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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 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…

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/

Region: Rhône Valley
Appellation: Gigondas AC
Producer: Domaine la Fourmone
Grapes: Grenache

2 principal cuvées produced - Cuvée Traditionelle and the Cuvée Cigaloun both very rich and high in alcohol. Wonderfully spicy overtones, with the Cigaloun balancing the spice with really good fruit.

From selected plots, velvet colour, spicy nose,grilled aromas, palate delight.

… When it nears the lavender she stops singing.
“Canto ! Canto ! Cigaloun !” says the poet quietly at it becomes his friend…

As ALLEZ VINS! UK French wine merchants we imported the wines of Domaine la Fourmone and l’Oustau Fauquet for many years,
Madame Combe produces high quality intense wines using traditional techniques from the domaine nestling under the Dentelles mountains.Significantly the wines are not filtered, which enables them to retain all the structure and body of these concentrated, powerful and charming wines. Roger Combe, the patriarch of the domaine, is a real Provencal and a renowned poet in the region. You will find Provencal phrases on the labels. The name “Fourmone” is believed to come from the Latin “Fromentum” (wheat), widely grown in the wide expanses of the Rhône valley.
The domaine is situated just north of the village of Vacqueyras, north of Carpentras in the southern Rhône Valley , and in the lee of the Dentelles de Montmirail - a series of jagged edged hills - see map
You can be assured of a warm welcome to the winery (except in February when they are usually closed).

The southern Rhône is dominated by a wide flat valley floor, which is intensively planted with vines. However, the better wines come from the slopes and hills on the valley sides, where the soils, drainage and aspect produce wines with more character and maturity.

Gigondas (under the label “l’Oustau Fauquet” is a seriously rich heavy wine - “drink with spoon” being one of my tasting notes for a particularly extraordinary vintage. It is in many respects similar to the nearby Chateauneuf-du-Pape AC wines - more info

Vaqueyras is a tad lighter, and is best known for its velvety smoothness overlying a spicy character. ” - more detailed info

Region: Rhône Valley
Appellation: Vacqeyras AC
Producer: Domaine la Fourmone
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah
Several cuvées are produced - Tresor du Poete, Sélection Maître de Chais and Cuvée des Ceps d’or. There is also a White Vacqueyras - Cuvée Fleurantine!
Big powerful and velvety smooth spicy Rhône red - excellent (S.Rhône) Made from Grenache and Syrah grapes, manually picked. It is the smoothness of Vacqueyras which is its keynote - which derives from the Syrah grape. Vacqueyras was the second of the Côtes du Rhône villages to be upgraded to full appellation status (after Gigondas) - recognised for its big powerful character.

Guide Hachette des Vins de France 2002:
“Recommended 2** (remarkable wine) in the Guide Hachette des Vins 2002. “This is a very complete and fairly complex wine like most produced on this estate. Subtle hints of nuts, spices and garrigue (moorland) wild herbs, plus a tiny touch of mint, give an attractively original taste.The volme and strength of this wine are impressive. Full and rich this poetical treasure inspires lyrics and will be remembered. Delightfully refreshing, it should be sampled right now!!”

Website: http://www.domaine-la-fourmone.com