“You pronounce it waah, like a baby crying,” our guide Amandine was explaining about Oingt, the village our group would be visiting in the heart of France’s Beaujolais wine region. We were driving about an hour north of Lyon, along scenic country roads that twist through vine-covered hills, passing golden stone buildings and fields of poppies. From the vantage of my window, it was easy to see how the Beaujolais is known locally as “la petite Toscane” – the little Tuscany.
Driving through the Beaujolais
Walking Through Oingt
Oingt is one of 38 villages in the Beaujolais appellation. Part of the area’s “Golden Stone Country,” it was constructed with local limestone that contains iron oxide, giving its buildings a distinctive golden hue. The restored medieval village has a population of less than 700 and is listed as one of the most beautiful French villages by the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, which honors small rural villages that have a rich cultural heritage.
Herb and I joined Amandine and others in our group on a walk through the village’s cobblestone streets, from the medieval entrance gate to the top of the lookout point where the thirteenth-century castle, now the town church, stands watch over the valley. Most of the shops and cafés were closed on our Sunday visit, giving us a serene peek into the charming architecture and setting. I was fascinated by this lovely little place that I never knew existed, let alone how to pronounce!
A Beaujolais Wine-Tasting
The Beaujolais wine region is known for its red wine production from the Gamay grape, with over 44,000 acres of vines. Divided into northern and southern sections consisting of different soil compositions as well as terrain, the Beaujolais produces different varieties of the Gamay grape as well as white wines.
Our tasting was hosted at Domaine Paire, about a ten-minute drive from Oingt. Jean-Jacques Paire greeted us warmly and welcomed us into his stone wine cellar, where we were seated at individual oak barrel tables.
Before the tasting, Monsieur Paire talked about his wine and the Beaujolais grapes. Most of the area’s winemakers produce small quantities, he said, and are distributed in France but not exported outside the country. The Beaujolais typically produces 90 percent Gamay and 10 percent Chardonnay, but that varies depending upon the climate of the zone. A wine’s assets depend upon the climate, soil and the know-how of the winemaker, he told us.
There was a lively discussion about the “Beaujolais Nouveau,” which was popular in the Unites States in the 1980s. Winemakers were entitled to release a specific amount of early wine – the Beaujolais Nouveau – on the third Thursday of November, Monsieur Paire explained, as a way to increase production. The wine was young and not up to the standards of the traditional wine produced in the region, hurting the Beaujolais name despite the popular craze.
Before he began pouring the first wine, Monsieur Paire paused and smiled. “You know,” he said, like a charming comedian getting ready to tell a favorite story. “In France, we drink Rosé as a beer!”
Thank you Mary for introducing another beautiful corner of the world which is new to me. I doubt that many would be able to pronounce Oingt, making it tricky to ask directions too! I now have no excuses…😉
I remember that silly Beaujolais Nouveau craze, when people would make a dash over the English Channel to bring back boxes of this wine, which none of us really liked. I always wondered why they didn’t just leave it there and let it develop into something more palatable. It sounds as though we were not alone in that opinion. I didn’t realise it reached the USA as well.
I have a feeling there are going to be a few more glasses of deliciousness along the way… Santé!!
Gill, I loved reading your perspective on the Beaujolais Nouveau craze in the UK. Thanks so much for sharing! Herb and I were living in Chicago in the early 1980s, where a restaurant called Bastille would have a big celebration every year when the Beaujolais Nouveau arrived. We didn’t know very much about wine in those days, but we both remember that it tasted not-so-great and wondered what all the fuss was about!
It was a real treat to visit the this beautiful countryside and taste the not-so-nouveau Beaujolais! And you are so correct…this was the first of many glasses of deliciousness in the French wine country.😊
Love this! Are you on a new trip or is this during June. Lyon and surrounding area on my list! Your photos capture so much of ambience and terroir. Santé!
Hi Gretchen! I’m so happy you enjoyed this, my South-of-France-traveling friend! We are home from this wonderful June adventure. I typically write my blogs once we’re back and I’ve have had a chance to digest all my notes, photos and thoughts. This trip was an especially active one, often with two excursions every day and so many fascinating places. I hope you had a fantastic time in Gordes as well!