With Burgundy to the North, the Saone River to the East, Lyon to the South, the Monts du Beaujolais to the West, Beaujolais is a hilly vineyard tucked away and stretching over 55 kilometers from North to South. In this class, we’re going to be exploring this idyllic and history-rich vineyard that grows Chardonnay and Gamay varieties, producing delicious red, rosé, and white wines.

Beaujolais has a history as far back as the 10th century, when the first lord of Beaujeu and his wife donated a plot of vines. However, wine production didn’t really take off until the 17th century. Beaujolais then became the leading supplier of Lyon’s famous ‘bouchons’ and taverns, and wine served in ‘pots’ became the centerpiece of every table.

Planted since the early 17th century, the Gamay variety and the Beaujolais vineyard share a common history. The area has proven to be the perfect setting for the variety to develop all its finesse and diverse expression. Although granite soils seem to be its soil of choice, the variety is good at adapting. Nowadays, half of the 30,000 hectares of Gamay planted worldwide are in the Beaujolais region, where it covers 98% of the areas that produce Beaujolais wine.

While Gamay is the dominant grape in the vineyard, white wine is actually one of the region’s little-known gems. On Beaujolais terroirs, Chardonnay grapes reveal lovely expressions. The variety grows in the far north of the vineyard, bordering on the Macon region and to the southwest of Villefranche-sur-Saone. Chardonnay now accounts for 2% of the vineyard. 

Instructor Bio: Victoria Tuzet

Originally from Montréal, Canada, Victoria recently relocated to the Upper Valley after several years in Southern California. A passionate traveler with a deep curiosity for wine, she plans her adventures around the world’s most celebrated wine regions whenever possible. Her wine travels have taken her through Napa and Sonoma in California; Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Champagne, Provence, and Alsace in France; Valpolicella and the tiny towns of Tuscany in Italy; Spain’s Rioja and Cava regions; Portugal’s Douro and Porto; and even the volcanic vineyards of the Canary Islands.

Victoria spent four months living in Spain, immersing herself in the local wine culture, and later worked the 2022 harvest in France’s Rhône Valley, assisting with winemaking at an organic and biodynamic estate. She holds her WSET Level 3 Award in Wine and is currently completing the WSET Diploma, with expected graduation in 2026. When she’s not talking terroir or vintages, you’ll likely find her watching documentaries, attempting to bake, or crafting between tastings.