There was a time, in the early naughties, when Japanese consumers rushed en masse to wine shops and events in late November to snap up bottles of the hugely hyped Beaujolais Nouveau. Due to a number of factors, sales began to slide toward the latter half of the decade, and the young French wine is now going through a bit of a crisis in Japan. Can a combination of cut-throat prices, cheaper bottles and clever marketing save it from the wastebin of also-rans?
Your average bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau used to cost around ¥2,000 to ¥3,000, but falling sales have sparked a price war. At the front lines of the battle is retail giant Aeon, who own Jusco, Saty and MaxValu. The company will be offering a 375 ml half bottle of Philippe de Mery Beaujolais for the low "one coin" price of ¥500.