This is a shame, because good Beaujolais is nothing like vin de merde. As Behr writes, classic Beaujolais "achieved what some people consider to be the first job of any wine: to make you want a second glass. They were gulpable." In French, Beaujolais is often called gouleyant — which can mean "lively" or "very drinkable." As Behr notes, up until the late-20th century, Lyon was considered to be the leading city of French gastronomy. Beaujolais was the wine of Lyon's bistros, where the Lyonnais gulped it all day long, washing down the charcuterie, the coq au vin, the heavy gratins, and the offal. This classic Beaujolais is what the wine geeks have lately been rediscovering.