Wow what an amazing experience! Olivier was an amazing guide and we had a wonderful time visiting…read morevarious Medieval towns and wineries. The first winery was a small family affair and the owner served us our wine and spoke extensively about the varieties he produces. It was intimate and educational. The conversations with Olivier were interesting and informative through the trip. The lunch spot was amazing and so affordable! Despite the rainy weather we had a blast. We never take tours like this and we were so pleased with the entire experience. When we return to Lyon we look forward to taking another tour with Olivier! Thank you for a wonderful experience.

The most memorable day of a three week trip to France. We went right into the vineyard, picked and…read moretasted grapes right off the vine, watched grapes being processed and tasted wine with the owner. Oliver helped with reservations in advance and led a small group of us on an informative and beautiful tour of Beaujolais. I 100% recommend Kanpai.

This is a super cute wine shop with seats for tasting. The owner was super friendly, and there's no…read moreset wine menu, but you tell him what you like, and he'll suggest things for you to sample. Turns out he's from Corsica, so there are some more unique things like wine from Corsica, sparkling water from there, and Italian charcuterie like culatello, which I rarely see outside of Italy. The decor is interesting, and music is fun.

Wow. Google review was great but we had the totally opposite experience. Apparently it's only a…read morewine store and not a wine tasting place now? Although there's quite a bit a seating space in the back?

We came to Duclaux at the rec of our B&B owner. She is in love with their "la Maison rouge" cote…read moreRotie. It is their prime vintage and we are so excited to drink it after it opens up. We had a private tasting with Benjamin Duclaux. He is one of the young brothers and owners. Our experience at Duclaux was 180 degrees different than other wineries. He was wearing a rugby outfit, tasted with us (he gave us glasses of a newly opened 2003 cote Rotie that his bro just opened!). He also said "blah blah wine is meant to be enjoyed drink whenever!!" He did admit the taste of cote Rotie completely changes over 10 years - but he said "just try it every year". He discussed how the French have artisanal pride and refuse to use sprinklers in their vineyards. I told him how it was hard for me to find great wines in Sonoma and Napa - he said "well there ARE 1-2 good ones in Napa. I know I tried and I found them!" He was a bit cavalier in a good way and we really enjoyed viewing his caves. We were told by the family we were staying with that La Maison Rouge is (insert eye roll) unbelievable. Magnifique ... We bought a 2012 and we hope to hold out to 2022. Buying wine at the source in France is 10x cheaper than buying this rare gem in the states. Heading to Ampuis (away from the hordes of tourists in Paris and Provence was the best decision we made).

This was our first foray into artisanal, local Cote Rotie in Ampui. It was a 5 min. walk from our…read moreB&B to Clusel Roch. We stayed at La Gerine B&B (the BEST B&B we have ever stayed in on any continent). Look it up on TripAdvisor... Nine, the owner recommended that we visit Clusel Roch (she is well connected, her B&B is literally on the Cote Rotie slopes and she makes calls and connections for those who stay with her). We tasted with Brigitte - she and her husband run the vineyards. The vineyards have been passed down over many generations. She was telling us stories about the War and how their vines survived it... Spouse and I were SHOCKED when we tried the Cote Roties, so much more subtle than the Warehouse Wines $15 bottle that we were introduced to in NYC. PLUS, wine is not a bougie exotic foray for the French, so their bottles are reasonably priced (compared to Napa - where you want to run away from the unearned pretension). We ended up getting their Classique cote rotie AND their show stopper - Les Grandes Places Cote Rotie. We later learned via Nine that only 4 winemakers can grow on Les Grandes Places, it's situated on the steepest slope, is very old and very prestigious in those parts. Apparently the wine will open in ways we can't even fathom right now. Too bad we won't know until say 2020, hahaha. Anyways, I highly recommend a visit to Clusel Roch. They will take you to their caves, provide you with really interesting history and their winery is just beautiful.

From the owner: Champagnes, vins et spiritueuxread more

From the owner: Viticulteur-récoltant en Beaujolais, Dominique Chermette vous propose de déguster ses différents…read morevin blanc, rouges et rosés dans son caveau traditionnel

Our visit with Matilde was exceptional. She was passionate, knowledgeable and fun. We walked to the…read morevines and learned the history of L'Hermitage and the Chapoutier family (now 7 generations) and their biodynamic practices, then returned to the winery. Everything we tasted was delicious, including the gin (and the Discretia - a yummy chartreuse-like liquor). I especially loved the fact that all the bottles have braille labels. From switching to narrow practices in the 1980s to considering inclusion in every bottle, M Chapoutier is an inspiration and a pioneer. Note: definitely try their signature wine Sante-Allouette. It pairs wonderfully with fish, cheese, etc.

Chapoutier makes a number of wines in many different regions but…read more the Banyuls Appellation overhangs the Mediterranean sea near the border of Spain's Catalonia. Two thousand years old, the vineyard is ancient and the "mutage" practice of alcohol fortification, which they say was developed in 1285, gives Banyuls it's similarity to a port. Pairs well with cheese but more classically with say chocolate, it's also a fine specimen to be had on its own.

Napa and Sonoma are sh$%. That was solidified while tasting at what became our favorite winery in…read moreAmpui. We literally traveled here due to our intense love of Cote Rotie (ironically, we learned about this wine via "warehouse wines" in NYC. A French winemaker had a bad year and no respectable French person would drink that crap Cote Rotie. So send it to the Americains - winemaker sent cases to this one wine spot in NYC. So, we were able to enjoy $15 bottles of this earthly volcanic delight and we were in love. We didn't care or know that it was the dregs. We realized it was supreme and unlike any other and yearned to know more). The motto of the region is une nature extreme, un joyau rare. Yes, this wine is rarely exported because it's a rare jewel to the French. So, enjoy it in France... Because you won't have sticker shock. The staff at Yves Cuilleron was so kind, helpful. We had a great tasting and quickly realized that we really enjoyed the St. Joseph (we bought the l'amarybelle for drinking now and Les Serines for storing). We also loved and bought the Terres Sombres Cote Rotie. These wines are layered with volcanic granite, ash, minerals and oh so much more. Smoked meats, heaven, blackberries, so many other smells and tastes. Ask me in the year 2021 how the Terres Sombres and Les Serines taste - that's when we will drink them. Oh but l'amarybelle - we went back and got more of that for our trip. It was the reason two French couples at our B&B liked us (they realized we weren't brainwashed by the marketing gimmick of Guigal and Chapoutier). You must go here if you are in Ampuis.