Written on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 at 4:33 pm
local produce, vineyards, wine
Having tempted you all with my restaurant suggestions I thought I’d now move on to my favourite local vineyards. We are really spoilt in this area with so many of the Cotes du Rhone named villages close by to choose from. There’s nothing quite like drinking a bottle of wine from a place you’ve visited, sold to you by the people that grew and bottled it. A highlight of every summer for me is to visit the vineyards choosing a new selection to load the car to take home. Don’t be daunted by the idea of ‘degustation’ – most domaines are geared up for visitors and are happy to explain about grape varieties, percentages etc. It’s only good manners though to buy a few bottles at least.
For those of you looking for a good place to take friends or family for their first wine-tasting the Domaine de Viret is a good place to start.
Situated just outside St Maurice, the Domaine is well signposted from the village. The building, constructed according to the principles behind the pyramids of Egypt, is very impressive (hence the name), perched on the hillside. The vineyard practises cosmoculture, a mixture of biodynamics and ancient practices. They have a full explanation of all these terms on their website, but don’t worry it’s not ‘obligatoire’ to hum or chant, you can just taste and enjoy!
They offer a good range from excellent ready to drink wines such as Energie Yang or Solstice to top drawer ‘keepers’ such as Renaissance, with something to suit every pocket.
Written on Tuesday, September 13th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
activities, autumn, fires, walking in provence, wine
Really looking forward to my week back in the Drome. I love this time of year: daytime can still be warm enough to soak up the rays or swim but the mornings and evenings have that slight chill in the air. It only needs the smallest hint of a chill for me to light a fire – any excuse really. I love to close the shutters in the evening and sit in front of blazing logs with a glass of Vinsobres and the latest slice and dice.
It’s also the perfect time to go for long walks in the countryside without having to pack numerous bottles of water. The light is particularly clear in September – just right for those artists or photographers among you. In fact the quality of the air around Nyons is famous – so much so that in the past asthmatics used to be sent to the area to recuperate.
It’s also vendanges time and the scent of wine lingering in the air hits you as you drive up from the airport.
Time to go out wine-tasting once more. Naturally not for my own benefit but just so that I can report back to you all!
Written on Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
activities, boar, local produce
A few days ago shots were ringing out on the hillsides near Venterol and bobbing red hats could be seen moving through the undergrowth. Boars don’t wear red hats so this is a safety measure for the hunters. Friends staying at my house saw 2 dead boar loaded in the back of a pickup on its way back to the village and the next day the ex-mayor brought round a leg for them to sample. Clare was invited to dinner that night and reports back that it was very tasty indeed.
French wild boar
Don’t feel too sorry for the wild boar: this article gives more inforamation on French wild boar.
Wild Boar or Sanglier Tweet
Widespread
across the whole of France the Wild Boar ~ Sus scrofa scrofa or Sanglier as it is known by the French is
much maligned by farmers who readily blame it for…
And this next report by BBC News Europe details how their numbers are on the increase and pose a serious threat to agriculture. They’re even starting to encroach on the urban landscape. So French hunters are being urged to wage war on the boar. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11948612
Written on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 8:28 am
restaurants
Yes, this is yet another blog about eating out. As Clare has already pointed out, I take my duty of restaurant testing very seriously indeed.
Following my son’s instructions that I simply must try out Café de la Poste in Venterol we dutifully booked a table (luckily as it was packed out) and walked up the hill. They have created a charming little shaded area outside with lanterns and drapes, but there are also tables inside for when the weather is cooler. There is a choice of two dishes for each course and everything is priced per course which means those with smaller appetites can skip a course. All the food was great but the highlight for me was the main – roast quail with a peppercorn sauce, served with a ratatouille and a sweet potato gratin to die for. The wine list is local and we had a pleasant Vinsobres – no worries about quantity when you can walk home! Service was very friendly and efficient – but note they don’t take cards so go to the hole in the wall first.
We shall definitely be going back very soon.
