This year's Beaujolais Nouveau was uncorked in Japan on Thursday, with consumers expected to buy higher-priced products for parties as they spend more time with family and friends in the wake of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Many who placed advance orders are planning home parties to drink the young gamay wine from France's Beaujolais region, importer Vinos Yamazaki Co. said
Wines between ¥2,500 and ¥4,000 per bottle, about ¥1,000 higher than the usual range, are popular this year, it said.
The company expects Beaujolais sales this year to eclipse last year's by 30 percent.