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The Independent’s Simon Calder narrates an interesting and informative Podcast which you can download and take with you to the cosmopolitan city of Nice, an easy option with many budget airlines flying in from numerous UK airports - or take the TGV from London!

Beginning in the Promenade des Anglais, Simon Calder explores the Matisse Museum and admires the beautiful views of the hills of Provence. He also samples the region’s cuisine, trying traditional corn pancakes and dining at the luxurious Aphrodite restaurant, before tasting some locally produced wine.

The local wine is called Bellet AOC.The vineyards lie within the city limits in the hills above the town. Seldom seen in the UK, the whites are made from Rolle and some Chardonnay with Folle Noir for the reds with some Grenache and Cinsault. Rosé comes from Braquet and Cinsault. Yapp Brothers stock the Bellet AC wines of Domaine de la Source - the rosé 2007 being “a dry and fruity rosé with aromas of wild roses. On the palate, red berry flavours precede a clean, dry finish.”, whilst the 2007 Blanc is described as “An esoteric dry white wine with subtle hints of Provençal pine. The wine displays aromas of pear and wild flowers when young and quince and toasted almonds when it reaches maturity. The dry but fruity palate has balanced acidity and good fruit characteristics, preceding an alluring dry finish.”

Some Links:
Hi Hotel
Musée Matisse in Nice
Aphrodite Restaurant
Nice Official Tourist Office

Waitrose (online and in its stores) launches its French Wine Showcase on 26 March 08 - running through to 27 April 2008 this will feature a total of 48 wines.

As well as our usual French favourites, the showcase will also see the launch of four new wines to the range, including the delightful Taittinger Rose NV and the excellent value Domaine des Eyssards Bergerac Rouge.

Unusually for a major supermarket (and greatly to be welcomed) Waitrose will be featuring 13 specially sourced small parcel wines from a wide range of less well-known appellations such as:

Quincy (crisp Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire), Provence and Lirac (Southern Rhone) and the wonderfully unusual Pierre Boniface Domaine des Rocailles Apremont de Savoie 2007 and La Bastide Blanche Bandol (rich Mourvedre red from east of Marseille).

Waitrose Wine Direct

Despite concerrns about the poor weather earlier in the summer, a survey by the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (the trade body for Provence wines) has forecast a similar harvest potential for 2007 as for previous years, i.e. about 3.5 million hectolitres or 350 million litres!.

The harvest should take place between mid-August and the first week of September. The vegetative cycle appears earlier than normal. Flowering took place without problems over a longer period than usual in most of the areas of the vineyard. Some minor coulure (non-setting of the fruit) has been noticed and a strong Mistral wind damaged some plots in June and July. General parasitic pressure has remained low despite some isolated problems. Mildew and oïdium have been controlled. Overall the state of the vineyard is good.

Provence is probably best known for its Rpsé wines, but you really should try out some excellent and surprisingly full-bodied red and white wines from the Côtes de Provence, Les Baux de Provence, and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence. For more info see www.vinsdeprovence.com

Majestic Wine Warehouses have a good offer on Rosé wines at 20% off if you buy 2 or more - e.g. Château Saint Roch-les-Vignes 2006, Rosé de Provence (£4.79 with discount) “A delicious rosé showing soft spice and attractive fruit.” or Château Pigoudet La Chapelle Rosé 2006, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence (£6.39 with discount) “The colour of bright pink petals, the nose boasts red apples and ripe cherries. Fresh and elegant, this aromatic rosé lingers on a beautiful finish. Enjoy with Salad Niçoise. “
If you’re in Provence try any of the wines from Mas Sainte Berthe at Les Baux de Provence.

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

The Independent has a weekly series of 50 Best…. of anything ranging from toys, gadgets, hotels etc. On 16 December 2006 it was the time for their wine selection. I have never been quite sure how they arrive at the selection, but the lists usually show up something a little unexpected.
So it’s good to see some lesser known French wines on the list including:-
Saint Mont 2005 - from our favourite co-operative in Gascony - Plaimont’s wine is made from Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu and Aruffiac - “fine fresh,peachy fruit quality and classic southwestern bite and tang to the finish” - Marks & Spencer £5.79
Bandol AC Tempier Classique 2001 mainly made from the Mourvedre grape in Provence - “mingles flavours of blackberry and plum in a stylish, modern, seamlessly oaked style” - Stone Vine & Sun £16.95
Champagne Tarlant Brut Zero “a fine full-flavoured blend… excellent fruit quality crafted in super-elegant style”.- Marks & Spencer £25 - proprietor Benoit Tarlant also has an interesting video diary at http://champagne.typepad.com/podcast/
Alsace Riesling AC Trimbach Civee Frederic Emile 2001 “intensely aromatic dry white, whose lime-zesty fruitiness and typical Riesling “petrolly” notes are balanced by an underlying mineral streak” - Paragon Vintners, London £28.04
Costieres de Nimes AC Chateau Mourgues du Gres, Fleur d’Eglantine 2005 from the southern Rhone/Provence/Languedoc border - a rose from Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan “blackcurrant and raspberry notes in a full-bodied style” Gauntleys of Nottingham £7.99
Canard-Duchene Charles VII Champagne a delicate deluxe cuvee .. praline, grilled nuts and honeycomb aromas…elegantly dry..deliciously refreshing tang….evolved toasty flavours.Majestic £19.99 o4 £13.99 if you buy 2 or more.

On the first weekend of December (this year its on Sunday 3 December 2006) the Bandol appellation celebrates the new vintage. Bandol (83 Var, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur) is on the Provencal mediterranean coast east of Marseille, with a pretty (and fashionable) port backed by steep hills where the vines are grown - the position is stunning - Provence light and sun, mediterranean harbour and beaches - and some excellent wines.

The appellation is distinctive in showcasing the Mourvedre grape - a rich and quite tannic variety used throughout the Languedoc and southern Rhone, but here it takes a major role. Mourvedre must comprise at least 50% of the blend, and can be supplemented with Cinsault and Grenache - although many winemakers will increase the amount of Mourvedre up to 100%. The same grapes make an excellent rose, whilst Clairette, Bourboulenc and Ugni Blanc form the basis of a delightful white wine.

At Allez Vins! we used to import the wines of Domaine BUNAN/Moulin des Costes - wonderfully intense rich wines - the domaine itself is well worth visiting being high up in the hills with stunning views towards the mediterraean. Their wines are available from the excellent Yapp Brothers in Mere, Wiltshire (and online, mail order)

Back to the festival - “Bandol wine lovers have no doubt about it: the Bandol New Vintage Wine Festival is not just another fair. It is a unique meeting with dedicated winemakers who, in 1982, had the idea of this unusual winter presentation of their recently made young wines, still raw and yet already full of promise.Since then, every first Sunday in December, the Mediterranean port from where, formerly, the precious barrels branded with the B for Bandol were shipped, is invaded by thousands of wine enthusiasts. They come to share the secret of Bandol wine and its legendary grape variety: the Mourvèdre.”

For more info on the Bandol Fete du Millesime see www.vinsdebandol.com
For more info on Domaine Bunan/Moulin des Costes see www.bunan.com

Now that most of the grape harvest is over, except for late harvest-style dessert wines, the attention now moves to that other vine - the olive.
In Provence in particular many wine domaines will also grow olive vines (e.g. Mas Sainte Berthe at les Baux de Provence (13, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence)). So for a different take on a late autumn break you could always get the TGV down to Avignon and make your way out to a neat B&B near Beaumes-de-Venise (84 Vaucluse, Provence) where you can indulge in an olive-themed weekend - stroll around the olive groves, take part in the harvest, and enjoy the olive-dominated cuisine of yout hosts.
The Mas de l’Evajade is a farmhouse in the midst of the vineyards and the olive groves where you can enjoy the view over the Dentelles de Montmirail.. “Take part in gathering the olives with your host. Visit the olive mill and taste your hosts’ cuisine, based on olive oil of course.”
It is a delightful corner of Provence, close to Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. And of course, although the sweet white Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is well-known in the UK, Beaumes-de-Venise is an important Côtes du Rhône-Villages appellation making seriously good red, rosé and dry white wines. There is a good co-operative in the village.
Our favourite recommendation would be the Domaine la Fourmone in nearby Vacqueyras/

Personally I have never liked the idea of investing in wine as a financial game - if a wine is good it should be drunk not kept in dark cellars and mainly featuring on someone’s spreadsheet or auction catalogue.
But many of us do harbour the dream of having our own vineyard and living the bucolic or stylish life we assume goes with it. My experience suggests that you need to be a chemist (and an alchemist), farmer, labourer, mathematician, warehouse operative with some business and marketing acumen thrown in. You do need to know what you are doing; it can be back-breakingly hard work; the stresses of the uncertainties of the weather, the market, pests and diseases could dent the otherwise attractive liefstyle choice.

Another way is to invest in vines. Several companies offer the opportunity to “rent a row of vines”, Wineshare is one such company, offering rather more than the nominal ownership of vines on some distant vineyard - they actually offer real opportunities to get involved and feel as though you are a part of it - visits, tastings and events at the vineyard and tastings in the UK make this more than just a financial investment - it could also make a great gift for any wine lover (prices start at £75).You can even go and pick the grapes!!
Wineshare has vineyards in Italy(Tuscany) and three in France:-
Chateau de Pizay in Beaujolais
Château Constantin-Chevalier in Provence
Domaine du Grand Mayne in the Côtes de Duras, South West France

For more info see

Isle-sur-Sorgues (84 Vaucluse, Provence) keeps featuring in these pages by happenstance recently, and now the Indpendent has a Provence fest on its travel and food pages. Firstly Simon Calder takes a bike ride from Avignon to Orange via Isle-sur-Sorgues and Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Oddbins has a decent collection of Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines - big meaty numbers that are the best in the southern Rhone.)
The there is The Travellers Guide to the Flavours of Provence which suggests a nice little restaurant for a lazy lunch in Isle-sur-Sorgues and market stalls selling little honey sweets, olives and herbs. However, St Remy-de-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) is recommended as a foodie magnet with its Wednesday and Saturday markets and its experimental artisan bakery Le Petit Duc and its Master Chocolatier - www.chocolat-durand.com/!! The town is well worth a visit anyway, with its tree-lined boulevards and real Provencal feel. Just a few miles south over the impressive Alpilles mountains you’ll find Les Baux de Provence and the excellent wines (red, white and rosé) olives, olive oil and tapenade of one of our favourite vineyards - Mas Sainte Berthe.
The Independent also has an Avignon and Provence city guide, a guide to outdoor activities and family day trips in the area,and an article on Paul Cezanne and his home town of Aix-en-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) as it celebrates the centenary of his death.

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4-12 March 2006 sees the 4th Annual Marseille Boat Show at the port of La Ciotat (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) 20km east of Marseille. The coast east of Marseille is very dramatic with high calanques (the highest cliffs in Europe!) offering some great views of the coastliine and the city of Marseille, Going west towards the port of Cassis you follow the “Route des Cretes” the “road of the crests” which is dramatic with spectacular views - just make sure the driver keeps his/her eyes on the road.
La Coitat has another claim to fame, which is that it was the setting for the first motion picture by the Lumiere Brothers in 1895 ” A Train arriving at the station of La Ciotat” - doesn’t sound exactly gripping does it? The station is still there, albeit not looking quite so charming as it probably did in 1895.

It is easy to get confused about the local wine “Cassis”, named after the nearby port. This is not cassis in the way of blackcurrant or “Creme de Cassis” which tends to come from Burgundy - Cassis wines are mainly white with characteristic floral aromas, made from Clairette, Marsanne, Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Boutboulenc - ideal with the local fish.

To the east you’ll find Bandol, which is home to some big meaty reds made predominantly from the tannic Mourvedre grape. They used to be pretty impenetrable heavyweights, and whilst still definitely in the “big wine” category, the modern style is more balanced with more evident fruit. We can recommend the Bandol wines from BUNAN (Moulin des Costes) at Cadiere d’Azur (83 Var, Provence) - and besides its worth the journey up the dirt track to the winery, from where the views are stunning - try the former dentist at Yapp Brothers for stocks.

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Also see our calendar of events in France