Beaujolais: a day of tastings and lunch in a local restaurant

Beaujolais is a region to visit all year round! From Lyon, it's less than an hour to magnificent viewpoints (e.g. Mont Brouilly, Terrasses de Chiroubles, La Chapelle de la Madone in Fleurie) and of course to wine estates where you can taste wines made from Gamay grapes for reds and rosés, and Chardonnay for whites. There's also the opportunity to lunch at a local restaurant with incredible menus based on local, seasonal produce (EMA in Avenas, La Table du Brouilly in Saint-Lager or Beurre Noisette in Lucenay).

A look back at a typical day with Beaujolais Wine Experiences:

1. Departure from Lyon

I meet D and B in Lyon 4, at the foot of their apartment. I start the car and we're off for less than an hour's drive, during which we get to know each other, start talking about Beaujolais wines, their dynamics, a few clichés about them (Beaujolais Nouveau) and I present them with the day's detailed program. The fast-paced discussion helps the journey to pass quickly, and we've already arrived at the first domaine.

2. Visit and wines tasting at Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes, in Villié-Morgon

We are welcomed by Louis-Benoît and Claude-Emmanuelle, Louis-Claude's children, who have taken over the reins since the 2001 vintage. Wines produced under the Morgon AOC, one of the Beaujolais crus, with different lieux-dits (Château Gaillard, Côte du Py, Javernières) offering delicious profiles. Gamay is worked to perfection, old vines are farmed organically, and the wines are aged in vats or concrete eggs to preserve their aromatic character and delicate tannins. We taste all the cuvées, sometimes over several vintages, and finish with an old vintage. Beaujolais wines are wines for laying down (sometimes), and it's good to remember that! It's a great showcase for Beaujolais, and you feel good about it from start to finish.

3. Lunch at EMA Restaurant, in Deux-Grosnes

We're off in the direction of Deux-Grosnes, to Margot and Emilien, who opened this establishment several years ago. Located on the border of the Beaujolais vineyards and the dense forest of Avenas, it's a place where you feel at home from the moment you step through the door. Smiles, warmth, an incredible wine list and, above all, an exceptional menu that changes regularly. Local, seasonal produce and attention to every detail. Lunch is a perfect experience, with an unobstructed view over the valley. This is an address worth discovering.

4. Visit and wines tasting at Château de Poncié, in Fleurie

A property dating back to 949, at the time of the monks of the Cluny Abbey, this is a Beaujolais archive that we are visiting. Taken over in 2020 by a new generation of winegrowers aware of the historical heritage it has bequeathed, Château de Poncié is today an emblem of Fleurie, in the Beaujolais region. Several cuvées are produced, including two Chardonnay-based white wines. One is matured in concrete eggs, the other in barrels. The reds are produced under the Fleurie AOC with different lieux-dits expressed. It's a warm and welcoming place, and an opportunity to discover another estate in the region.

5. Back to Lyon

End of an exceptional day, the weather almost spoiled us despite this cold November day. An opportunity to debrief the day on the way home and identify my passengers' favorite cuvées. The choice of wineries and restaurant seems to have worked. Can't wait for the next day in the Beaujolais!

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