Chill It Lightly
Serve Beaujolais around 55°F. Twenty minutes in the fridge brightens its fruit.
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Wine Regions
Bright, juicy, and easy to love, Beaujolais is the French red you can chill. Learn the three quality levels, the ten crus, and the bottle to open tonight.
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Beaujolais stretches north along the west bank of the Saône River, from just north of Lyon to the edge of Burgundy’s Mâconnais. It is often grouped with Burgundy, but its wine is very different. The climate is a little warmer, and the grape is not Pinot Noir but Gamay. Soil is the big story. In the north, rounded hills of pink granite and blue stone give the most structured, age-worthy wines and host all ten crus. In the south, clay and limestone soils, including golden stone around the “Pierres Dorées” villages, produce lighter, simpler wines. Many vineyards are still planted as free-standing bush vines and picked by hand, because whole bunches are needed for the region’s signature fermentation method. That combination of grape, soil, and technique gives Beaujolais wine its juicy, lighthearted charm.
Think of Beaujolais as one of the most fun red wines to drink. Gamay gives light to medium body, low tannin, and refreshing acidity, with aromas of red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and violets. Many producers use carbonic maceration or a partial version of it. Whole, uncrushed bunches go into a tank filled with carbon dioxide, and fermentation begins inside each grape. This method pulls out bright fruit and very little tannin, and it can add notes of banana, bubblegum, or kirsch, especially in Nouveau. Our how wine is made guide explains standard fermentation for comparison. Better crus show more depth: black cherry, plum, peony, earthy granite minerality, and with age, savory, mushroomy notes that can resemble Pinot Noir. The region also makes small amounts of white Beaujolais from Chardonnay, which is crisp and apple-scented.
Beaujolais has a simple quality ladder. Beaujolais Nouveau is bottled just weeks after harvest and released on the third Thursday of November, a festive tradition. It is light, fruity, and meant to be drunk within months. Standard Beaujolais is similar but released later. Beaujolais-Villages comes from a group of better villages in the hillier north and offers more depth for little extra money. At the top are the ten crus, which use their own names on labels, often without the word Beaujolais. From lightest to fullest, roughly: Chiroubles, Fleurie, and Saint-Amour are floral and silky; Régnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, and Juliénas sit in the middle; Chénas, Morgon, and Moulin-à-Vent are the richest and can age ten years or more. Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent are the best places to see Gamay’s serious side.
Skip straight past Nouveau for your first serious taste and buy a Beaujolais-Villages. It is affordable, widely available, and shows the classic juicy style. Then try a Fleurie to taste the perfumed, elegant side of the crus, and a Morgon to see how granite and riper fruit add structure. A side-by-side comparison makes the differences clear. Serve Beaujolais lightly chilled, around 55°F for Villages and 55–60°F for the fuller crus; our serving temperature guide shows why a cool red tastes fresher. Use a medium-sized glass or a Burgundy bowl to capture the aroma. Most Beaujolais does not need decanting. If you already enjoy Pinot Noir but want something lighter on the wallet, a good cru Beaujolais is one of the best values in French wine.
Beaujolais is one of the most flexible food wines in the world, thanks to its low tannin and bright acidity. Its home market is Lyon, famous for small bistros called bouchons, where Beaujolais is poured with pork sausages, pâté, cured ham, lentil salad, and fish dumplings in creamy sauce. That makes it a natural with charcuterie boards and picnic food. Roast chicken, coq au vin, and mushroom dishes pair beautifully with a cru like Morgon. Because it handles sweet, savory, and tangy flavors at once, Beaujolais is a favorite for Thanksgiving dinner, matching turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Lightly chilled, it also works with salmon, tuna, and grilled vegetables. Avoid very spicy food and big steaks, which can overpower its delicate fruit.
Lyon, one of France’s great food cities, is the ideal base, with the vineyards starting less than an hour north. Villefranche-sur-Saône is the region’s main town and a good jumping-off point for the crus. Beaujolais is far less crowded and more relaxed than many famous French regions, and many small family producers welcome visitors, though calling ahead is wise. In the south, wander the golden-stone villages of the Pierres Dorées. In the north, drive the scenic route through the ten crus, and climb Mont Brouilly for sweeping views over the vineyards. September brings harvest, and November brings Nouveau celebrations across the region. Pair a visit with a few nights in Burgundy, just to the north, to compare Gamay with Pinot Noir.
| Grape or Style | Character | Try It With |
|---|---|---|
| Beaujolais Nouveau | Very light, candied red fruit, banana notes | Thanksgiving snacks or casual parties |
| Beaujolais-Villages | Juicy cherry and raspberry, soft, fresh | Charcuterie or roast chicken |
| Fleurie or Chiroubles | Floral, silky, delicate | Salmon or goat cheese |
| Brouilly or Juliénas | Medium body, red fruit, light spice | Burgers or pork chops |
| Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent | Fuller, black cherry, earthy, ages well | Coq au vin or duck |
| Beaujolais Blanc (Chardonnay) | Crisp, apple, lightly creamy | Quiche or seafood |
Serve Beaujolais around 55°F. Twenty minutes in the fridge brightens its fruit.
Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent labels signal the region's best Gamay.
Beaujolais Nouveau is made for fun and freshness. Enjoy it before spring.
Learn Your Taste
Answer a few simple questions and discover styles that fit your palate.
Take the Wine QuizRed Beaujolais is made from Gamay, a thin-skinned grape known for bright red fruit, low tannin, and fresh acidity. A small amount of white Beaujolais is made from Chardonnay, along with some rosé.
Yes, lightly. Around 55°F is ideal for most Beaujolais, and slightly warmer for fuller crus like Morgon. A gentle chill keeps the fruit fresh and the alcohol in balance without muting the aroma.
It is a very young Beaujolais bottled weeks after harvest and released on the third Thursday of November. It is light, fruity, and festive, best enjoyed within a few months rather than aged.
Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. These villages in the northern, granite-rich hills make the region's finest and most distinctive wines.
They share a light body, red fruit, and bright acidity, and both come from the greater Burgundy area. Beaujolais is usually juicier, softer, and less expensive, while aged crus like Morgon can develop earthy notes that resemble Pinot Noir.
Charcuterie, roast chicken, pork, sausages, mushroom dishes, salmon, and Thanksgiving turkey all work well. Its low tannin and lively acidity make it a very forgiving partner for mixed menus and picnics.
