FrenchDuck UK - Latest

Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times (12 May 08) talks about the growing number of Brits who have followed their dream and bought a vineyard in France.

It is hardly surprising then that a substantial proportion of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who own French property have been tempted by the apparently bucolic life of a vigneron……
Are there any French winemakers left down there?
I asked Walter McKinlay, whose Domaine de Mourchon southern Rhône wines are some of the most successful from a British domaine, whether his Domaine de Mourchon wines were financially viable. He frowned. “Just about,” he said cautiously, then smiled. “But it’s a lovely lifestyle though.”

My own observation would be that it can be incredibly hard work and despite the attractions of the climate, landscape and the French way of life, it can also be very stressful. And as with all winemakers, a bad harvest, particularly in the early years can be devastating.

So, here’s our list of British vineyard owners (and 1 Irish couple) - that we are aware of (not an exhaustive list I am sure). Visits can be much more informative if the language is no barrier:-

Domaine de Laroux - Cotes de Gascogne, Armagnac (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) - Nick and Karen Kitchener
Chateau Haut Garrigue - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Sean and Caroline Feely (the Irish couple running an organic vineyard also known as Wild Earth Vineyards)
Domaine de Fontenay - Cote Roannaise AC (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) - Simon and Isabelle Hawkins

Chateau Richard - Bergerac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Richard Doughty

Domaine de Merchien - Coteaux du Quercy and beer! (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees - David & Sarah Meakin

Clos d’Yvigne - Cotes de Bergeac, Saussignac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - Patricia Atkinson

Chateau des Milles Anges - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Cadillac AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Heather van Ekris

Chateau Lezongars - Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Philip and Sarah Iles

Chateau Teyssier - Saint Emilion Grand Cru AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Jonathan and Lyn Maltus

Chateau de Sours - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Esme & Sara Johnson

Domaine Gourdon - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - John Coulthard
Domaine du Grand Mayne - Cotes de Duras AC (47 Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine) - Andrew Gordon
Domaine de Begude - Limoux AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Catherine and James Kinglake
Domaine de Mourchon - Cotes du Rhone Seguret AC (84 Vaucluse, Provence) - Walter McKinley
Maison des Bulliats - Regnie AC Beaujolais (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) - Fred and Helen Lockwood
Chateau Méaume - Bordeaux Superieure AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill

Domaine a Sauvageonne - Coteaux du Languedoc AC, Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc - Roussillon) - Gavin Crisfield

Domaine Sainte Rose - Vin de Pays d’Oc (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Charles and Ruth Simpson

Chateau Bauduc - Bordeaux AC (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) - Gavin and Angela Quinney

Domaine Sainte Croix - Corbieres AC (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) - Jon & Elizabeth Bowen

Chateau Monplaisir - Bergerac AC (24 Dordogne, Aquitaine) - David and Helen Baxter

The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 14 is on Saturday 19 July 2008 and starts from Nimes (30 Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon) and runs for 194.5 km through the heart of Provence to finish in the foothills of the Alps at Digne-les-Bains (04 Alpes-de-Haut Provence, Provence, Cote d’Azur) via St Remy-de-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) and Apt (84 Vaucluse, Provence)
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com

The artist Margaret Loxton is very English, and very Yorkshire – as is her style, but she has neverthess produced some very atmospheric images of France, and particularly French rural life. With her buxom men and women it may be a style you love or hate, but these pictures are so French they could not be anywhere else.

She has a whole series of scenes, including wine-related ones such as the Pavement Café in Riquewihr (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace) shown above, but also Nuits St Georges (Burgundy) and the Luberon (Provence).

Limited edition prints are available online from La Provence Collections (along with a host of other gift items and fabrics on a Provencal theme) – thet also have a shop on the Square at Stow-in-the-Wold, near Cheltenham, Glos.

If you don’t want a print, you can see some of pictures in her book

Travels Through Burgundy

The village of Cairanne (84 Vaucluse, Provence) in the southern Rhône Valley holds its 33^rd Annual Wine Festival on Sunday 22 July 2007 (4pm-10pm) – the usual shindig with plenty of wine stalls, a Provencal market with over 50 stands, some music and plenty of opportunity to try out the local wines.

An interesting aspect is the invitation to the producers of another wine region to be the “guest appellation” and for 2007 it is the turn of Bandol AC, from the mediterranean coast east of Marseille - rich heavy reds which major on the Mourvedre grape.

Cairanne has an excellent co-operative Cave de Cairanne - Leon Stolarski stocks some of their range, and I can particularly recommend the Cuvée Voconces - “Aromas of stewed fruits and Christmas cake and smoky “garrigue”. Rich, dark, sweet and sour fruit flavours, a hint of peppery spice and a superb finish. Quintessential Cairanne.”
There are also a number of really good independent producers - A recent recommendation from a French wine merchant whose tastes I rate was for the wines of Domaine de Delubac - Cairanne, Côtes du Rhône Villages AC Les Bruneau

available in the UK from the Halifax Wine Company: “Red and black fruits with a peppery and spicy personality - lots of rich, elegant complexity and a big mellow aftertaste. I think this is brilliant.”

The red wines of Cairanne are rich and spicy being grown on the hillsides around the village - with a minimum of 50% Grenache in the blend together with Syrah, Mourvedre and the other southern Rhône varietals.

For more on the Cairanne Wine Festival see www.vignerons-cairanne.com/

Evening Jazz concerts in the vineyards of the Southern Rhone

1 September 2007 – Cairanne

27 October 2007 – Visan

17 November 2007 – Cairanne

For more info see www.frenchduck.com

Lirac, Tavel and Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The third and final day trip from Saint Remy-de-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur) takes us northwards to the western side of Avignon and includes 2 lesser known appellations and probably the most famous!
First stop is Tavel, where reputedly the “best rosé wine in the world” is produced - and this is not some light, frivolous summer salad wine, but it can be a seriously good, full-bodied dry rosé.
Although the most direct route is via Avignon, I prefer to avoid the frenetic and sometimes confusing and busy Avignon ring road, and instead head west on the D99 from St Remy to TARASCON, and then onto BEAUCAIRE. Then head north on the D986L to REMOULINS, where you turn right (north) onto the N700 signposted to Avignon. About 2 miles outside of Remoulins, take the left fork to ROCHEFORT-DU-GARD on the D976. (If you have a good map and navigator you could follow the D2 from BEAUCAIRE alongside the River Rhône to ARAMON, and then cut across country to DOMAZAN to ROCHEFORT-DU-GARD).About 2 miles beyond ROCHEFORT-DU-GARD take a left signposted to the village of TAVEL.
On the way in to the village you will pass the Co-operative (which is not one of the best), but I would head on into the village for Domaine Maby - on the northwest side of the village in rue St Vincent.
Maby has always been one of the best Tavel producers with Cuvée La Forcadière, and as a bonus they also produce Lirac (La Fermade). In recent years Richard Maby has taken over from his illustrious father, so we may see some changes in style in years to come. But for now these Grenache and Cinsault dominated rosés are the classic style being high in acidity and distinctly dry and full-bodied and should present a challenge to those who think rosé wine is for wimps. Tavel is an appellation exclusively for rosé wines, but confusingly the neighbouring Lirac appellation produces both red, white and rosé, although is better known for its reds.

Although the village of Lirac is a little to the north of Tavel, we head out of Tavel to the east back on to the D976 heading to ROQUEMAURE, where our destination is Domaines Assemat and Castel Oualou.(NB you need to book an appointment here (tel: 04 66 82 65 65) and you’ll need some directions), The landscape here is decidedly more rugged and it is this which helps to produce red wines which tend to have strong mineral character.
From Roquemaure you continue on the D976 northwards crossing to the left bank of the Rhône, followed shortly thereafter with a right turn(eastwards) on the D17 to CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is very definitely on the tourist route, being the summer home of the Avignon Popes and the birthplace of a wine that most people have heard of. As such the village can be quite crowded, and there are some obvious tourist traps - but there are plenty of winetasting shops, and those which are owned by a domaine tend to offer best value for money.
The wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are complex in part due to the fact that the appellation rules allow up to 13 grape varieties to be used: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Picpoul and Terret (all red) and the following white varietals: Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Picardin.These are blended with the red grapes to lighten the colour and regulate the maturation of the wine. Also in the village is an interesting wine museum (Musée du Vin Brotte) on the route d’Avignon

Although most of the old Pope’s palace is now in ruins, there is one tower which affords a great view over the region (down to the Alpilles in the south, and the Ventoux range to the east - well worth the climb.

There are many good winemakers, chateaux and domaines in the region, many with names you may find familiar. Hence choosing one or two means missing many others which are equally worth visiting. Nearby is the Domaine de Beaurenard, which is one of the domaines I would select for a visit - the Coulon family makes an excellent standard of wines, with rich bouquets and great structure - these are BIG wines, which need some ageing to be at their best (5-10 years depending on vintage). Open daily except Sunday - 10, Avenue Pierre de Luxembourg (Route d’Avignon). There is also a winemaker’s museum here (Musée du Vigneron) at their other domaine at Rasteau in the Côtes du Rhône (see www.beaurenard.fr/)

The other recommended visit would be to Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, a personal favourite as this was one of the first Chateauneuf wines I tasted.The domaine has a particularly hot microclimate, which enables them to pick their ripe grapes up to a week earlier than neighbouring domaines.

Vieux Télégraphe’s blend is a typical one, with Grenache accounting for around two thirds, the rest being made up of Syrah and Mourvèdre in roughly equal proportions, and a tiny bit of Cinsault. When I first visited, unannouced I was lucky enough to be shown around by the redoubtable Henri Brunier who did so much to make this wine one of the flagship wines of the appellation.But since the 1980s, it has been his 2 sons who have managed the vineyard, (classy website at www.vignoblesbrunier.fr/)

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe is at BEDARRIDES - head east out of Chateauneuf-du-Pape on the Chemin de Bedarrides (only about 2-3 miles). You will need to phone ahead to check they are open to visitors - Tel: 04 90 33 00 31.

From here your options are to head north and visit the town of ORANGE with its Roman remains, or south to AVIGNON.
The direct route back to St Remy-de-Provence is about 25 miles, and the whole day involves no more than about 60 miles travelling.

These 3 itineraries will provide you with an excellent understanding of the wealth of wines available in the Southern Rhône. Real enthusiasts may choose to spend a little more time exploring some of the Côtes du Rhône Villages such as Sablet, Vinsobres, Roaix, Rochegude,Seguret, Valreas and Visan to name but some.

Other extensions to the trip would be west to the Costières de Nimes, or east to the vineyards of Provence. This is probably the best area in France to explore many different styles of wine, as you are spoilt for choice.
Contact Details:-
Domaine Maby rue St Vincent, 30126 Tavel;
T:04 66 50 03 40 F: 04 66 50 43 12

Domaine de Castel Oualou Vignobles Assemat, 30150 Roquemaure
T:04 66 82 65 65 F: 04 66 82 86 76

Domaine de Beaurenard Paul Coulon et fils, avenue Pierre-de-Luxembourg, 84231 Chateauneuf-du-Pape
T: 04 90 83 71 79 F: 04 90 83 78 06 E:paul-coulon@beaurenard.fr

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Vignobles Brunier, BP5, 84370 Bedarrides T:04 90 33 00 31 F:04 90 33 18 47

Recommended Reading:-
Rhone (Touring Wine Country)
Wines of Cotes Du Rhone Reg F

See the other 3 parts of this wine tour:-
Introduction
Tour 1 - Les Baux de Provence
Tour 2 - Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Beaumes-de-Venise, Cairanne and the Côtes-du-Rhône

or download an Acrobat Reader version of the itinerary HERE

For some Canadian friends we put together some ideas from our experience to demonstrate how best to do a few days wine touring in the southern Rhône Valley. This is such a rich area to visit - scenically, historically and from a wine (and food) perspective.

We chose to base the tour in St Remy de Provence (13, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence) a few miles south of Avignon for easy access to Les Baux de Provence, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Cairanne, Lirac, Tavel and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Others will choose different start points and other vineyards - importantly we think wine tours need to be paced, as an over-indulgence can dull the senses and diminish the enjoyment. And there are so many other things to do in the region, as well as just relax in the delightful climate and atmosphere of Provence.

For more info see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Avignon’s Palais des Papes hosts a four-day exhibition dedicated to the rose from 16-20 May 2007. Subtitled “the roses you have never seen”, thee show launches thirty new species of rose each year and there are conferences and exhibitions around the theme of the much-loved bloom. In the heart of Provence, Avignon (84 Vaucluse, Provence) is a vibrant historic city around the Pope’s Palace (Palais des Papes).
The event is held in the magnificent surroundings of the Cloister of Benoit XII in the Palais des Papes, which stands as the mighty symbol of the church?s influence throughout the western Christian world in the 14th century. It is the biggest Gothic palace in all of Europe - see www.palais-des-papes.com

Note that this is a bank holiday weekend in France, as Ascension Day falls on Thursday 17 May 07.

A few miles north is Chateauneuf-du-Pape (literally the new palace of the Pope) which tended to be the summer home of the Pope and is of course rightly famous for its wonderful, rich red wines.
Links:
www.alterarosa.com
Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine site
Vaucluse Tourist office

The Domaine la Fourmone and its sister vineyard l’Oustau Fauquet produce top quality Vacquyras AC, Gigondas AC and Côtes du Rhône wines -
More info about the domaine
see map Read more on this…

The number of budget airline routes to France from the UK is continuing to grow, as is the number of French destinations - no longer restricted to the major cities. This really does open up some of the less well-known parts of France.
The list below shows the extent of the coverage - and this excludes flights to Paris which are available from most local airports. Some flights are seasonal, so please check with the airline for timetables and availability.