Beaujolais Nouveau 2025, Amsterdam edition

It is November, like the famous Mariah Carey song at this time, it comes back every year, on the third Thursday of November, France celebrates Le Beaujolais Nouveau: the first taste of the new harvest.

This tradition

in its current form, dates to 1985. A brilliant marketing coup de maître that put Beaujolais on the lips (and in the glasses) of wine lovers worldwide. The Basis.

Beaujolais Nouveau, like all Beaujolais reds, is made from Gamay Noir. Two appellations exist: Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Nouveau Villages (from the northern part of the region). Each year, around 50,000 hectoliters, about 7 million bottles, are produced. At midnight, between Wednesday and Thursday, the first bottles are uncorked. Some sip, some celebrate, and in Japan… some even bathe in it.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2024

The reputation

For years, Beaujolais Nouveau was mocked as chemical, artificial, and bland. The French, with their self-deprecation humour, joked:

“Beaujolais Nouveau, we don’t drink it. On good year we use to clean windows"

The natural revolution

It’s a different story for Beaujolais Nouveau from natural winemakers. Full natural Beaujolais Nouveau are light, fruity, alive. It restores the prestige of primeur wine, bringing back the true taste of Gamay and the Beaujolais terroir. Raisin, the natural wine app, teamed up with illustrator Jules Maillard to create a poster with the slogan:

Il est arrivé, il est nouveau, c’est du beaujo — préférez-le au naturel. (It’s arrived, it’s new, it’s Beaujo — prefer it natural.)

The 2025 vintage

A sunny year with almost no rain until harvest. Expect glasses full of fruit, balanced, and joyful.

Amsterdam note

Since 2022, I’ve been listing natural wine events around Beaujolais Nouveau here in Amsterdam. I’ll keep updating this page until November 20th.

Bars

  • Café R. De Rosa on the 20th of November R. De Rosa will host a Beaujolais Nouveau party, with live music, food and the several cuvées. One of the best Beaujo party in the city.

  • FC Hyena Exceptional Anne from domaine Lachat will be present at the party on the 20th of NOvember, with live music and several Beaujolais cuvés.

  • Café de Linden will have have several Beaujolais wine by the glass.

  • Café Kompleet will switch to a full French mode on the 20th of November.

  • Kikkie van de Prinsensluis will have Beaujolais Nouveau by the glass.

  • GlouGlou will celabrate the primeur wine on the 20th of November with Boeuf (and Mushrooms) Bourguignons.

Café R. De Rosa, Beaujolais Nouveau 2024

  • De Nada Host a Beaujolais party on the 20/11.

  • Cafe Kosmos Will have Bojo Sutra fron Sarnin-Berrux.

Restaurants

  • Bottleshop will server Duck confit and other things for the Beaujolais Nouveau (20/11).

  • Tafel.89 and The Miners will host a dinner with Beaujolais Nouveau pairing.

  • Box Social on the 20th of November will have a french inspired menu.

  • September Amsterdam Will have a 3 courses menu with 3 Beaujos.

  • Café Vertigo will pour Séléné Beaujolais Nouveau with traditional french food.

Shops

  • Pieksman Wijnwinkel Starting the 20th of November, you will find Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau ‘Le Jeune’ 2025 Château de Lavernette.

  • Craft Wine on the 20th of November, Laura Lardy’s Nouveau and Nicolas Chemarin’s Premier Jus 2025 will be availble to buy and to test.

  • Troppo Wine Store will sell Elisa Guerin Bequjolais Nouveau.

  • Chenin Chenin Nov 20th, from 12 you can taste Beaujolais Nouveau and other primeur wines, and from 4PM you can also get Pâté en Groute.