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).

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

Chateau Thivin's site sits on a volcanic site that juts out into the valley below from Mont…read moreBrouilly. It is also the oldest wine estate and benchmark of the Côte de Brouilly. I have to say I didn't know much about the wines from this region but Im always looking to be educated and was introduced to Claude Geoffray's wines through a friend. Highly mineral, great with rich meats (think duck and Iberico Ham), but also great stand alone. This made me want to learn more about the Côte de Brouilly wines, which I now have a reference to.

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.

Located right next to the beautiful Theatre de Celestins is this restaurant that I find even more…read morebeautiful--for its food, people and atmosphere--than the unmissable theater beside it. They have a large selection of wines, showcased all across a large wall which you can leisurely peruse. Their food is primarily a selection of Corsican and Italian charcuterie, cheeses and pâté en croûte. I tried most of these. The Corsican charcuterie I tried, a saucisson figatelle, prisuttu and, I believe, coppa, were exceptional. The prisuttu possesses a really wonderful blend of firm and soft meat and is richly flavorful. The figatelle might be my favorite, being the richest and heartiest. Its inside is densely soft and the skin just slightly chewy. Their pâté en croûte, which looks particularly good in Yelp photos, is particularly good. I have a strong preference for foie gras in pâté en croûte, which is totally absent from theirs, however, this is one of the best pâté en croûte without foie gras I've had. There is an apricot inside for a hint of sweetness for the center bite. And the crust is fairly substantial. My favorite is their smoked salmon, the best smoked salmon I've ever had. It is luxuriously, almost impossibly, tender, really creamy and perfectly seasoned. I had a tough time deciding whether eat it plain or with the tarama I happened to have. It's a wonderful dilemma. I believe this is a must try. Besides the beauty of the food, you'll notice the beauty of the place as you nestle in to the varied seating options, looking more like a living space, or walk around perusing their offerings (they offer takeout). It is a thoughtfully designed space, looking and feeling naturally cozy and authentically warm, which is made ever believably so by the staff. The owner, Romain (as I don't speak French, I hope I spelled your name right!), and Marie (shamefully I forgot to ask for your name, but the receipt says you're Marie) embody the warmth of the place. They were so welcoming and sweet, I found myself almost as fond as them as I am of their smoked salmon. As much as I love food, there is something that is even more dear to me: kindness. It can be something grand and sustained or something brief and seemingly trivial, like our interactions with shop staff. Maybe I'm too sensitive and make too much of trivial things, but Romain and Marie made this a highlight of my stay in Lyon. I walk out of their shop always in better spirits. When I return to Lyon some day, Muraato will be a place I return to regularly, for the food, and for the people. (Romain, enjoy your upcoming vacation in Chicago! Marie, thank you for the bag; I travel throughout most of the year, so I'll be a walking advertisement, happily, for Muraato wherever I go.)

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.

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.