Beaujolais hopes for a ‘long overdue renaissance’ in Asia

The French wine region Beaujolais has unveiled a new campaign to drive awareness of the region’s wines in Asia ahead of next month’s Vinexpo Hong Kong, in an effort to raise Beaujolais’ profile in the Asia-Pacific region for what Inter Beaujolais calls a, “long overdue renaissance”.

‘Beaujolais of Character’ was unveiled as part of the region’s wine board Inter Beaujolais’ ‘Beaujonomie’ campaign, celebrating Beaujolais and the region’s casual bistro culture.

The ‘Beaujolais of Character’ campaign aims to embrace Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages red, rosé and white, but also the majority of the Crus, at a retail price point of between €7 and €15.

The region is angling for its wines to become the “global leader in wines for the restaurant trade and ‘in’ places like wine bars, ‘caves à manger‘ and trendy dining spots over the next 10 years”, according to the trade organisation.

In Hong Kong, Beaujolais has been seeing a surge in popularity recently, with a 64% increase in exports last year.

In addition, exports also surged 37% in China in 2017, along with record sales in Holland (+48.7%), Switzerland (+27.5%) and the US (+25%), according to Inter Beaujolais.

The region’s premium ‘Exceptional Beaujolais’ are also looking to corner a bigger market in the fine wine sector.

At this year’s Vinexpo, the trade organisation will introduce the latest vintage, the 2017s, which have been likened to 2015 vintage despite spring frost, summer hailstorms and drought. 

It is a, “vintage showing promise of immense quality, vitality and freshness, much like the 2015,” said Bertrand Chatelet, Director of Sicarex (The Beaujolais Institute for Viticultural and Oenological Research). “This year, more than ever, the remarkable terroirs excel in their expression, with more crispness, more elegance.”

Aurélie Vabre of Inter Beaujolais added: “The renaissance of Beaujolais is long overdue. People shouldn’t forget that Beaujolais wines are not ‘industrial’ or ‘technological’, but genuine artisan wines. It is the only wine region in France, along with Champagne, where the majority of grapes are picked by hand.

“Now all the signals are on green, and the exceedingly promising 2017 vintage enables us to view the future with optimism. The new generation of Beaujolais is on the move.”

Inter Beaujolais will be at Vinexpo Hong Kong 2018 from 29-31 May 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Level 3, at Booth PQ50.