Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2025

Joseph Drouhin is a long-established Burgundy house known for its work across the region and farmed biodynamically. This Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau is the young primeur, released on the third Thursday of November just after harvest, from Gamay grown on the granite and clay soils of the Villages zone south of Burgundy. The Villages fruit comes from better-sited slopes than plain Beaujolais and gives a little more depth. Nouveau is made by carbonic maceration, where whole uncrushed bunches ferment inside the berry, a method that produces bright colour and lifted red-fruit aromatics while keeping tannin soft. The colour is a lively purple. The nose is fresh and fruity, with redcurrant, raspberry and blackcurrant. The palate is light, juicy and easy, with low tannin and crisp acidity for early drinking. This is a cheerful young red made to be enjoyed within the year. Serve lightly chilled at 13 degrees. It suits charcuterie, roast chicken, cured ham and light cheese.