Wine Tasting in Provence?!
Jun 4th, 2000, 03:44 PM
#1
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Wine Tasting in Provence?!
Message: We love wine and would be thrilled if anyone could give us any great suggestions on visiting wineries in Provence.we are traveling there in June. Are the top Rhones ie Guigal,Jaboulet,Chapoutier available? How about Chateneuf-du Pape? How about a wine that surprised you the most in terms of quality/value? How are prices? Thanks!!! <BR>Your favorite stop if you had just one? <BR> <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <BR>
Jun 9th, 2000, 09:09 AM
#2
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Outside of St. Remy (if you are getting down that far - doesn't require a special trip), there's a cute place with really great LOCAL wine - Terres Blanches. Their depot is right off one of major routes into St. Remy (if you were driving from the east into) - wonderful, delicate white wines.
Jun 9th, 2000, 09:45 AM
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We've done a lot of wine tasting in Provence. We use a book on the wines of France that is quite good because it gives location and tells times for tastings, etc. I don't have the book with me but I've seen it at travel book stores. It has pictures of the winemakers etc. Very helpful. <BR> <BR>Chapoutier has a wonderful tasting room in Tain--As far as I know Jaboulet and Guigal don't have tasting rooms (I could be wrong) but there is a very good wine store in Condrieu that handles a lot of the northern rhone wines. Also a hotel and restaurant called Beau Rivage that has an extensive and great wine list. (It's a nice place to stay also.) <BR> <BR>If you go to the town of Chateauneuf du Pape the visitor center has maps to all the local vineyards. I can highly recommend Beaucastel, Domaine de la Janesse and Vieux Telegraph. We had wonderful receptions and tastings there. <BR> <BR>Also, the wine regions of Gigondas and Cairanne both have wine tastings rooms in each town. <BR> <BR>We have been known to just stop at places that have signs saying degustation (tasting) and have been welcomed. Some of our most delightful experiences have been at the small producers whose wine we never see in the U.S. <BR> <BR>The prices are reasonable compared to what we pay in the state of Washington (high taxes). We brought back 19 bottles in our back packs last year--mostly wines we can't get or ones that were priced well. You do know that the northern Rhone wines are not cheap, however. <BR> <BR>Have fun--I will find the name of the book we use and email it to you if you would like.
Aug 22nd, 2000, 02:53 PM
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Dan, <BR>Hope your trip to Provence was worth travelling that far to drink hopefully some great wines! We have just started to put together a similar trip, we have been to Bordeaux, so I am confident this will be just as successful/tasteful as that trip! Any suggestions for maps to the wineries, we like travelling without reservations/schedules, but do like to be informed of any decent lodging that is inexpensive,,,our theory is, that leaves more money for the purchase of the wine! Ha-ha! Please email when you have a minute, thanks, Julie
Apr 7th, 2002, 05:41 PM
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The previous posters have offered some great suggestions. I am thinking of staying 1 night in "wine region" to go wine tasting/winery-hopping in Provence. Where would be a good place to be based, so as to visit lots of these wineries? The town of Chateneuf-du Pape? St. Remy?
Apr 7th, 2002, 05:51 PM
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Dan,<BR><BR>My wife and I spent 9 days in Avignon in September. We spent two days in the little town of Chateauneuf du Pape tasting the "nectar of the gods"<BR><BR>In the town itself, there are approximately 20 to 25 tasting "caves" where you can go in and taste Cahteauneuf du Pape. In addition there is an incredible restaurant, and the name escapes me, located on<BR>the main street right beside the little fountain. Outstanding food and wine.<BR><BR>In addition there are other tasting wineries like Cahteau Mont Redon nearby. Just follow the signs to any number of them. <BR><BR>Hope you live in a state that will allow you to ship home. We do not, therefore we carried on 12 bottles in a carryon and in our luggage. Fortunately none broke.<BR><BR>Have fun and great tasting.<BR><BR>Ask to taste 1998's they are the best!<BR><BR>Tom
Apr 7th, 2002, 06:09 PM
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Dan,<BR><BR>No need to. It's only about a 10 to 15 minute drive from Avignon. We stayed in Avignon and drove out each day. Must admit that on the 2nd day, we did a "walking tour" the little town after lunch becuase after two bottle we did not want to drive. But the scenery from the old "New House of the Popes" is awesome.<BR><BR>One day we bought a bottle at a grocery store for about $14 (unbelievable, but ture), a couple of baggettes, a bottle of olive oil, some olives, some chevre cheese and we had our own picnic right in the Chateau Mont Redon vineyards.<BR><BR>And it just doesn't get any better than that!
