Beaujolais Nouveau 2026: Official Date, History, Tasting, and Which Glass to Use
Thursday, November 19, 2026 at midnight: everything you need to know before opening the first bottle.
The official 2026 date
In short
2026 date: Beaujolais Nouveau will go on sale on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 12:01 AM.
Rule: always the third Thursday of November, set by decree since 1985.
Serving: slightly chilled, between 12 and 14°C (54-57°F), in a simple wine glass rather than a large aroma-focused glass.
Beaujolais Nouveau 2026 will be released on Thursday, November 19, 2026. This date is never random: since a 1985 decree, sale has been authorized on the third Thursday of November, every year, without exception. It's this fixed date that turned a simple young-wine release into a genuine popular tradition.
History and tradition
Beaujolais Nouveau is a "vin primeur": it's bottled and sold just weeks after the harvest, unlike most wines that age for months or even years in the cellar. This tradition dates back to the early 20th century, when Beaujolais winemakers held a race to be the first to deliver their year's wine to Paris.
It was the wine merchant Georges Duboeuf who, in the 1970s, turned this local practice into a national event with the now-iconic slogan: "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!" ("The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!"). Ever since, the third-Thursday-of-November release has set the rhythm for bars and dinner tables across France, somewhere between curiosity and nostalgia.
Aromatic profile
Made from the gamay grape, Beaujolais Nouveau stands out for its lightness and freshness. Its fast winemaking process (carbonic maceration) produces a low-tannin wine with fresh red fruit aromas — strawberry, raspberry, cherry — sometimes lifted by floral or boiled-sweet notes characteristic of this winemaking method.
It's not a wine meant for aging: it's best enjoyed in the months following its release, while it still holds all of its fruity freshness.
How to serve it
Unlike a classic red wine served around 16-18°C (61-64°F), Beaujolais Nouveau is served slightly chilled, between 12 and 14°C (54-57°F) — 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge is enough. This chill brings out its fruity, thirst-quenching side.
Which glass to choose
Beaujolais Nouveau pairs better with a simple, medium-sized glass than with a large aroma-focused glass designed for wines meant to age: the goal is to preserve the wine's freshness, not to develop aromas it doesn't yet have.
A simple, generous shape, perfect for a light wine served chilled among friends.
An all-purpose glass, suited to Beaujolais Nouveau as well as more classic wines the rest of the year.
To explore all the options, our wine glasses collection covers every use, from light wines to wines meant for aging.
