The third Thursday in November is the annual release date for Beaujolais Nouveau (21 November 2024) and a Beaujolais Festival – 20 – 24 November 2024
Les Sarmentelles
To celebrate the Beaujolais wine region hosts a Festival Les Sarmentelles which is held in Beaujeu (69 Rhône, ARA) in November. see Beaujolais Nouveau
Over 5 days (and nights) there is music and dancing in the streets, a market and plenty of opportunity to taste the new wine and local food delicacies.
Whilst there is less enthusiasm and hype for Beaujolais runs etc in the UK, Beaujolais remains well suited as a fresh young red wine which is fun to drink and is widely available in France.
Les Sarmentelles takes place in Beaujeu where festivities run over five-days including tastings, an artisans market, music and a torchlit procession illuminated by burning vine shoots (sarments).
The Beaujolais region (between Macon and Lyon roughly) is an attractive part of southern Burgundy to visit, and the wine is gernerally more affordable than in Burgundy itself.
For more info on the Beaujolais Festival see www.sarmentelles.fr
Find the best rates or Hotels and other accommodation in and around Macon or stay in a 19th Century winemaker’s house Les Glycines B&B (Domaine Gilles Coperet) nearby at Regnié
Located north of Lyon in eastern France, Beaujolais overlaps Burgundy in the north and Rhône in the south. The picturesque Beaujolais vineyards run along the Saône River, where winemakers have crafted deliciously supple and fruity wines since the days of Ancient Rome.
Over mainly granite terrain, the Beaujolais Crus form a meandering path. From south to north, Brouilly is followed by Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, Juliénas and Saint-Amour.
The region has ideal growing conditions. It receives lots of sunshine and has granite-based soils that lend excellent structure to the wines. The Gamay grape is used to make all Beaujolais wines with the exception of white Beaujolais, or Beaujolais blanc, which is made of Chardonnay grapes.
Only manual harvesting is allowed in the Beaujolais region. Handpicking means that before being vatted, entire bunches are sorted to remove any bad grapes. This winemaking method is specific to the Beaujolais region. www.discoverbeaujolais.com
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