A wine fan in Beaujolais: liberté, équalité, gamay

Beaujolais, the French wine region often portrayed in a somewhat less positive light. Sweet juice, the region of Beaujolais Nouveau , the Gamay grape that Philip the Bold didn't believe in.

Haha, idiot.

Sometimes I think: I'd better not promote this region at all... then it'll remain a hidden gem, and "those tourists" will stay away. Let them just cruise through Burgundy, stop in Beaune, drive past Beaujolais, skip Lyon (because, ugh, it's such a dirty city), and relax decadently on the Côte d'Azur with a glass of rosé. Bonne chance!

Before we go any further, one more thing:

Together with Domaine Lachat, Vino Veer regularly organizes wine tours to Beaujolais for wine professionals . Visit www.domainelachat.com for more information.

Everything my wine heart desires

Beaujolais has everything my heart desires, at least. I live in Fleurie, happy me, a wine village in the heart of the region. In fifty minutes, I'm in Lyon—not a dirty city at all, but one of the greatest culinary cities in Europe. As a big Paris fan, I'd even venture to say that I find this city, with its Lyonnaise cuisine, much more interesting. An added bonus: it's certainly much more affordable than the capital.

Furthermore, Beaujolais boasts abundant forests, rolling hills, small villages, a young generation of winemakers with a modern perspective on wine culture, and almost every cru boasts a fantastic boulangerie, cheese shop, and butcher. You'll find pop-up restaurants, refined épiceries, and friendly people. Geneva is two hours away, Barolo four, and if you'd like to enjoy a glass of rosé on the coast, you're there in no time at all.

Time to indulge in the fantastic gastronomy here. Beaujolais is all about quality, never oversimplification. Free tip: always have lunch instead of dinner. It's more accessible, the perfect timing for gamay, and you'll be spared from a brioche belly, as you'll still be digesting the food and your glass of wine.

Juliénas

Restaurant Le Coq

A classic. The hospitality here is just as you'd expect: warm, relaxed, and unpretentious. The love for the local terroir and wines shines through, not only in the bottles but also in the way guests are welcomed. The restaurant serves classic French dishes with a modern twist, emphasizing the rich, local produce of Beaujolais, such as regional wines, cheeses, and meats. The menu changes frequently, depending on the seasons, so there's always a new reason to visit.

Fontains Arts et Vins

A few minutes away, in the tiny village of Jullié (my previous home), there's a tiny wine bar: Fontains Arts et Vins. Gamay is available for €3 a glass, making it the perfect opportunity to sample different Juliénas side by side. Feeling full? You can even stay overnight. My tip: start with a glass of sparkling gamay (say what?) from Domaine Franck Besson and try the Juliénas from Domaine Oedipoda (where my Beaujolais adventure began). I'd venture to say this is the best Juliénas I've ever tasted.

Vauxhall

Pop-up restaurant Ephémère

In Vauxrenard, you'll find a pop-up restaurant during the summer months, Ephémère. The concept is the brainchild of a fantastic Dutch woman, Gusta, who is also Yvonne's lover. Métras. You can imagine how fantastic this wine list is.

You're in the heart of the Métras vineyards, where I was fortunate enough to help with the harvest in September 2024. A place so beautiful that I actually hesitated to share it. But hey, some secrets are too good to keep to yourself.

In 2024, we—Veerle, Nadien, Jan Jaap , Rianne , and Jelle —had lunch at Ephémère. It was fantastic. A few months later, we recorded a podcast with Veerle , in which she talks more about Beaujolais and the work she does there.

Chiroubles

Restaurant Ema (Emilien et Margot)

Towards Chiroubles, in Deux-Grosnes, you will find Ema , a restaurant with about 35 to 40 seats and a terrace where – in good weather – you can enjoy a breathtaking view over Beaujolais Vert.

The cuisine here is always so refined, without being overdone. The staff is very knowledgeable about wine and happy to help you choose. Next to the restaurant is their own wine boutique, definitely worth checking out. Don't go there when it's foggy, by the way (which I did), you'll miss the beautiful view.

Regnie

Domaine Lachat

Domaine Lachat, my current workplace, is run by the Dutch couple Anne and Thijs. Along with their two sons and a diverse collection of animals, they are proud of their estate—and rightly so! It's an honor to work here, learn from Anne, and even make my own wine.

This is undoubtedly the place with the most beautiful view of Beaujolais. Besides wine, they also cater to guests with four charming gîtes. Thijs and Anne are excellent cooks, and during peak season, you can join their weekly breakfast on Thursday afternoons and enjoy a delicious meal with wine, of course!

Brouilly

Restaurant Table du Brouilly

Green shutters and French signs on the wall. A young, enthusiastic couple runs the place, and if you walk through to the back, you'll find yourself in the wine cooler. They describe this place as a "bistrot moderne." The owner has Chilean roots. It's the perfect place to drink natural wine from Chile, if you're tired of gamay.

Saint-Etienn e

grocery store

Epicerie in Saint-Etienne des Oullières, small but charming, with a wine cabinet full of wine where you can help yourself. You choose your menu from the blackboard. I love it. Everything is delicious there. Closed on weekends. (Too bad for your possible weekend trip, better for me).

Belleville and Beaujolais

Xviii Sur Vins By Céleste

Nadien's tip : Here you can drink the best Beaujolais wines (and beyond) at super reasonable prices. Yvon Métras, Jules Métras, Dutraive, Lapierre—they have it all. Even Anglore (my favorite from the Rhône) is readily available. It's also a wine shop, so you can pop in the next day to replenish your stock.

Nadien's tip : Belleville en Beaujolais is also a great base for your stay in Beaujolais. We've been going to De La Chambre Au Jardin for years, a cozy B&B within walking distance of the wine bar.

Good to know…

The Germe de Lepinette

Forget supermarkets and do your shopping at the local market. A great tip, for example, is La Germe de Lepinette , a Paysan baker and maraîcher, which sells the very best sourdough bread (Tuesday morning in Belleville, Thursday morning in Montmerle-sur-Sâone, and Saturday morning in Fleurie).

Le Pain & JO

Villefranche? Personally, it's not a must-visit , but I understand if you're just wandering around. If you're there, make sure you have coffee and a cake aux carottes at Le Pain & JO . Thank me later.

A wine lover in Lyon

Lyon really deserves a separate page. I secretly dream of writing a bistro guide for this city. Wine bar Octobre, Café Terroir, boire un coup @ wine bar Muraato … etc. This city is truly not to be missed!

My further adventures….

• This spring I will be bottling my own wine and continuing to work in the vineyards of Domaine Lachat on the 2025 vintage.
• Together with Domaine Lachat, I regularly organize wine tours to Beaujolais for wine professionals. Visit www.domainelachat.com for more information.
• I recently started working for Beaujolais Insiders, giving wine tours of the region in a vintage Land Rover.
• I'll also be promoting Beaujolais in the Netherlands in November and December, as this region definitely deserves a better image! (So don't hesitate to contact me if you're interested in hosting a Beaujolais tasting together.)
  
• I support a B&B in Beaujeu, where I hope to organize a new edition of "Petit Café Gamay." This is together with my best friend Anouk Roelings.
• Want to follow all the adventures? You can! Via Instagram @vinoveer