I know there is a wine route in the Vaison area. We would like to visit a couple of special ones. Are there any recommendations and do we need a reservation? Olivier Hickman also does winery tours. Do you recommend we do it on our own and with a guide?

About 15 miles south is Gigondas, in which is a wine sampling shop. You could do lots worse than starting right there. About 10 miles south of that is Vaqueyras, another domain worthy of exploration. About 20 miles southwest is Chateauneuf du Pape, ditto.

I assume you want red.

It really depends on how many and what quality you are after. We've stayed near Vaison la Romaine on several occasions totaling six weeks or so and I'm always on the 'hunt'. The villages mentioned above are good targets with the 'Caveau" in Gigondas being legendary. In addition to close by Vacqueyras, I also like Cairanne and some prefer Rasteau. All are red producers and any of the tasting rooms will direct you to nearby options.
I would not bother with the big cooperatives in VlR or Vacqueyras

Curiously, VlR has little in the way of tasting opportunities within the town.
A guide would make a short visit very efficient with your time in the area.

Unfortunately the guide is not available the days that we are. We like reds and I am as much in to the experience as the wine. Is there some place we can go possibly for tasting and lunch, tour etc.

I wouldn't try to find one "place" you could "go" for all needs.

As said above, I'd return to Gigondas to the cave (not a cavern, but rather a shop-type establishment offering many wines for sampling. If the person there hasn't had too many samples (our guy was blitzed at 10:00 AM) he'd probably be a good source of information.

For lunch, you couldn't possibly go wrong with L'Oustalet, also in Gigondas. Lesser priced but good, and across the plaza, is Du Verre l'Assiette

This would be a good starting point: http://www.cave-la-romaine.com/1.cfm...cotes-du-rhone