The Complete Southern Rhone (6 nights)

2009 dates: June 21-27th and August 30 - September 5th

"The finest values of the entire Rhone Valley,if not all of France, for distinctive long-lived red wines are in Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas." (Robert Parker)

Highlights: A unique opportunity to visit such famous names as Beaucastel, Pegau, Solitude, La Nerthe, St.Cosme, Mordoree....and many more in just 6 days

Price per person: From €1800 Special Partner Price: From €1300

Sunday:
Arrive at La Madelène late afternoon/early evening; settle in, perhaps swim, meet your fellow guests, introduction to the weeks programme, champagne on the terrace, dinner chez La Madelène, alfresco on our terrace if the weather permits or in the old chapel dining room. We will taste two fine examples of aged Chateauneuf du Pape during the dinner: Chateau Beaucastel 2000 and Roger Sabon's cuvee Prestige 1999.


Monday:
To ensure you recuperate swiftly from your journey to us we deliberately keep the first day's schedule light and local. After a leisurely breakfast on the terrace take the introductory briefing on the Rhone valley in our Atelier (workroom) followed by a tutored tasting allowing guests to compare and contrast the major grape varieties of the region- Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier.We include a short introduction to tasting technique so all our guests have a common language for the days ahead. It's still early but don't worry spittoons are provided! Pre-lunch swim/walk/relax followed by aperitif and lunch alfresco.
In the afternoon we visit two of our local jewels, two of the finest producers of Cotes du Ventoux - Domaine Pesquie ( "One of the superstars of the appellation":Robert Parker) and the Irish run Domaine des Anges ( we will meet wine maker Ciaran Rooney) where the top red and white cuvees named Archange  are outperforming only the very bust Cotes du Rhone Villages level wines. We return to La Madelène at around 6pm in time to rest before being escorted to one of our favourite local restaurants such as St. Hubert in the pretty village of Entrechaux, which specialises in game, shellfish and imaginatively prepared Provencal cuisine.

Tuesday:
Your third day focusses on the Crus and best of the Cotes du Rhone Village wines on the Dentelles de Monmirail escarpment. After breakfast we will start at Walter McKinleys beautiful Domaine du Mourchon estate high in the Dentelles where either Walter or his son-in-law Hugo will walk us around the estate and introduce the wines. The block buster family reserve is a wine not to miss. After Mourchon we drive the short distance to Gigondas where we will visit and taste at either St.Cosme ( where maverick micro negociant Louis Barroul fashions great wines from the oldest estate in the village complete with some Roman fermentation vats) or Domaine les Goubert where the Cartier family pioneered oak aged Gigondas with teir majestic Cuvee de Florence. Florence herself the  recently graduated wine student will guide us around the cellars and the wines. Lunch today is at the bistro/wine bar in the centre of Vacqueyras Cafe du Cours. After lunch we round the days winery visits at the Saurel family's Domaine Montirius, superb bio-dynamic Vacqueyras and Gigondas matured without wood intervention- one of Jancis Robinson's favourite producers in the region. We return to La Madelene at around 5pm ready to freshen up, perhaps swim or play petanque before aperitifs and another four course meal is served up on our terrace.


Wednesday:
Our mid-week day is devoted to the two Crus of the Southern Rhone's right bank Tavel and Lirac. After breakfast we will depart for the Gard, where we will visit the two best producers of the appellation Domaine Maby ( Decanter's international Rose of the year for 2007) as well as the well known Domaine de la Mordoree - both estates make excellent Tavel rose and Lirac whites and reds whilst Mordoree also produces a stunning modern style Chateauneuf du Pape. After lunch in the village at La Genestiere we will transport you to the city of Avignon where you have an afternoon of sight-seeing ( Papal palace, Pont St.Benoit, the old town of Avignon, many wonderful shops) and the evening at your own leisure. We will provide restaurant recommendations, reservations if required, and you will be chauffeured back to La Madelène by taxi at our expense later that evening.

Thursday:
This is the fist of two days allocated to the most celebrated wines of the region...at Chateauneuf du Pape.  In the morning we will visit leading state Beaucastel ( a mnimum of 4 guests required for this property) where the Perrin family will guide us around the winery and host a cellar tasting of their legendary range. Afterwards we move on to Domaine Vatican, a small family winery where Karine Diffonty will escort us up to the famous La Crau plateau to see her old Granache and Mourvedre vines first hand before heading back for another cellar tasting including her award winning Cuvee Sixtine reds and whites. We will lunch at Verger des Papes , in our view the best bistro in the village with a panoramic view of the village and surrounding vines and the Rhone river down to Avignon. After lunch we take in a third property Domaine de la Solitude where the Lancon maske a fascinating modern range of wines including Cuvee Secret, one of Parker's most highly rated wines from the region. We will taste the range in their private Oxbridge style tasting room surrounded by oil portraits of their ancestors the Barberini family responsible for founding the domaine in the 15th century.  Returning to La Madelène you will have time to freshen up before we reassemble to sit down to a four course dinner on our terrace. The dinner will feature a comparitive tasting of the best from Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape including wines from Santa Duc, Cayron, Clos des Papes and Pegau.


Friday:
On the final day we return to Chateauneuf to take in two further properties : first La Nerthe unquestionably the most glamourous estate of the appellation..Parker calls it the  "showpiece"..with its 18th c.Chateau and ancient cellars featuring what is aledged to be the oldest stone fermentation tank in France. We will taste the regular cuvees as well as the superb Cuvee des Cadettes. From La Nerthe we make for the Feraud family's Domaine Pegau - a Parker 5 star producer making small quantities of fabulous wines - Laurence Feraud, daughter of the household and principle wine maker will introduce her wines and host a bottle and barrel tasting in the Pegau cellars. Before heading back to La Madelene for lunch, if clients wish, we can call in at the caviste Cave du Verger des Papes where wines can be shipped home to the US/UK on advantageous terms. Lunch today is at La Madelene on the terrace, followed by a final domaine visit of the tour- to Domaine des Bernardins at Beaumes de Venise where oenologue and son of the owners the Hall family, Romaine, will talk us through how Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is produced and host a tasting of their range including what is in my opnion the finest Muscat made , their rich prune laden "Hommage". Our last evening meal together is at L'Oustelet, Gigondas's finest - certainly the prettiest - restaurant.

Saturday:

After breakfast we have a wrap-up session answering any remaining questions you have and we usually conduct a light-hearted blind tasting competition! We also like to get your feedback on the week.

Price per person:

€1800, room sharers

€2000, singles

Special partner rate:

€1300


Partner rates apply to partners sharing your room who do not wish to participate in the wine tours. Partners will receive all La Madelène meals offered to full paying guests as well as evening restaurant meals. On 6-night tours a light lunch is available to partners when course participants are taking a tour