Beaujolais Nouveau is making a comeback in the UK independent wine trade, with several suppliers reporting substantial sales growth as the 2026 release approaches and indies plan celebrations.
At Yapp Brothers, sales have doubled in just one year. The company reintroduced Nouveau in 2025 after a 20-year absence, initially prompted by enquiries from trade customers.
“We are definitely seeing a renaissance of Nouveau,” says Yapp’s Tom Ashworth. “We shipped around 600 bottles and it all sold that week – mainly to bars and indies, with a little direct to consumer.”
This year Yapp has doubled its order to around 1,200 bottles of Arnaud Aucoeur’s unfiltered Nouveau, encouraged by increased trade interest and consumer pre-orders.
Flint Wines is also experiencing a surge in demand. It first listed Château Thivin Nouveau in 2025 in response to customer enquiries and reports a 50% increase in sales this year.
“The best contemporary Nouveau wines are crunchy, bright and chillable in a style that’s currently bang on trend,” says Flint’s Will Heslop. “Beaujolais, in general, has captured the imagination of a new generation of wine lovers.”
Tim Killen at Alpine Wines agrees that Nouveau is attracting a broader audience. “You’ve got people in their 60s who remember the Beaujolais runs and the parties, but there’s also a younger crowd who like Gamay. They like a lighter style of wine, but also something with complexity.”
He reports incremental sales growth, while Wines Under the Bonnet says volumes are holding steady after several years of renewed interest. The latter has even sold a dozen jeroboams, reflecting Nouveau’s increasingly celebratory appeal.
The UK is now the third-largest export market for Beaujolais Nouveau, behind Japan and the US. Globally, around 13.8 million bottles were sold in 2025, with exports accounting for approximately 4.9 million. Yet the renewed enthusiasm among British independents appears to be as much about changing perceptions of the wine as a revival of the traditional November festivities.
Improved winemaking has helped shake off Nouveau’s old reputation for thin, bubblegum-flavoured reds, although Heslop at Flint believes its essential appeal remains its playfulness rather than its ageing potential.
The 2026 vintage could prove particularly interesting. Frost, drought and hail have severely reduced yields, with some growers reporting losses of around 50%, but early assessments suggest concentrated, well-balanced wines.
“It’s been both a horror and a magnificent vintage,” says Killen at Alpine. “Most of our growers are 50% down on their harvest. But the contrast is that the quality is stunning.”
For Ashworth at Yapp, Nouveau’s revival reflects something beyond wine quality. Nostalgia plays a part, but so does the growing appeal of informal, experience-led drinking.
“A bavette and a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau among friends is a good-value, fun night out,” he says. “It’s a contrast to tablecloths and tasting menus.”
• Indies plan their Nouveau celebrations – see the November edition of The Wine Merchant
