Featured in the pictures: joint leading lights in conceiving the Symposium Walter McKinlay of Domaine Mourchon ( that’s Tim Atkins of the Times in the background), Nicole Rolet owner of venue La Verriere and wine Domaine “Chene Bleu”, apparently tireless mover and shaker to get this event up and running (Steven Spurrier standing beside her, as well as the man with the loudest shirts in the universe Chester “d’Arenberg” Osborne), two of the hundreds of vignerons who showed their wines at a series of tastings, here Marie Elisabeth Joyet and Andre Romero both of Rasteau, a view from La Verriere’s swimming pool across their vineyards ( you might spot an upturned vehicle in the distance…I never got to hear the story but this was after a humungous tasting session!)

This last weekend saw wine makers, journalists and others like ourselves interested in wine tourism descend on our neck of the woods to spend 3 days thinking, discussing and planning for a better future for the Grenache grape. The basic premise of the Symposium was that the Grenache grape is something of an unsung hero, often found as a work horse variety but in the right hands with low yields and careful craft in the winery capable of producing glorious wines the match of better known peers Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The outcomes of the debate and all the many actions are too numerous to fully reference here ..check out the Symposium web-site for further information and news…but to give you a flavour: a push to develop more iconic wines as role models for producers (more like Rayas please!) and to capture public attention; a wine/food tasting comparing G with CS/PN based on Pleasure/Price/Partnership (with food/other varieties); smarter education of sommelliers/retail staff; better best practice around serving temperatures…too warm and the high alcohol in G results in lack of balance; A special Grenache day is being organized for September; more research needed on viticultural issues…how can quality be enhanced in the vineyard?

The panel sessions/feedback were accompanied by some superbly well organized and researched comparative tastings..Grenache and Garnacha from  Australia/Spain/Italy/Egypt/South Africa/USA were tasted alongside those of the Rhone and Languedoc/Roussillon. Some of my many  highlights: Clos des Papes 2007; Domaine des Girasols  Rasteau Vieilles Vigne 2005; Domaine Trapadis Gigondas “les Andrets” 2006; Domaine La Soumade Rasteau 2007; Hewitson’s Barossa valley “Miss Harry”2007; from Spain, Navarra region: Domaine Lupier’s “El Terroir”2008; and the piece de resistance the very generous donation, by the magnum, from CDP producer Chateau de la Gardine of their 1952 vintage, still very much alive and with unforgettable aroma of herb, fig and molasses. Who says Grenache isnt capable of long aging? ( actually me quite often, to my tour guests, I stand corrected)

In summary a great cause, a great Symposium, powerful ideas for moving forward, impressive organization and  above all that feel good factor of being in at the ground floor of something thats going to grow and grow. Viva our beloved Grenache!

For more go to: www.grenachesymposium.com

As an offficial partner to the Grenache Symposium that took place this past weekend at Crestet just 15 minutes away La Madelene was delighted to play host to some stars of the wine making world as well as some major wine writers and critics. Featured in these photos are old latin chums wine maker Telmo Rodrigues of Spain and writer Jorge Lucki of Brazil, Alessio Planata from Sicily, and left to right in the group shot, Jorge again, Hannah and Peter Schulz of Turkey Flat vineyards, Barossa valley, Eric Brasher principle wine maker at the Owen Roe winery Oregon and finally Australia’s most pre-eminent wine writer and Sydney Morning Herald columnist Huon Hook. A lovely bunch of people….and a good time was had by all

I am hugely excited that the great CDP house Roger Sabon is now part of the La Madelene Rhone Wine Holidays network of vignerons that we will be taking our guests to visit this year. Pictured above is principle wine maker there Didier Negron explaining the Sabon wine making philosophy in their cellars..Didier is the son in law of Jean-Jacques Sabon, one of the three sons of Roger Sabon who started the estate in 1952. He trained as an oenologist at Toulouse, and learnt his craft at Rasteau, Le Nerthe and Chateau de la Gardine. The estate is modest in size, 16ha of red, 1ha of white CDP but quality levels are consistently high. At the top end of their range they produce, in good/great vintages the exceptional Le Secret des  Sabon, one of the top special cuvees of the appellation. But the estate also has 17ha of CDR and Lirac across the Rhone in the Gard…their simple “Le Plaisir” VDT white wine must be one of the great bargains ever, and supports my theory that if you want great everyday drinking look no further than the Cotes du Rhone or even humbler ranking wines of the great Chateauneuf producers…as often as not you will find a passion for excellence which extends throughout the range.

At Domaine de la Janasse last week I believe I may have tasted the very best CDP ever to pass my lips to date. Courtesy of the great generosity of wine maker Isabelle Sabon who seems happy to open such rare beasts for our tour guests ( long may it continue), I sampled the “one off” cuvee which goes by the name “XXL”, 2007 vintage and only two demi muid barrels made, 1300 bottles. Just bottled a few weeks back. Wow!!..was this incredible…meat, game, tar and reglise on the nose, a huge porty wine with garrigue herb and lashings of super concentrated black fruits, powerful but balanced and already smooth, rich and velvet like in texture. Amazing. Farr Vintners have it on their list at over €3000 per case, dealers in the US have it on their lists at €350 per bottle ….not that surprising when you hear that Parker gave it 98-100 points , just a sliver behind the legendary 2007 Jacques Perrin Beaucastel. Heres what the man had to say ( and thank you Isabelle it was a very special treat):

To be bottled in February, 2010, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape XXL is a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. It reminds me of what Henri Bonneau’s utterly perfect 1990 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins tasted like at two years of age. It has all the characteristics of the Janasse Vieilles Vignes in addition to a slightly later harvest and riper character. It gives the impression of having residual sweetness, but that is not the case as the appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape will declassify any wine with more than 0.3 grams per liter of residual sugar. The glycerin level is high, and the alcohol content must be around 16.5% as this offering is incredibly massive, rich, and obviously meant for long-term aging. I can’t wait to taste it out of bottle. There are only two demi-muids, which works out to about 2,000 bottles, so the lucky few who have an opportunity to purchase it, should not pass it up.

Score: 98-100          Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (185), February 2010

To CDP early on a sunday morning…sipping full bodied red wine at 10.10am, ouch! The event: The spring “Les Printemps, 1er Salos des Vins tasting for professionals and the public at the Salle Dufays hall in the village of Chateauneuf, some 60+ vignerons showing their wines, vintages generally from 2005 to 2008, though many 2007s were missing..all fully sold.Highlights of the tasting: The whites from Gardine, the mineral 2008 and the super lush 60% Rousanne “Vieilles Vignes”, the humble white Cotes du Rhone from Janesse effectively a declassified CDP because of the vintage, a lot of delicious  wine for €10, the various spicy cuvees of Roger Sabon, the super stylish 2005 Cuvee des Cadettes from La Nerthe etc etc. Most interesting for me was the re-tasting of Stanilas Wallut’s (pictured above) 2007 Domaine Villeneuve , a wine our “study group” had admired when we visited last September and tasted the wine from the tank.. Stanislas was still trying to finish what was proving to be a problem fermentation. I had subsequently read with amazement that this wine had scored the bottom mark in a blind tasting of 200 CDPs in a recent issue of Decanter. I probed Stanislas for the answer to this mystery..how had such a promising wine fared so badly. Apparently he’d been forced, reluctantly, not wanting to miss out,to send a sample to the tasting before bottling and still with some unfermented residual sugar…not surprisingly the tasting panel were not impressed. But the truly weird thing is that Bob Parker has given this wine a 94 point score….Stan’s highest to date…and Parker’s sample was dispatched from the tank even before the one that went to the Decanter tasting panel, what does that say about the sweetness of the Wine Emperor’s tooth! By the way I thought the wine was showing magnificently though its true even now in its technically fully fermented form there is just a lingering sweetness to the finish, though the overall impression is of power and ultra ripe fruit.For more on Stan’s wines visit:http:www.domainedevilleneuve.com

Hedonistic times are here again..thanks to our clients and good friends Lars and Pia Rystadius: Pastrana single vineyard Manzanilla sherry, my absolute favourite apero; very pretty, floral and delicate blancs de blancs champagne from Ruinart; Mont Thabor Cotes du Rhone blanc, barrel fermented,  fat, buttery and tremendous value; Premier cru Chablis from the Droin brothers; a magnum of the Domaine de la Solitude “Barberini”2005 already drinking well; and just for a change Pomeral ,the 1997 La Croix du Casse, savoury, plummy and scrummy. Happy Easter all….

 The best Gourmet Provence tour available…a collaboration between La Madelene and fanatical foodies Kevan and Jennifer of Leaf Travel…available W/C 15th/22nd/29th November 2010.

Wine, Olive oil, Goats cheese, Truffles….a complete immersion in 3 days + dining in the finest restaurants of the Vaucluse!

Gourmet Provence: Wine and food discovery tour

Day 1 Tuesday: arrive late pm at La Madelene…Champagne reception and a four course dinner with fine wines in the Chapel dining room

Day 2 Wednesday

The truffle day: A Truffle hunt, Truffle omelette for lunch, the Provencal town of Vaison la Romaine and a truffle feast in the evening 

Your tour leaders for the day: Kavan Kristjanson and Jennifer Hastings of Leaf-Travel, professional caterers and gourmet travel experts

Breakfast at Leisure

AM and Lunch: Accompany Kevan and Jennifer on a black truffle search with Max and his dogs at the farm Le Gros-Noyer just on the edge of Malaucene. The truffle season is just starting up, with luck around 90 minutes work should yield sufficient “black diamonds” for Kevan and Jennifer to demostrate the preperation of a classic Provencal lunch – a truffle omelettte- at their house which neighbours the farm.

PM: Visit to the town of Vaison la Romaine, 8 kms from Malaucene, a charming town on the river Ouveze with a very picaresque medieval old town, a Gallo-Roman archeological site (the largest in France) and a lively newer part of the town with many interesting shops.

Dinner – at Chez Serge, Carpentras (http://www.chez-serge.com), and specialists in the “menu de truffe” – 4 courses all prepared with truffles

Day 3 Thursday

Wine tasting day (deliberately contrasting scale of producers, from a “garagist” wine maker to the leading estate of Chateauneuf du Pape)

Your wine tour escort for the day: Philip Reddaway a WSET approved professional wine educator and tour leader

Breakfast at Leisure

AM: Winery visit: Meet Philippe Gimel, maverick producer of stunning Ventoux wines – Saint Jean du Barroux - that have attracted a cult following in California and elsewhere. Visit his organic vineyard and taste at his garage winery that serves as a temporary home for his wine making.

Gimel is a one-man band with huge energy, passion and vision, a genuine one-off.for more see: http://saintjeandubarrouxfrance.spaces.live.com

Lunch: at Gigondas’s best restaurant L’Oustalet file://localhost/(http/:www.restaurant-oustalet.fr owned by the Perrin family of Beaucastel fame.

PM: Winery visit: Chateau Beaucastel – along with Rayas, Bonneau and Vieux Telegraph this is the leading estate of Chateauneuf du Pape making superb red and white CDP and a negociant business covering Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres etc. Visit the cave and taste the range in the atmospheric cellars. For more see: http://www.beaucastel.com/

Dinner – Dinner at Le Grand Pre (http://www.legrandpre.com) the Michelin starred restaurant run by Flora and Raoul Reichrath at Roaix, exceptional cuisine and a fantastic Rhone wine list.

Day 4 Friday

Carpentras Provencal market and another gourmet excursion, either an olive mill or a goats cheese farm.

Once again Kevan and Jennifer will be your hosts for the day

Breakfast at Leisure

AM: Visit to Carpentras Provencal market – this is a vast market covering nearly the entire town and aside from vegetables, fruit, olives, charcuterie, cheese, plants and fabrics includes, from the end of November one of the most important truffle markets in the region.

Lunch: At Maitre Cuisinier de France Michel Philibert’s restaurant “La Gajulea” at Le Barroux - http://philibertmichel.free.fr

PM: Visit to the Olive mill attached to the Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine located in the beautiful Dentelles hills above the village of Le Barroux  (http://www.barroux.org/huil/pubhuile.html)– this Olive mill forms part of a working Benedictine monastry, the group will be able to observe the monks, (fully atired in their habits!) in the art of olive oil production. The visit will be followed by an Olive oil briefing/tasting demonstration from Kevan and Jennifer.either in the grounds of the monastry or at their home dependent on the weather.

OR

PM: Visit to a cheese farm in the Drome, artisan producers of fabulous Picodon goat’s cheese. those tangy, salty tablets of chevre that are so popular here and in the Ardeche. The group will have an opportunity to see cheese making in action alongside the farmers…and taste the results at different stages of  “affinage” (aging).

Dinner: A 5 course Provencal gourmet meal prepared by Jude, Kevan and Jennifer and served in the chapel dining room at La Madelene, accompanied by fine wines from Philip’s cellar…perhaps a 1999 Beaucastel, or a 1998 Gigondas “Cuvee Florence” from Domaine Goubert.

Day 5: Saturday

The tour ends after breakfast on the Saturday

The Price: €2300 per couple including all restaurant meals, 4 nights accommodation at La Madelene, food and wine excursions, gourmet dinners and fine wine at La Madelene

The lead story in this month’s Wine Spectator is all about the emerging stardom of Granache and Syrah in the USA. Hot on the heels of the Grenache Symposium , see my blog entry earlier this month, Rhone varietals seem to riding the zeitgeist. In their editorial Wine Spectator’s James Laube comments: ” It wasnt so long ago that some Californian vintners were predicting that Sangiovese would be the next great thing. Yet Sangiovese never really took hold, making it more a wine of unfulfilled promise than a substantive player. Syrah stepped in next, making a stronger case with high quality wines. Now the next big thing could be Grenache, part of the Rhone grape family……Grenache isnt considered a classic variety by many, yet it is proving to be one of the most exciting and enticing wines to emerge in California in the past decade, capable of stardom, even if only on a small stage. One hopes that when vintners describe it as the Pinot Noir of Rhone varieties , some of Pinot’s magic rubs off”. Cheers to that James! For more see www.winespectator.com

Thanks (again) to ace film makers Jon and Jess…

I am delighted to announce that the famed Chateauneuf du Pape estate Domaine de la Janesse will become part of our network this year. This large estate producing nearly 250,000 bottles annually ( though only a small part of this is CDP) has risen through the ranks over the last 20 years to the very top bracket. Consistently lauded by the critics ( et moi: see last year’s blog entry on their marvelous Terre Argiles Cotes du Rhone) this is an estate run by the Sabon family…the picture is of Isabelle Sabon..which oozes class yet without overt pretension or fuss. Not only are the CDP’s top class - their Chaupin cuvee was placed in the top 4 of 200 CDPs from the 2007 vintage tasted blind in this month’s Decanter magazine - but their extensive CDR holdings on the right of the A7 route de soleil that marks the eastern flank of the appellation ( next to Beaucastel’s Coudelet) produce probably the best Cotes du Rhone range in the area, the aforementioned Terre Argiles, the Garrigue, a tradition CDR, a vin de pays and two whites including a 100% viognier. By the way the Decanter tasting note for the Chaupin read: “Intense, touch of smoke, tobacco,black fruits and sweet spices. Dry, full bodied,soft tannins,lots of fruit and spices. The finish is long with refreshing acidity…drink from 2015. 18.9/20.00″ A near perfect note! We look forward to taking La Madelene guests to visit Isabelle and the Janesse estate later this spring.