Wine Tasting in France

[bctraveller]

I am new to this board. We are going to France next week for 3 weeks. My girlfriend has business in Paris the second week. In addition to Paris we would like to spend one week in an area where we can enjoy great wine and food and walking, and the remaining week in a different area (same criteria). We prefer full bodied reds (cabernet sauvignon and merlot over pinot noir and gamay). We both really enjoy wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma but have heard that Bordeaux is primarily barrel tastings and appointments are needed for most wineries. We are not interesting in barrel tastings. We would prefer a village setting over a large city for our first week. Food is complicated as we are vegetarian but eat fish. Any suggestions?

[Beachfan]

Southern Rhone. Full bodied wines, lovely villages, Provence cooking will suit your diet very well. The 2000 vintatge is the current one being sold and it is excellent.

Chateau-neuf du Pape and Gigondas are both reasonalby short drives from Avignon which makes a good base for Provence (I actually prefer Villeneuve d'Avignon just across the river, quieter, easier in and out, easy to get to Avignon).

[Ron Johnson]

I agree with Beachfan, but would add the Northern Rhone as well. Some amazing full-bodied wines, many of which cannot be found easily in the U.S.

Check out Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Joseph, and Crozes Hermitage.

[Winot]

Excellent suggestions so far; for a slightly smaller budget try some of the Languedoc sub-appellations. In the last few years we've stayed in the Les Baux de Provence, Minervois and Coteux de Languedoc regions (the last being northeast of Montpelllier which has some excellent restaurants.

W.

[Ron Johnson]

Oh, and there is also an excellent restaurant for vegetarians in Ampuis called Le Cote Rotie, I think.

[Beachfan]

Oh, and there is also an excellent restaurant for vegetarians in Ampuis called Le Cote Rotie, I think.

I heard Cote Rotie is moving to Lyon. The number in Ampuis doens't work. Anyone have the new number?

[MartyL]

The telephone number of the restaurant 'Le Cote Rotie" is 04.74.56.12.05.

They were still open in Ampuis when I was there in June, although they were planning to close up and re-open in Lyon some time in the fall.

[LaNiña]

Excellent suggestions so far; for a slightly smaller budget try some of the Languedoc sub-appellations.  In the last few years we've stayed in the Les Baux de Provence, Minervois and Coteux de Languedoc regions (the last being northeast of Montpelllier which has some excellent restaurants.

W.

And if you're in that area, go to a little town called Fontvieille (not far from Arles) and eat at a restaurant called La Cuisine au Planet.

One of the loveliest evenings I've spent in recent years.

[bctraveller]

I am so grateful for all the invaluable help and advice I am receiving! I need to pull everything together in the next few days, as we are on the plane on Saturday. I will probably be back with more questions shortly. Thanks again.

[Beachfan]

I agree with Beachfan, but would add the Northern Rhone as well.  Some amazing full-bodied wines, many of which cannot be found easily in the U.S.

Check out Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Joseph, and Crozes Hermitage.

Ron, can you recommend hospitable wineries in Cote Rotie. I struck out last time I was there. Tain l'Hermitage has Delas and Chapoutier. Any others you recommend?

[tighe]

If you can get your hands on it, there was a good feature article about wine tasting and dining in the Rhone Valley in Food & Wine a couple months ago (sorry I remember the exact issue). I can't vouch for any of their recomendations, but it was enough to make me want to get on a plane!...

[MartyL]

Beachfan,

Many of the winemakers in Cote Rotie are incredibly warm and hospitable. However, with the exception of Guigal, they just aren't big enough to handle a large volume of visitors or unannounced drop-in visits. When you only make 1000 cases of wine each vintage, it doesn't make sense to set up a tasting room much less hire someone to staff it.

That being said, if you call ahead to make an appointment, many of these producers will be happy to set aside some time to greet you, pour their wine for you to taste, and sell you their wine (if they have any left). You can find contact information for most of the growers in Cote Rotie by doing a search, by appellation. at the following website:

http://www.vins-rhone.com/ANGLAIS/makers/fr_makers.htm