Have you been dreaming of tasting a great Beaujolais but you’re nowhere near the Beaujolais vineyards? Don’t panic, that’s what Bistrots Beaujolais are there for!
Beaujolais wine lovers
All over France and the world, Bistrots Beaujolais are the ambassadors of Beaujolais nectars. And in terms of cuisine, there’s something for every taste and budget: from brasseries to wine bars, including inns, starred restaurants, the typical Lyonnais restaurants known as bouchons, and of course, bistros!
They all share an unconditional love for Beaujolais wine that they declare year round. They are proud representatives of this vineyard’s soul.
Other points they have in common: their sense of friendliness, welcoming smiles and good mood.
Do you think we’re exaggerating? Not at all. Those are all objective criteria taken into account for awarding the Bistrot Beaujolais label!
For that matter, the establishments awarded the label have to sign and agree to uphold a Bistrot Beaujolais Charter. In doing so, they perpetuate the traditional values and age-old spirit of enjoying food, wine and friendship, so dear to our bistros in the ‘olden’ days.
300 Bistrots Beaujolais worldwide
There are nearly 300 ambassadors for the Beaujolais winegrowing area around the world: from New York to Lyon and including Paris and Munich.
In these bistros, Beaujolais wine is served in its traditional receptacle: a kind of jug called a “pot”, or in bottles. And they don’t just serve Beaujolais Nouveau wines but the whole range produced by the Beaujolais winegrowing area, i.e. the 12 appellations.
Behind the counter, they know a thing or two about good food and great service: customers will get a chance to discover some surprising food-wine pairings.
A bit of history
The idea of these bistros came into being in Lyon in the 1950s. Two men, Henri Clos-Jouve and Marcel Grancher, set up “La Coupe des Meilleurs Pots” to award the bistro best at serving quality Beaujolais wines in a sociable, friendly atmosphere.
They then travelled to Paris to launch the idea on a grander scale. The “Coupe des Meilleurs Pots” became Parisian for nearly 70 years.
In 1995, Lyon revived the initiative by establishing a new network of bistros competing for “La Coupe Lyonnaise des Étonnants Beaujolais”.
Bistrots Beaujolais are the worthy successors of this tradition and they all know how to honor that sense of friendliness specific to the Beaujolais region, whether the bistros are in France, Japan or the USA.
So feel free to check them out! There is now a Mapstr map app to help Beaujolais fans not only find one of the Bistrots Beaujolais establishments but also to see what Beaujolais events are scheduled there!
Beaujolais wines are everybody’s business. So why not enjoy a meal in one of the 300 Bistrots Beaujolais and afterwards become one of their ambassadors while you’re at it?