We were really glad to have identified this place during internet research before taking the drive to the Beaujolais area. It's the Cave des Producteurs de Juliénas, but its selection of wines is broader than just the cru Juliénas.
Above is a long view of the co-op buildings that I took from the streets of the village later in the afternoon, after our visit to the wine shop. Below are shots of the front door of the tasting room/boutique, one wider and one closer up.
On the left is a list of some of the Beaujolais cru wines that are sold in the shop. I assume all or most are available for tasting too, but we weren't tasting because we were going to be driving back to the Bourbonnais, two hours west, after leaving the shop.
Actually, there were other wines available too. Juliénas is at the northern tip of Beaujolais, adjoining the Mâconnais wine region of southern Burgundy. The neighboring part of the Mâconnais specializes in white wines made from Chardonnay grapes, including the well-known Pouilly-Fuissé wines. Some of those were available for sale as well. Juliénas is only about 10 miles south of the much bigger town that is Mâcon.
Wine in France is sold not in 12-bottle cases, but in 6-bottle cartons, which are easier to move around and carry to your car. We bought three cartons, if I remember correctly. Eighteen bottles, added to the six I had already bought in Régnié-Durette at lunchtime.
Notice that the co-op also sells boxed wine in the packaging called a "bag in box" and commonly referred to by its initials, BIB (pronounced beeb). We buy a lot of wine in BIBs, which are also sometimes called fontaines à vin. Inside the cardboard box is a plastic "bladder" — holding three, five, or ten liters — with a spigot. The plastic bag shrinks or collapses as you take wine out of it, so that the wine doesn't come into contact with oxygen, which would cause it to spoil quickly. They say you can safely keep wine in a BIB for about three months after you open it.
There was just one other car in the wine shop parking lot. The couple driving it were the only people in the shop besides us, and they had a little white dog on a leash with them. They bought about the same amount of wine as we did. We had left Tasha in the car after walking her around for a few minutes before going into the shop.
Above is the shop's price list for bottles of wine. Judge for yourself whether you think the wines
are expensive or not. Remember, wine is a commodity in France, not just a
luxury product, and most of these are about the best Beaujolais wine you can buy.
I had to Google TTC above the prices; I guess that's after tax? I think the prices are pretty inexpensive, especially considering the quality! It's quite an education traveling to these different wineries, you are able to connect the place with the taste and the variety of grape. My father used to like BIBs for wine, but that was in the States...
ReplyDeleteWine being a luxury product in the U.S., the stuff they put in BIBs is probably not all that good. Here in France, there isn't a great difference, usually, in the wine in bottles and the wine in BIBs from the same grower or co-op. In my experience... and except at the very high end of wines in bottles.
DeleteSlightly OT, I just managed to buy a used copy of the English translation of Je Sais Cuisiner and am finding it very interesting. I was astonished at how large it is. I should have checked the number of pages. But it is an excellent reference, and really what one would give someone as a wedding gift if they knew little of cooking.
ReplyDeleteI've been using the French version of Je Sais Cuisiner since about 1980, when a friend gave me a copy as a gift. I haven't seen the English version but should check it out.
DeleteIt looks like it is the château du Bois de la Salle which is next to the Cave, on the left. And on the other photos.
ReplyDeleteI think the château is the Cave des Producteurs, with the boutique/tasting room — the front door of which I show. The other building is some kind of hangar, probably the chai, where the wine is made.
DeleteWhat all of this series of posts underscores to me, is how much more rich and rewarding a trip is, when you have a good depth of knowledge about the area, and what it has to offer, and what you want out of your experience. You knew what you were looking for, and what would be quality, and what wouldn't, and on and on. It's so enjoyable to watch that, from this end!
ReplyDeleteJudy, I'm so glad to have made this short trip to Beaujolais. After all these years of living in France, as you know, going back to the 1970s, and having always heard all the names of different Beaujolais villages including Moulin-à-Vent, Juliénas, Morgon, Fleurie, and so on, I finally saw the region and now know where the villages are, what they look like, and what kinds of wines they make. That has given me the motivation to do some reading and understand the whole situation better. When we moved here, I used to say that I had the rest of my life to explore France, however long that might be, and this is part of it. I'm so happy to have been able to live this part of my life this way.
DeleteWhat a great visit to the Beaujolais you had. This post illustrates 2 things about buying and drinking wine in France. First of all, you can still get very good wine that is reasonably priced. And 2, you can get good BIB wine, which is difficult in the US (but apparently improving a little). It reminds me of a visit to a top-notch winemaker in the St. Chinian area about 10 years ago. We were in his tasting room, and there was a large group also tasting. The winemaker brought around a carafe of white wine, which was a dry Muscat, and poured some for everyone. It was outstanding, and he said that it was an experiment, and for now he was only selling it as BIB. So we couldn't really buy any.
ReplyDeleteWe did have a good day, even without doing any dégustations except at Régnié right before lunch. The weather was more than cooperative. Coincidentally, I have a bottle of Saint-Chinian red in the wine rack and I think we will enjoy it at lunchtime. Too bad you couldn't have bought any of that dry Muscat.
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