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 Monday, June 20th, 2011 at 8:41 am
activities, films, lavender, massage, olives, wine
Why not:
try making perfume at the lavender distillery in Nyons (full details on earlier post) and the kids can make soap
go to the cinema – the local one in Nyons is reasonably priced and comfortable – you can challenge your language skills by going to a French film or cop out and watch a VO (version originale).
visit the beautiful chateau at Grignan or the Palais des papes at Avignon – you’ll be under cover from the rain
go wine tasting – if you visit enough places you won’t notice the rain (but please get someone else to drive!)
go shopping at the Centre Commercial at Le Pontet (just off the A6 at Avignon Nord) – there are loads of interesting megastores including Auchan where you could spend many happy hours browsing for bargains (and our friend, Brian, does – even going so far as to invent a new slogan for them – Auchan c’est la solution!!!) and a huge shoe emporium to name just two.
visit one of the local museums such as the Olive Museum at Nyons and while you’re there pop into the Cooperative to buy some oil and lots of other interesting goodies
visit La Scourtinerie on the outskirts of Nyons where they still make vibrantly coloured provencal mats originally used for the tradition method of olive oil extraction
and after all this activity treat yourself to a Shiatsu massage with Jo at les Pilles!
Written on Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
cookery books, gites, jam, local produce, olives, wine
There seem to be mixed views among gite owners as to whether to provide a welcome pack or not. Does it make a difference to locataires ? Do they appreciate the gesture? What should go in it? Should it be a proper starter pack with butter/milk/bread/jam etc or should it be a few local delicacies – olives, seasonal fruit, homemade jam, local wine?
In the dim and distant past when I was renting gites instead of renting them out people’s expectations were very different. I remember there being a huge disparity in what was provided. I once rented a small gite in Royan where we were the first locataires and the owner apologised for there not being an oyster knife!! Yes, really, I kid you not! The ‘batterie de cuisine’ (kitchen utensils) was far superior to anything I had at home.
At the other extreme we stayed for several years running in a beautiful rural gite in Sarthe – part of a large domaine – where we had to cram into our cases sheets, towels, sharp knives, tea towels, salt and pepper, plus all cleaning products and loo paper. The place would be completely bereft of supplies apart from the absolute basic cutlery/crockery/pans! But it didn’t stop us returning to the place time after time. The setting was magical and the owners tres sympa. And anyway it was a great excuse not to do so much cooking and test out the local restaurants.
I can’t remember any of the French gites providing a welcome pack although we did get a gift of homemade jam at a place in the Gard. What always made the difference for us was the warmth of the welcome (only once did we not get that – in the Var – and that’s another story!) we received after the long drive there. That’s what made us want to return to a place or recommend it to friends.
You’ll find the kitchen well-equipped here – you can even make your own jam to take home, if the urge takes you. There is a library full of cookery books – including the classics: Larousse Gastronomique, Elizabeth David and Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, as well as modern cooks and chefs.
And you won’t need any dried herbs with the herb garden outside the kitchen door and the perma-culture potager to raid in the main garden.
Written on Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Drome, local produce, wine
Sometimes you can land yourself in it following on from conversations with friends.
Random exchanges and chats with Anne (during her recent wet and cold trip wine tasting to the Languedoc) means that I have set myself a challenge for food and wine weekends here at Chateau Colombier.
My plan is to create 26 “amuses bouches” (little tasters – think tapas) to go with 26 different regional wines and drinks.
Why 26? Because that’s the number of the department of the Drome.
I’m very happy for visitors to help – in ideas, in preparation, in sourcing products and wines, in wine and food tasting, and for the photos and tasting notes.
Written on Monday, September 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
calanques, sea, wine
No, not the blackcurrent stuff that you add to white wine to make a Kir, but the bustling little fishing village just 30 minutes east of Marseille.
I can’t believe it’s taken me 4 years to discover it. The area is known for the Calanques – the limestone cliffs and little coves. The village itself has a marina, a couple of sandy beaches, and loads of fish restaurants.
We stayed at the Hotel Liautaud right by the sea. Basic but clean. It has parking but you need to book it. Had a great fish dinner at chez gilbert (phone for a reservation); and a blanc de blanc 2006 from the donaine du paternel.
We’ll be back – it’s nice to swim in the sea (especially outside the main season); take a boat ride; eat well. Next time we’ll fit in some wine tasting to take back to the cave at Le Colombier
Written on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
restaurants, wine
OK, so I just can’t resist the chance to go out and eat. It’s Sue and Graham’s last night – so they’re off to the Charette Bleue. I’d originally said no … but with a little nudge my resolve crumbled.
Not that I have to go far – this restaurant is literally 50 metres away from Le Colombier. So no worrying about who has to drive.
It’s great food. When Martin is around (to follow the Tour de France – another story) he has a standing (or should that be sitting?) reservation.
…..
a little later
so what did I choose? I went for the 24 euro menu (so sharing a bottle of wine between three of us my bill came to 30 euros). Graham went for the garlic mussels (think snails in garlic butter, but substitute small shelled mussels, and serve like the snails in those little dishes with 6 to 8 holes and you get the picture … great way to get your fix of garlic butter; you could also substitute mushrooms and get the same effect). But I resisted as I wanted to try a new starter of warm poached pears served with soft fresh goats cheese, lightly grilled to warm through and just slightly brown, served on the mandatory mixed leaves, and a drizzle of rich balsamic vinegar reduction. Really good!
As I was trying to stick to the lowest price menu I skipped over the fillet of venison (like steak, you have to decide whether you want it saignant, a point or bien cuit) – served with chestnuts and a thick pumpkin puree. I also said no to the lamb, the cod, the tajine of monkfish and prawns … and happily tucked into a roasted stuffed supreme (fillet) of guinea fowl served with quince crisps and on a bed of lightly stir fried savoy cabbage and bacon bits. (On the cheapest menu yes, but I didn’t feel at all deprived).
And then time for cheese; local goats cheeses, reblochon, munster, a blue cheese. Well, we had to finish off the bottle of 2004 domaine de moulin Vinsobres..
Still on the pear theme, I had an amazingly tender poached pear in its individual almond sponge dessert, served with pear ice-cream in a little brandy snap basket.
It’ll be soup for the rest of the week.
Written on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 12:13 am
restaurants, wine
Got to be the best restaurant in Nyons. And beats anywhere I’ve eaten in London. So what did I have yesterday?
Aperitif served with olives, and nibbles of quails eggs, olive madeleines, and a small chilled soup of broccoli and cauliflower. Then an amuse-bouche of a “canneloni” of squid stuffed with boudin (white blood sausage – but made with the squid ink; sounds weird but was really good). As a starter I had the partridge stuffed with foie gras; I went for the veal as the main. And a dessert of citrus fruits – pink grapefruit sorbet, gingerbread, poached clementine …
And to drink, an aperitif of cremant de die with apricot liqueur and cinammon; a dry white Vacqueras with the starter; and a glass of Domaine des Rieux Freres (Sainte Jalle) cabernet sauvignon. The red was really full on! The vineyard is about 15 kilometres from Le Colombier into the mountains. They do a good white as well as everyday “bag in the box” wines.
One of the things I really like about food here is that it is based on fresh seasonal food. Mind you, it helps to be adventurous and be prepared to try new things. And anyway, it’s market research to recommend places for my clients to go and try for themselves.
Written on Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006 at 9:33 pm
activities, restaurants, wine
Autumn’s been really mild so far this year and the colours are amazing. If you haven’t been here this time of the year before, you really don’t expect it.
So we took a day out today and drove up through the mountains to Saillans, on the banks of the Drome. Last time I was there was earlier in August with a group, for a day’s canoeing and kayaking. There was a bit more water this time, far fewer people, and it was much colder! And the call of the plat de jour at le Tunnel was more appealing than a wet suit and a guaranteed capsize or two!
The bill for lunch came to under 30 euros for 2 – for a salmon tart starter, cardomum beef with bean sprouts, and lemon pie, bread and wine.
The area round Saillans and Die is known for its sparkling wines – the Cremant and Clairette de Die. So of course we stopped off at the vineyard of Jean-Claude Raspail (www.raspail.com) to stock up the cave for Christmas. Family owned, the production is all organic, with state of the art production facilities. After tasting the wines, practising my french, and being given a tour of the facilities, we loaded our goodies into the car and set off back.
So even at the end of November, there’s plenty to do here. If you want reviews of the wines, see Cork’d (www.corkd.com and the username chateaucolombier).