The countdown is underway for the international celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau Day on Thursday, November 19. “The first wines are generous, round and expressive,” says Adam Sager, co-president of Winesellers, Ltd., the United States importer of segment leader Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ($18 a 750-ml.). “The blends seek the harmony that will reveal the full character of this distinctive year.”

Beaujolais Nouveau Day falls on the third Thursday of November and one week before Thanksgiving. It’s the initial red wine release each year from Beaujolais, France. Under French law, the wines can’t be open until 12:01 a.m. local time that day. Two-thirds of Beaujolais Nouveau—or approximately 9 million 750-ml. bottles— is consumed in France, according to Sager. Leading export markets include Japan, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Belgium. “2026 is emerging as an exceptionally early vintage, marked by heat, challenging weather and low volumes,” Sager says. “The grapes’ excellent ripeness and the diversity of the terroirs give the teams at Maison Georges Duboeuf rich material to work with.”

Winesellers’ 2026 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau retail marketing campaign—“Chill it. Twist it. Nouveau!”—combines national media, influencer partnerships, social media, public relations, and in-store activations to drive awareness, pre-orders, and retail traffic ahead of Beaujolais Nouveau Day. Key elements include partnerships with leading wine educators and media platforms to educate consumers on Gamay, Beaujolais Nouveau, and chillable red wine occasions. “Extensive retail support materials including case cards, posters, shelf talkers, countdown clocks, wall mounts, stickers, print ads, and promotional merchandise to help retailers create impactful seasonal displays,” Sager says.

More than 14,000 retail accounts nationwide plan to sell Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, including Trader Joe’s, Total Wine & More, Whole Foods, Binny’s Beverage Depot, HEB, World Market, Wine.com, Heinens, Publix, Table & Vine, Stew Leonard’s, Vons/Albertsons, Montgomery County, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), Bottle King, NexCom, Specs, and Applejacks. “We are very optimistic about this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau,” says Kathleen Staley, wine manager at Total Wine, which has 303 superstores across 30 states. “The fresh and light style that Beaujolais Nouveau is becoming increasingly popular. We’re also seeing more customers looking for chillable reds, and Nouveau fits the bill. The wine is easy-drinking, and a fun way to usher in the holiday season. Our hope is to introduce more of our customers to this wine category.”

Staley notes the Gamay grape—the Beaujolais Nouveau varietal—offers versatility, approachability, and food-pairing opportunities. Total Wine and other retailers will also be selling the Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau orange and rosé wines ($17 a 750-ml.) this year. “You can find light, fresh, fruity, chillable styles labeled as Nouveau, Beaujolais, or Beaujolais-Villages, and as you increase in price and quality to the Crus of Beaujolais—Morgon, Fleurie, and Brouilly—you’ll find more layered flavors of fruit, earth, herb, and mineral, all balanced by great acidity, which makes these wines pair so well with a variety of cuisines,” she says. “Anyone who’s enjoying lighter red styles like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, or Italian reds like Frappato, Barbera, and Etna Rosso, could find great enjoyment in Beaujolais wines.”

Winesellers is also initiating a national influencer campaign featuring a network of wine and lifestyle creators such as André Mack, Amanda McCrossin, and Samantha Capaldi who will encourage consumers to place advance orders, seek out participating retailers, and engage with Nouveau content before release day.

Other promotional strategies include more than 25 original social media creatives running from September through November across Winesellers and Georges Duboeuf channels, focused on education, entertaining, food pairings, countdown-to-launch activities, user-generated content, and giveaway promotions.  “A coordinated Beaujolais Nouveau Day social media activation will feature launch-day content, Friendsgiving ideas, Thanksgiving pairings, hosting tips, and ‘The Only Wine With Its Own Holiday’ messaging to create nationwide excitement and the fear of missing out,” Sager says.

While the strongest-performing Beaujolais Nouveau at the PLCB’s more than 530 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores has been Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau, François Paquet Selection Beaujolais Nouveau ($15 a 750-ml.) emerged as a notable seller at the government agency’s 80 Premium Collection stores in 2025. “François Paquet wasn’t available in 2024, but it contributed meaningfully to category growth in 2025,” says PLCB Chairman Darrell Clarke.

Beaujolais Nouveau wines posted 13% dollar sales growth at Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores last year and unit sales grew 9%.  “Beaujolais Nouveau has an established following among wine enthusiasts who look forward to the annual release each November,” Clarke says. “The arrival of the new vintage creates an opportunity for customers to discover and enjoy this long-standing French wine tradition. In-store tastings also provide opportunities to engage customers, introduce the wine to new audiences and build excitement around the release.”

In-store support includes promotional signage, along with tastings on Beaujolais Nouveau Day. These efforts will be complemented by email communications, website features, and social media promoting the release and creating awareness to drive sales. “Marketing emphasizes the wine’s fresh, fruity flavor profile and once-a-year availability, inspiring excitement and urgency and positioning Beaujolais Nouveau as a festive option for holiday entertaining,” Clarke says. “We expect strong customer interest around the release, particularly from the wine’s dedicated enthusiasts looking forward to its arrival. Our marketing efforts are designed to celebrate that excitement, while also introducing Beaujolais Nouveau to new customers.”