Northwest Nouveau

Oregon celebrates Beaujolais Nouveau Day

By Paula Bandy

Every third Thursday in November, the wine world raises a glass to a spirited and playful tradition: Beaujolais Nouveau Day. At the stroke of midnight in France, the first bottles of the new vintage– packed with the vitality of harvest– are released in a global celebration. For a moment, wine sheds its mystique, reminding us that sometimes the best bottles are the ones enjoyed now.

From Hillside Vineyards to Global Parties

The roots of Beaujolais Nouveau Day lie in the Beaujolais region, where the Gamay grape, originally cultivated by the Romans in the Saône-et-Loire, near Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, reigns supreme. The winemaking style was born from the growers’ tradition of toasting the end of harvest with a quickly fermented, whole-cluster wine. Using carbonic maceration, a technique where grapes ferment inside their skins, winemakers create lively wines bursting with juicy flavors– cherry, raspberry, strawberry, even hints of banana and bubblegum.

The Beaujolais tradition began in the 1800s as a local fête among vintners. By the mid-20th century, celebrations spread to Paris, and Beaujolais Nouveau Day became a global phenomenon by the 1970s. Clever marketing, coupled with an undeniable sense of fun, spread the cry “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!,” French for “The new Beaujolais has arrived!”

A Wine of the People

What makes Beaujolais Nouveau so irresistible is its spontaneity and accessibility. Not made for cellaring, swirling or analyzing, Beaujolais Nouveau is wine at its most democratic– unpretentious, exuberant and ready to drink weeks after harvest. It pairs exceptionally well with the autumnal comfort foods: creamy cheeses, pumpkin soup, warm chocolate chip cookies– even turkey, making it especially timely for Thanksgiving.

Critics often dismiss it as fleeting, but that’s exactly the point. Beaujolais Nouveau is a celebration of the present moment, providing a snapshot of the growing season, bottled before the year is over.

Beaujolais Day in Oregon

What started as a French tradition is now embraced in Oregon. Winemakers here release their own nouveau-style wines made from the Gamay grape, along with other varieties, including Tempranillo and Pinot Noir. These Oregon expressions adopt the same French spirit: an opportunity to taste harvest in its purest, most immediate form.

For a second year, the Rogue Valley is joining the celebration. On Thursday, Nov. 20, Beaujolais produced by four local wineries will flow at the Ashland Nouveau Festival. Each wine is made from Gamay grapes, harvested and pressed the same day from a single vineyard block at Irvine & Roberts Vineyard.
Winemakers Eric Weisinger (Weisinger Family Winery), Brian Gruber (Irvine & Roberts Vineyard), Rob Folin (Ryan Rose Wine) and Joe Chepolis (Sound & Vision Wine Co.) each produced one barrel from their portion of the fruit. “We thought it would be interesting to see how the same grapes, made our own way, could showcase our individual styles,” recalls Weisinger. “It’s also friendly competition. We all hang out and help each other. Our shared philosophy: we’re stronger when we’re together.”

In the spirit of tradition, this event will be undercover, but outside. Dress cozy! Enjoy crêpes cooked by chef Carl Krause of Wilder Cooking and live, French-inspired music. Bottles will be available for purchase at the event.

The Wine Studies Program at Chemeketa Community College is also hosting its Nouveau Release party. In its sixth year, the event spotlights nouveau-style and Gamay wines made by current students sold under the Chemeketa Cellars label as well as those produced by its graduates. In mere weeks, students pick, crush, craft and pour their nouveau, gaining a hands-on education in real time.

Newberg’s Newveau Fest also celebrates Willamette Valley wines crafted in the nouveau style. Beyond Gamay, adventurous palates can explore a lively spectrum of varietal expressions, each brimming with the spirit of young wines. In the weeks leading up to the event, photographers roamed neighboring vineyards, capturing the rhythms of crush, as well as the faces of winemakers and vineyard workers during harvest. Their images will grace the Chehalem Cultural Center on festival night.

Why It Matters

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is more than just a quirky holiday on the wine calendar– it’s a reminder of wine’s deeper purpose. Beyond the critics, ratings and collectors’ cellars, wine is about community, celebration and joy. It’s about raising a glass together, laughing, and savoring something fleeting. Weisinger explains, “Hosting events honoring wine is a way to develop a richer wine culture. It’s such an important French tradition and I feel it’s good for the Rogue Valley to create more traditional events. People tell me they wish there were more occasions to come out and celebrate each other, the harvest season and the new vintage.”

No matter where you live, Beaujolais Day unites in a collective toast: sometimes the most magical wines are the simplest ones, especially when shared with friends, family and neighbors. The next time you hear “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!,” remember how the cultural tradition brings people together in Oregon and beyond.

Oregon Beaujolais Nouveau Festivities

Ashland Nouveau Festival
Thursday, Nov. 20, 4-7 p.m.
Tickets: $33-40
160 Lithia Way, Ashland
www.eventbrite.com/e/ashland-nouveau-celebration-tickets-1782662554689

Nouveau Release Party
Thursday, Nov. 20, 6-8 p.m.
Tickets: $20-25
Northwest Wine Studies Center,
Chemeketa Eola
215 Doaks Ferry Rd. N.W., Salem
www.chemeketacellars.com/2025-Nouveau-Release-Party

Newveau Fest
Friday, Nov. 21, 4-9 p.m.
Tickets: $40
Chehalem Cultural Center,
415 E. Sheridan St., Newberg
www.newveaufest.com

Paula Bandy and her dachshund, Copperiño, are often seen at Rogue Valley’s finest wineries, working to solve the world’s problems. She has covered wine, lifestyle, food and home in numerous publications and academic work in national and international journals. For a decade she was an essayist/on-air commentator and writer for Jefferson Public Radio, Southern Oregon University’s NPR affiliate. Most recently she penned The Wine Stream, a bi-weekly wine column for the Rogue Valley Times. Paula believes wine, like beauty, can save the world. She’s also a Certified Sherry Wine Specialist and currently sits on the Board for Rogue Valley Vintners. @_paulabandy