Climate change helps France's Beaujolais wine find its sweet spot
The celebration of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau kicked off this week in Lyon. A new generation of winemakers has made remarkable improvements to this "young wine" in recent years – but, in a surprise twist, so has climate change.
This annual event marks the official release of the Beaujolais Nouveau, the region’s famed first wine of the season.
Once dismissed for its often subpar quality, Beaujolais has become the second most recognised wine globally, trailing only Champagne.
According to Inter Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau now accounts for 30 percent of the global Beaujolais production, with 15 million bottles exported to 110 countries each year, including 2 million bottles to Japan.
Once known for prioritising volume over quality, the region’s reputation has suffered. But now, a new generation of winemakers is changing the game, focusing on quality and sustainability rather than quantity.
Enhancing the soil
One such winemaker is Marine Descombe, who took over her family's estate in Saint-Étienne-des-Oullières near Lyon.
She has transformed her vineyard by planting cover crops to enhance the soil's fertility. "The sun is great, but we also need freshness, and that's something we’re lucky to have in Beaujolais," she told franceinfo.
"Maintaining vegetation on the plots, such as hedges and fruit trees, also helps keep the vineyard cool," she added.
Climate change
Read more on RFI English
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