The Beaujolais region, famous for its red wines, looks set to enter the race as a serious sparkling wine-producing region as it awaits appellation status for its sparkling wines. However, approval is expected to take around five years.

In recent decades, the region has produced between 600,000 to 800,000 bottles of sparkling wines per year, but always under the Vins de France classification. It is hoped that once appellation status is given, quantities could rise into the multi-millions.

The managing director of Inter Beaujolais said in an interview that the sparkling Beaujolais appellation would not try to compete with well-established sparkling wines, such as Champagne, Prosecco or Cava. He said producers would offer something a bit different – a comparatively low nine per cent alcohol level and higher residual sugar.

Made from the Gamay grape, the wines still have a natural acidity, freshness and an ‘explosion of fruit’.

The sparkling Beaujolais will more than likely be sourced from the current Beaujolais and Beaujolais villages areas; it will not be made in the Beaujolais Crus.