Alcohol: 11.5%
Grape(s): 100% Gamay
Localization: Beaujolais, France
Tasting Notes: The Kevin Descombes Beaujolais Nouveau 2025 “Cuvée Kéké” is made from 100% Gamay grown on 40-year-old vines in Beaujolais. It shows bright red fruit aromas (cherry, strawberry), rose petals, earthy undertones, and a hint of spice, with a light, fresh, and perfumed style. Released on November 20, 2025, it reflects the youthful, vibrant character of Beaujolais Nouveau.
Notes: The Kevin Descombes Beaujolais Nouveau is crafted with a natural, hands-off approach that highlights the vibrancy of Gamay. Grapes undergo whole-cluster fermentation with semi-carbonic maceration for 10–12 days, a traditional Beaujolais method that enhances fruitiness and freshness. Fermentation relies on native yeasts and the wine is aged in concrete vats, preserving purity and energy. At bottling, only minimal sulfur is used, and the wine remains unfined and lightly filtered, ensuring authenticity. The result is a Nouveau that emphasizes purity, freshness, and drinkability, perfectly capturing the celebratory spirit of the style.
Food pairing: Chicken and turkey (perfect for Thanksgiving). Charcuterie, cheese boards, and light pasta dishes. Sushi, roasted vegetables, or casual bistro fare. Works well with herb-driven cuisine (thyme, rosemary).
The Domain: This is a young domaine, started in 2013 when Kevin took on some of his father’s (Georges) vines. He started with cuvée Kéké from vines in Corcelles – “The soil always well worked. It was nice to start with good vines and a certain simplicity.” Kevin started with a bit more than 4 hectares, then in 2016 began making some Beaujolais-Villages after renting 2 hectares of vines. So today there are 7 hectares and all are bottled at the domaine, though Kevin says that he’s not looking to keep growing, rather; “I want to be able to concentrate sufficiently on the vines that I have.”
The oldest vines in Morgon are about 80-years-old “But it’s not a big quantity – about 30 barrels worth that have a few months of wood elevage.” More is exported than sold in France; China is an important market plus US/Canada and Japan. ‘But France improves‘ smiles Kevin.
“Carbonic maceration is used for all the wines, It’s more about modifying the length of the maceration for the different cuvées. There’s no added sulfur until the wines are racked and before the bottling.”
