At Domaine de la Solitude last week we were treated to a tasting of Florent Lancon’s latest creation ( following on the heels of his superb 100% Grenache special cuvee Cornelia Constanza). This time its a sublime vendange tardive dessert wine made from Roussanne , Clairette etc, a rich gold colour , honey and marmalade, held together with sufficient acidity to cleanse the palate, delicious now and with a long, long life ahead of it. Not yet on the market the wine is presently… pro tem… in a Cotes du Rhone labled 50cl bottle…..but it does have a name: Les Grains D’Eole 2006 ( Grapes of the wind God). This is a wine style you wont find anywhere else in the appellation and again demonstrates why Florent is a young wine maker to watch.

Last week’s Selected Domaine’s tour scored a hit with our lovely client Elizabeth Mullins from Manhattan, NYC - she wrote in our guest book: “The trip truly exceeded all my expectations”. Thanks Betty, it was a pleasure having you with us, for the record this is what we tasted , in just 3 days!..At La Madelene:

Veuve Cliquot NV Champagne

Clos du Pape 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc

Roger Sabon Cuvee Special ,Chateauneuf du Pape 1999

Cornas 2005, Alain Voge

Lirac blanc 2007, “Le Fermade”,Domaine Maby

Cotes du Rhone blanc (100% Viognier), St.Amant “La Borrie”

Vin de Table 2008, “Energie” (100% syrah), Domaine Viret at St. Maurice

Cotes du Rhone “Cesar”, Domaine Roche Audran, 2005 (100% Grenache)

Domaine Champ-long Cotes du Ventoux Rose “Tradition”

Gigondas, Domaine Goubert “Cuvee Florence” 2003

Domaine Solitude, Chateauneuf du Pape , 2000

Domaine Beauvalric, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, 2007

At the Domaines:

Domaine Mourchon, Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret (Rose Loubie;Tradition;Grand Reserve;Family Reserve, one 100% Syrah the other 100% Grenache)

Chateau St. Cosme, Gigondas (Cotes du Rhone blanc; Gigondas ; Chateauneuf du Pape)

Domaine Solitude, Chateauneuf du Pape (Barberini blanc, Cotes du Rhone rouge; Tradition; Cornelia Constanza (100%Grenache);Cuvee Secret;Les Grains d’Eole 2006

Domaine Nalys, Chateaunuf du Pape: Blanc in 2007, 2006 and 2004; Tradition red 2007, Le Chataignier (100% Grenache), Cuvee Reserve (100% Syrah)

Chateau La Nerthe: Tradition white and red, 2006 and 1994 (red) and 1995 (white)

Domaines des Bernardins, Beaumes de Venise: Dry Muscat, Red Cotes du Rhone, Red Beaumes de Venise, Muscats – Esprit Libre, Classic, Hommage

At restaurants:

Le Girocedre: Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne 2006 blanc, Domaine Alary

Verger des Papes: Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau de la Gardine, blanc, 2006

Northern Wine Acadamy/La Madelène Rhone Wine Holidays –Southern Rhone Study tour 2009

Itinerary – Tour commences: Wednesday 30th September

Tour assumes guests take the 9.00am Liverpool-Nimes Ryanair flight. Guests are picked up from Nimes airport in our Mercedes Vito at 12.00pm, arriving at La Madelène for late lunch, on the terrace if weather permits. In the afternoon guests have the option of relaxing by the pool or going into Vaison la Romaine – explore the medieval old town, the bustling cosmopolitan new town, or the roman excavations.

Returning to La Madelene at 6.00pm, guests are eased gently into the tour,  gathering in our degustation atelier for an initial tasting illustrating the styles resulting from red blends dominant in either one of the three principal varietals: Grenache, Syrah or Mourvedre. The tasting will be accompanied bu an overview of the tour itinerary and a very light “refresher” on the wines of the Southern Rhone.

7.30pm: 4- course Provencal dinner in La Madelene’s chapel dining room accompanied by fine wines.

Day 2: Thursday 1^st October

 “Getting the vendange in and the wine making started”

A day for guests to roll up their sleaves and get stuck in! Join in the “triage”, the “pigeage” and contribute to the quality of the 2009 vintage.

·       10.30. Visit to Domaine des Anges, aoc Ventoux, a 40 ha property in a magnificent setting at Mormoiron facing the 1912m high Mt.Ventoux. In the last week of September the Domaine is likely to be harvesting Syrah and early Grenache - guests will all play an active role in helping manager/wine maker Ciaran Rooney with the day’s tasks.

·       The day starts with on overview of the history and key facts about the Domaine from Ciaran and a tour of the wine making facilities in the Cave

·       Ciaran’s talk will emphasise the importance of rigorous selection during the harvest and guests will be instructed in the process of “triage” – the meticulous “sorting” of bunches when picking from the vine and also what to look for to reject from the “triage” sorting table.

·       Guests will immediately apply their learning as they help the pickers bring in the grapes and sort them on the triage table.

·       13.00. A tutored tasting through the Domaine des Anges range will be followed by a picnic lunch with Ciaran’s wines to accompany.

·       After lunch Ciaran will instruct guests in the art of “pumping down” the cap on the newly fermenting wine- a process known as “pigeage” - and carried out by hand at Domaine des Anges. All the guests will then have an opportunity to try their hand!

17.00   Return to La Madelène – leisure time, 19.00 -  aperitifs on the terrace

20.00   Dinner at a restaurant tbc in Vaison La Romaine (eg Bistro

           Du’O; Le Bataleur; Brin d’Olivier)

Itinerary - Day 3: Friday 2^nd October

“ A different way – exploring Bio-dynamic wine production”

The issue of whether Bio-dynamic viticulture improves wine quality is one of the great debates of the wine world. Our third day allows students to hear from the practitioners, get involved in applying preperations, discuss and challenge freely, and most importantly, taste for themselves the wines…

10.30       Visit to Domaine Roche-Audran, near Buisson, bio-dynamic producer of Cotes du Rhone/Cotes du Rhone Village Visan.

·       The day will start with an overview of the Domaine, the history, cepages, the wines they make, where they are sold - from Vincent Rochette and his assistant Mary Ann.

·       The team then explain the principals of bio-dynamic production, it’s aims, its practice, how it differs from organic, and it’s benefits. Guests will each have a copy of the Maria Thun lunar calendar to refer to as Vincent and Mary Ann take them through the significance of the lunar, planetary and constellar cycles and the specific viticultural tasks recommended for each part of the cycle.

·       Guests are then escorted on a walk through the beautiful vineyards and the cave - they will see for themselves how Vincent’s approach to vineyard management contrasts strongly with his neighbours.

·       Biodynamic treatments: back outside the cave, guests will be shown the various bio-dynamic preperations used at Roche Audran and will be given an opportunity to help prepare one of them (the Maria Thun manure compost) and then operate themselves the wooden dynamisation machine – a specialist piece of equipment that spins the solution into a vortex, creating the “chaos” which “activates” the solution in such a way that it works more powerfully on the vines. This is a rare privilege.

·       This sesssion will close with a little drama! Guests will help Vincent and Mary Ann with the other principal preparation used, which is cow manure compacted in cow horns (P500) and then help bury them underground for the winter as per the bio-dynamic recommendation

13.00  “Degustation” of the Roche Audran range followed by a picnic

lunch in a very picturesque setting by the old farmhouse amongst the vines.

16.30  Return to La Madelène, swim or play petanque on the dedicated pitch. Aperitifs at 18.30 on the terrace followed by a 4-course Provencal dinner in the chapel dining room served with a selection of Rhone wines from other Bio-dynamic producers

Itinerary – Day 4: Saturday 3^rd October

“Whats happening in Chateauneuf du Pape?”

A day of exploring how new blood and new generations are changing the face of this very traditional appellation

·       In the morning we visit the bio-dynamic Chateauneuf producer Domaine de Villeneuve located in the north of the appellation near Orange. This relatively small but dynamic estate of 8.4 ha has been in the hands of the Wallut family since only 1993. The dedication to bio-dynamic practice is unswerving and the results are to be found- in my view- in the glass.

·       Commercial head Christophe Mingeaud as well as owner Stanislav Wallut will take us on a tour of the Domaine after which Christophe will give a talk on the Domaine’s philosophy, the terroir, the wine making practice and the commercial issues around being a bio-dynamic producer in a premium and highly traditional appellation.

·        This is a great opportunity for guests to explore some of the trickier questions raised by the previous day: eg what is the scientific evidence for the bio-dynamic benefit? How much extra work is involved and what does that cost? Can the market sustain the premium that must be charged? Hopefully we should have a lively debate.

·       The discussion will be followed by a tutored tasting of the range.

Lunch at Verger des Papes (www.vergerdespapes.com), a very popular Provencal bistro in a great setting at the top of the village just under the ruin of the Papal summer palace and with a panoramic view of the vineyards around the village, the Rhone river, the Dentelles and down river in the distance the Avignon Palais des Papes. We will have a 4 course meal, on their terrace weather permitting, including of course some Chateauneuf du Pape.

·       15.00 In the afternoon we make our final Domaine visit – to a famous Chateauneuf producer Domaine de la Solitude. At Solitude 28 year old Florent Lancon is being given his head by the Lancon family to drive new thinking and new cuvees…Florent has an oenology degree from Montpelier and has completed two work “stages” in Australia and New Zealand so has an unusually cosmopolitan view on wine making as well as lots of youthful energy.

·       Florent will walk us up to his oldest pre-phyloxerra Grenache vines bordering the Le Crau plateau before showing us his maturation cellar. He will talk us through Solitude’s cooperage specification (one of his favourite subjects) before inviting us to take part in a tasting of the free run juice from the newly fermenting white Chateauneuf.

·       Finally in Solitude’s superb private tasting room surrounded by oil paintings of Florent’s Barberini family ancestors (servants of the Avignon Popes) we will enjoy a fantastic tasting to end the tour. Through the “tradition”, the “Barberini cuvees” up to the super cuvee “Reserve Secrete” (recent vintages have been in Parker’s top 10 wines worldwide) these will be wines to remember. Furthermore, in line with our theme for the day of fresh thinking, Florent will tutor us through two wines entirely of his own design – the 100% old vine Grenache Chateauneuf “Cornelia Constanza” and an only just released barrique aged, vendange tardive, sweet wine, absolutely unique in the appellation.

18.0     We return to La Madelène. The final evening is at the guests’ discretion: we will recommend some excellent restaurants in either Malaucene or Vaison la Romaine according to budget, make reservations if required and help with transport to and from the restaurant of choice.

Itinerary Day 5 - October 4^th : Transfer to Nimes airport to catch the 10.40am flight to Liverpool

Price: €750 inclusive of domaine visits, accommodation, meals with wine, transfers. The only extra is the restaurant dinner on the 4^th night and any wine purchased.

 This is our current favourite, a recipe given to us by our great friend Tracy, works brilliantly with a full style of Rhone white like the delicious organic Cotes du Rhone blanc ( a Roussane/Clairette blend) from high vineyards in the Dentelles at Domaine de la Ferme Saint Martin.

Sage, Florence Fennel and Ricard Pasta

(Sourced from Sarah Raven’s collection of recipes) 

For 4:

6 shallots, peeled and roughly sliced

3 medium-sized fennel bulbs, roughly chopped

5 tbsp Ricard

20 sage leaves coarsely chopped

50 g butter

3 tbsp olive oil

100g pinenuts

100 ml crème fraîche

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Tagliatelle or other pasta

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Preheat oven (150C/gas mark 2)

Put shallots, fennel bulbs and sage leaves, Ricard, butter & oil in a covered oven proof dish with some seasoning.  Braise gently in the oven for an hour, until the fennel bulbs are soft ( I usually parboil the fennel for a few minutes before braising).

Check every so often to make sure that they are not sticking, if the liquid has been absorbed add more Pernod or water.

Chop or pulse once in a food processor, but do not reduce to a purée.

Towards the end of the braising time, toast the pinenuts for a couple of minutes in a dry frying pan, & cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Drain the cooked pasta, leaving about 3 tbsp water, & fold in the sauce.  Add the crème fraîche.  Scatter with plenty of Parmesan & more salt & pepper to taste.

Et voilà. Enjoy!

Robert Parker has been raving about the 2007 vintage …most of the wine press headlines are dedicated to his assessment of Chateauneuf du Pape but lesser AOC’s have also been winning accolades not least our friends and tour itinerary partners over at the magnificently situated Domaine Mourchon at Seguret. Here’s what the grand man had to say of the McKinley’s top wine the Family Reserve: “I tasted both the Syrah and Grenache components that will make up the 2007 Family Reserve, and they offer further evidence (if any more were needed) that in the southern Rhone, 2007 is a vintage of a lifetime. Unreal layers of flavors (black raspberries, kirsch, blackberries, licorice, garrigue, and subtle smoke) are extravagantly presented in a pure, full-bodied, gorgeously textured, seamless style. 92-95

One of the reference point estates in the southern Cotes du Rhone, Domaine de Mourchon is situated in the charmingly beautiful Provencal hill top village of Seguret. This is a tour de force in winemaking from the Cotes du Rhone-Villages of Seguret. Kudos to Domaine de Mourchon! These splendid cuvees are all worth buying by the caseload”

The last few weeks have been given over to delivering our winter wine course…for ex-pats living in the Vaucluse area. We had a lot of fun, visited some great domaines, tasted some really good wines and Jude excelled herself in the kitchen. Here’s the report of one of our participants Mark Sullivan, from Michigan USA,  who, along with his wife Ellen has retired ( well at least half the year) to neighbouring Vaison la Romaine. Mark’s excellent blog can be found at www.chezsullivan.blogspot.com Pics are the group outside La Madelene; Vincent Rochette of Roche Audran in front of his vines. “Ellen and I joined a small group in a wine class. It was presented by Philip Reddaway, a British transplant living in Malaucène, a nearby village. Philip and his wife Jude run “Rhone Wine Holidays” (www.rhonewineholidays.com) from their 12^th century home, formerly a Benedictine priory. Their longer wine tour packages include rooms, meals and wine education for the wine enthusiast.  For three consecutive Tuesdays, we forced ourselves to taste wines from the area. The course included presentations by Philip in La Madelène’s atelier and tastings—in the atelier, at lunch and on-site at selected winemakers’ tasting rooms. Philip’s WSET certification and experience give him a knowledge of the wines of the area and the wine-making process. But he also knows many of the Rhone wine makers and selected from among many good ones to take us to some wonderful wineries. We tasted wine in some of the most picturesque locations we have seen in Provence. We talked with the wine-makers and, in several instances, went into the vineyards. We walked through the famous stone fields of “La Crau” in the Chateauneuf du Pape region and through mountaintop vineyards in Suzette and above Seguret. We met vintners who have embraced bio-dynamic production and have thus eliminated the use of herbicides. We enjoyed wonderful lunches prepared by Jude Reddaway at “La Madelène.”  For the final Tuesday of the course, Ellen’s high school classmate and her husband joined us and our classmates. (Nancy and Tony live in London.) They got to go to Chateauneuf du Pape (www.domainedenalys.com & www.cuveeduvatican.com), back to La Madeline for lunch and then to the top the hill above Suzette to try some white wines and red wines from the high hills (www.domainestamant.com). I have included a picture from Domaine St. Amant. When we were at Domaine de Nalys in Chateauneuf du Pape, we got a tour of the winery. Different from the little wineries, the whole site is set up for tours (VERY clean & neat). Even the barrels have the Domaine’s shield carved into the oak. …and they make some fine wine there. At the second winery, we climbed into old trucks and went out to see “La Crau.” It is hard to describe, but think of a field of stones – a white stone like those you find on the shores of Michigan as far as you can see – and growing in this field of stones are vines. In the summer, the stones get hot – but reflect a lot of the sun, keeping the plants a little cool during the day and keeping the plants warm all night long. The clay under the stones holds moisture well, so the plant roots – which might go down one or two meters – find the moisture to nourish the plants and the grapes. The woman who was showing us “La Crau” had to shout in order to be heard above the sound of the Mistral which was whipping across La Crau at amazing speed. As Philip had mentioned in class, the stones are unique but also very difficult for walking and thus it can be hard to find laborers who will work the fields at La Crau (winter pruning, summer pruning, fall harvest, etc.) In addition to the sites that Nancy and Tony got to enjoy visiting with us during their five days here, Philip also took us to: Domaine de Mourchon (www.domainedemourchon.com) This winery is located at the top of the hill between Vaison la Romaine and Séguret – on the same route that Tish and I took when we walked from Vaison to Séguret.   Chateau de Saint Cosme (louis@chateau-st-cosme.com) is located just at the north part of the village of Gigondas. The winery has been owned by the same family for 14 generations and they produce a wonderful Gigondas. Vincent Rochette runs Domaine Roche-Audran (vincent.rochette@mnet.fr), a winery started by his grandparents. In the past few years, he has switched to a “bio-dynamic” method of managing his vineyards. He is very pleased with the success of the changes that he has made – the vines are doing well and he produces some fine wines. Ellen especially liked his white wine. It was very different from most of the viogner-based white wines of the Rhone Valley. (Ellen also liked the white wines that Philip served at lunch: one from Lirac and another white from Philip’s neighbor at Domaine de Champ-Long.) Domaine des Bernardins (www.domaine-des-bernardins.com) is located in the village of Beaumes de Venise and, as one might guess, they offer wines made with muscat. Interestingly, they offer both a sweet (doux) Beaumes de Venise and a dry Beaumes de Venise. It is hard to tell the difference when you smell the wines but one is very sweet. One is dry – without losing the flavors of the Muscat grapes. Beaumes de Venise is now a “CdR-Village” appellation and at Domaine des Bernardins, they also make red wine”.

With a roast chicken last night a simply gorgeous Cotes du Rhone village – the 2006 Janasse ‘Terre d’Argile”.  Janasse, of course, produces top notch Chateauneuf du Pape but alongside these it crafts a range of Cotes du Rhone that punch well above their weight. The Terre d’Argile comprises equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Its shows a dark ruby red in the glass, has an open nose of garrigue herb and bacon fat, on the palate gives a mouthfilling concentration of blackberry, red cherry, liqorice, and Syrah spice. The tannins are already super smooth and there is a delicate sweetness on the finish. A really classy example of a village level wine…though at €13 more expensive than most Gigondas. One to follow..

One of those slightly surreal evenings last night – playing lotto in aid of Lily’s school in the village of Malaucene. Earlier in the day we were met with bemusement as we tried to buy tickets in advance- confusing lotto with a tombola, how stupid. The proceedings kicked off just after 8pm as the MC called the numbers from the Marie. Like most of the players we were in one of the 4 bars in the village receiving the event across the airwaves from the Marie and relayed by loudspeakers into the bar. The idea of the Mayor being able to address the village’s drinkers in such an intrusive way struck me as somewhat bizarre, not to mention the sight of 20 or so kids, including Lily,  gambling happily in a bar at 9 o’clock at night. What would the Daily Mail make of it? Needless to say famille Reddaway came away with no winnings…though that could have been the result of trying to keep 10 lotto cards monitored after drinking two glasses of Grimbergen biere de Noel!

The following is part of a series of short pieces I write for Brighton community newspaper the Westhill Whistler:

 If you’re new to wine writing and you come across the acronym GSM you’d be forgiven for assuming it was something to avoid in your wine or at least treated with suspicion – in the same category perhaps as GM or MSG. In fact it’s accepted short hand for the classic blend of “Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre” that dominates red wine production here in the south of France and is increasingly popular in parts of the New World. The minor player and least well known by far of this triumvirate is the Mourvèdre. Its origins are Spanish where it’s known as Monastrell. To add to the confusion surrounding it the wine makers of California and Australia generally call it Mataro. If I add that this grape variety’s popular name in France is “estrange chien” (strangle a dog) due to its fierce tannic properties when under-ripe, you might further wander what place it has in the classic GSM blend and why I have entitled this piece Marvellous Mourvèdre?

The fact is that when fully ripe this is the variety that contributes many of the flavour and aroma components that I find most compelling. Its main friut character is blackberry but in truth fruit is not it’s forté – young Mourvèdre is all about garrigue herb, grilled meats and just a touch of animal barnyard. In full maturity it develops rich leather and game flavours.  These properties account for its key role within the GSM blend adding interest to Grenache’s fruity and Syrah’s spicy character. In short Mouvèdre is often the key to real complexity.  Most Mourvèdre ends up in a blend but if you want to explore the variety solo that’s certainly possible – I would recommmend you seek out the french appellation Bandol. The wines here contain up to 80% Mourvèdre, they are big tannic wines but not without finesse and with an ability to age for several decades – top names are Pibarnon and Tempier.

With global warming allowing better ripening conditions for “difficult” varieties, and demand growing for rich red wines with high alcohol, my forecast is Mourvèdre has a great future and will become increasingly visible to the wine buying public.

How best to experiment? My “best buys” would include the Spanish Castano Monestrall 2006 Yecla availble from Avery’s at just £6.29 per bottle. A wine packed with damson and black cherry fruit, sweet vanilla as well as spice and game, this is a veritable bargain – wines from this property regularly gain scores of 90+ from Robert Parker making its “cost per Parker score” rating unbeatable. If you’re minded to splash out, go for the sublime Bandol Domaine Tempier 2006 vintage available from the Wine Society for £19.00 a botttle, or if you believe the only way through the recession is to persue hedonism with abandon why not invest in one of the finest wines in the world, the vintage 2000 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape available from Berry Brothers at just £51.85 the bottle – a wine with a significant 30% Mourvèdre content and a wine to lose yourself in! Cheers

To Chateauneuf yesterday to meet Daniel Stehelin, vigneron and father to Manon , who as girlfriend to Florent Lancon had been our guest for lunch a few weeks back. The property is a grand chateau just outside of Bedarrides. The place was built in the 18th century as a mansion for the Marquis de Vaucroze. The name Mont Thabor was given by Don Pernety, the founder of the sect of Illuminés of Avignon: At the property he planted trees coming from the Israeli mountain, Mont Thabor.From 1840 the place became “Relais de Diligence”, a place to stay for travellers on the road between Paris and Marseille.In 1881 the property was purchased by the Swiss Fritz Stehelin. He changed the stables and garages into rooms for wine making. Luc Stehelin (from 1940) expanded the wine production from the fields around the castle (Cotes du Rhone). Daniel Stehelin, a man with twinkling eyes and a classic french outsized moustache, took the reigns at the property from his father Luc in 1971- his father is 93 years old, blind, but still it would seem able to take a stroll around the front garden.This is truely a micro-production outfit - the property has just 4 ha. of Chateauneuf du Pape, well situated ( a neighbour of La Nerthe on the south side of the appellation) and 7 ha. of Cotes du Rhone adjacent the chateaux. Chateauneuf du Pape is made from 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault. The average age of the vines is 70 years. Daniel is experimenting with his white Cotes du Rhone, the latest trial being a barrel fermented version - we tasted the 2007 version from the barrel in the wine-making cave converted from the old stables. Further tasting in the salle de degustation revealed a very animal red CDR, a muscular tannic 2005 CNduP and a rich 2004 - ripe fruit, grilled meats and pepper on the finish - a delightful mid-weight CNduP. I couldnt resist a case. Nice wines made in almost “garage” proportions, delightful proprietor and a wonderful place to visit…watch this space for our tour itinerary!