Beaujolais Wine Tour: Vineyard Visits & Wine Tasting
Forty minutes from Lyon, and the hills begin. Four hours to push open two gates that stay closed to the public, go down into the cellars of the northern crus, and taste between the rows if the sun joins in.
- Duration
- Half day — 4 h
- Stops
- 2 wine estates
- Tasting
- 4 wines minimum
- Departure
- Lyon
- Price
- See the calendar
A four-hour wine tour in Beaujolais
The vineyard starts forty minutes from Lyon. In four hours, there is time to climb into the northern hills, see two estates properly, and come back down before sitting down to eat.
It is the format for those who have a morning or an afternoon, not a whole day.
Vineyard visit and wine tasting at two confidential estates
The route passes through two confidential estates, usually closed to the public, on the region's flagship crus. In one of them, you go behind the scenes of winemaking.
And if the sun is out, an open-air tasting between the rows.
The surprises of the tour
Depending on the route and the mood of the day: a hidden chapel, a private castle. Your Insider knows which gates open.
What your Insider can also arrange
The stops below are examples, not a set programme. They are here to give you ideas: the day's agenda is then decided together with your Insider.
The region's last American wine press
An estate run by the fifth generation of the same family keeps the only American wine press still in use in the area. It is not there for show: it still presses.
Tasting straight from the barrel
The wine is drawn from the cask, before blending and bottling. This is how the winemaker tastes their own work, and the best way to understand what blending actually changes.
A medieval castle and the wars it lived through
The strongholds of Beaujolais did not merely watch the vines grow: they were taken, retaken and fortified. Your Insider will tell you which ones.
The largest vintage motorbike collection in the area
It belongs to a winemaker, it is lined up in a shed in the middle of the vines, and he talks about it with the same precision as about his wines.
Cold cuts and cheese, standing up
Local specialities are tasted where they are made: cold cuts, cheeses and a glass, between two estates or between two rows of vines depending on the weather.
None of this is automatic, and this list is far from complete. Every outing is put together for the people living it: yours will be one of a kind, and it will never have been run in exactly this way before. Your Insider will contact you before departure to pick, among these experiences and many others, the ones that best match what you are after.
A private tour, the Insiders way
A local Insider who knows the region and its best addresses by heart, a vintage Range Rover just for you, and nobody at the wheel but him.
Book this tour
Half day — 4 h. Pick your date: the calendar shows availability and the price for your group size.
A question before booking? Email us at thomas@insidersexperience.com or call +33 6 98 78 29 28.
Practical information
Included
- Private tour with a local Insider, in a vintage Range Rover
- Return train tickets Lyon ⇄ Beaujolais
- Tastings at 2 wine estates, 4 wines minimum
- Tasting of wines, cheeses and charcuterie in the vines (weather permitting)
- Wi-Fi on board
Not included
- Driving: your Insider takes the wheel, you can taste
- Lunch
- Your wine purchases on site
Meeting point
Private transfer or train from Lyon, train tickets sent in advance if you choose that option.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. After that, the booking is charged in full.
Frequently asked questions
Is lunch included?
No. Your Insider can recommend where to carry on, from the village bistro to the starred table.
What is the difference with the full day?
The full day goes up to four estates, includes lunch and leaves time for detours. The half-day goes straight to the point: two estates, seen properly.
Can we buy wine on site?
Yes, at the estates visited. Purchases are not included in the price, and shipping is possible from most estates.
What do the vineyard visit and wine tasting include?
Two Beaujolais estates usually closed to the public, at least four wines, and the backstage of winemaking at one of them. If the sun is out, an open-air tasting in the vines is added to the tour, with cheeses and charcuterie.