley to another across the Channel it has become a national treasure.

You heard it on the grapevine -why is everyone raving about it?

Beaujolais is light, fruity and easy to drink and pairs well with most food and is better for pub culture than heavy tannic wines.

Back to its roots

Beaujolais is tucked between Lyon and Burgandy and is a landscape of rolling hills, stone villages and vineyards.

Beaujolais Vert is the northern green heart where oak trees and cool streams meet, while classic Beaujolais is home to gentle hills, sleepy villages and scenic cycling routes. Thirdly, Beaujolais Crus is where the best vineyards cling to granite hillsides and produce structured and expressive wines.

There are 10 Crus of Beaujolais – Fleurie, Morgin, Moulin a Vent, Brouilly included which offer depth and elegance. There are many small family run domaines who welcome visits and share tastings in their cool stone cellars.

In Boujolais you will find villages made from pierres dorees, honey coloured limestone that glows in the sunset, One of the most beautiful is Oingt with cobbled lanes and sweeping Valley views. Also worth checking out Ternand – a medieval stronghold perched on a ridge wrapped around ancient ramparts. and last but not least is Beaujeu – the historic capital of Beaujolais us where wine culture meets local folklore.

What pairs well with Beaujolais?

In this region, some of the local cuisine pairs wonderfully with this wine. For instance: Saucisson Chaud – Sausage braised in wine, and then there is Poulet de Bresse, roasted with herbs and creamy goats cheese from nearby farms as well as fresh pastries in local boulangerie such as tarte aux pralines – a lyon speciality that appears in Beaujolais cafes.

Active adventures in wineland

Nature lovers will find plenty of opportunities to explore in the panoramic hiking trails around Chiroubles or Saint Amour. You can also cycle the vineyard covered slopes on electric bikes or get up high in the sky in a hot air balloon to see the valley in all her glory 0 the patchwork of vines looks incredible from this vantage point.

When to visit

Spring is when the vines burst into life and markets overflow with seasonal produce.

In the summer, festivals fill village squares with music and wine tastings

Autumn brings the wine harvest and paints the region in gold, scarlet and amber.

Winter warmers in cellars characterise winter as Beaujolais Nouveau adds a winter buzz.

So, what are you waiting for order your Beaujolais Nouveau today from wine merchants like George Hill