We came to Duclaux at the rec of our B&B owner. She is in love with their "la Maison rouge" cote…read moreRotie. It is their prime vintage and we are so excited to drink it after it opens up. We had a private tasting with Benjamin Duclaux. He is one of the young brothers and owners. Our experience at Duclaux was 180 degrees different than other wineries. He was wearing a rugby outfit, tasted with us (he gave us glasses of a newly opened 2003 cote Rotie that his bro just opened!). He also said "blah blah wine is meant to be enjoyed drink whenever!!" He did admit the taste of cote Rotie completely changes over 10 years - but he said "just try it every year". He discussed how the French have artisanal pride and refuse to use sprinklers in their vineyards. I told him how it was hard for me to find great wines in Sonoma and Napa - he said "well there ARE 1-2 good ones in Napa. I know I tried and I found them!" He was a bit cavalier in a good way and we really enjoyed viewing his caves. We were told by the family we were staying with that La Maison Rouge is (insert eye roll) unbelievable. Magnifique ... We bought a 2012 and we hope to hold out to 2022. Buying wine at the source in France is 10x cheaper than buying this rare gem in the states. Heading to Ampuis (away from the hordes of tourists in Paris and Provence was the best decision we made).

Semaska was a hop, skip and a jump from our B&B (La Gerine), so we meandered over after a long…read morebreakfast. Their St. Joseph's clearly outshined their Cote Roties. We bought the Malleval St. Joseph (to store) and the generic St. Joseph to enjoy on the trip... They were sold out of various bottles, so we judged our tasting based on what was available. If you are a St. Joseph fan you should come here.

Domaine Corps de Loup was the only opportunity I got a chance to taste some of…read more Northern Rhone's finest. I was able to drop without an appointment scheduled in advance. When you enter their estate, keep going up. There will be a sign for their tasting room. At times, there might not be anyone in the tasting room since they will be busy working on their next vintage. Be patient, someone will come! This winery is located in the Cote Rotie region of Rhone and is worth stopping by since it's not as accessible back in the States. Definitely try their Syrah and Vionier blend. It's unique for this area. Hours: 8am - Noon + 2pm - 6:30pm Free tasting with or without appointment. If you want a visit to their grounds, make an appointment. Service was great and the worker was very patient with our tasting. Thanks for the great experience!