As Halloween passes and the starter gun fires for the race to Christmas, November can feel like a real scramble. A month of preparations, it can pass in the blink of an eye. Some subscribe to the “dry November” discipline to give their systems a break before party season kicks off. Some grow moustaches to raise awareness for men’s physical and mental health since the “Movember” movement started in 2003.

Vignerons, merchants, and restaurants have one date set aside to celebrate the end of a busy harvest season. On the third Thursday of November, ever since 1985, Beaujolais Nouveau is released onto the global market.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a quaffable, fruit-forward and inexpensive wine made from the current year’s recently fermented grapes and then bottled without ageing. A simple wine, yet, in the right context, it can be a very pleasant glass, perfect for accompanying some light, simple dishes or charcuterie.

The Beaujolais Nouveau concept has been one of the most successful marketing campaigns in the wine industry and managed to shine a spotlight on a region that had been in the shadow of its neighbour, Burgundy, for years. For decades, the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau at the end of November has been a major celebration in the wine community all around the world and a great occasion to party while selling on some of the stock that might have been slower moving otherwise. In Japan, the excitement goes as far as filling public baths with a mix of water and wine so people can swim in their favourite beverage. Vast quantities are shifted and jubilation ensues.

However, as with many great marketing concepts, consumer enthusiasm naturally fades over time. In the early 21st century, because of negative publicity from several winemaking scandals, an increasing number of wine critics giving it the thumbs-down and the fact that wine trends are constantly changing direction, the Beaujolais Nouveau frenzy eventually slowed to little more than a whimper. Brand Beaujolais became a victim of its own reputation and new thinking was needed.

“It is not the strongest who survive but the most adaptable,” said Charles Darwin. I am delighted to see Beaujolais wines are back frequenting the shelves with a new focus and a growing reputation. In only a few years, the Beaujolais has managed to re-market itself as a region dedicated to making wines of quality and character. From light to full bodied, from juicy to fleshy, from silky to chewy, from early drinking to age-worthy wines, the winemakers of the Beaujolais are now expressing their terroir at a level consistent with its true potential.

Drinking Beaujolais has never been more on trend. Euro for euro they are the outstanding option when compared to the juice of the rich neighbours next door in Burgundy.Nestled between the city of Lyon and the southern end of Burgundy, the Beaujolais region stretches along 55 kilometres of rolling hills, a complex geological mosaic of granite, sand, clay and limestone where the Gamay and Chardonnay grapes are planted. The Beaujolais AOP covers the entire region while ten smaller designated areas called “Crus” are spread across the northern part of the region and each Cru expresses a different facet of the Gamay grape. Some of the most sought-after Crus include Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, and Fleurie.

For those whose interest in natural wines has been piqued, the Beaujolais is also a fabulous region to explore. Jean Foillard and Marcel Lapierre are two of the producers in the region who have been leading the way. Their quality-focused approach and alternative thinking when it came to making wines with no additives or chemicals were the first steps taken on a path which diverged from that of the Nouveau style. Today, more inspired vignerons are following their path, producing wines full of yumminess, purity, character and minerality.

With Christmas around the corner, it is a great time to give the new front line of Beaujolais an opportunity to show what they’ve got. Beaujolais is an ideal match with a traditional roast turkey, cranberry sauce and herb gravy. If you like subtlety, perfume and elegance, look out for names such as Beaujolais Villages, Fleurie or Saint-Amour. If you prefer wines with a little more power, flesh and structure, then Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent are worth looking for and can be cellared a few years to discover their full potential.

Success, failure, adaptation and re-emerging stronger than ever is a praiseworthy story in any walk of life. With competition growing year on year from new fascinating wine regions around the globe, this once disparaged “glou-glou” wine (in English it means “glug-glug”) has done very well to claw its way back to its new noble status and for that I say “Chapeau”. @juliedupouy1 @julie_dupouy