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!

I have to admit I don't know much about the Monastrell grape. It's counterpart in France Mouvedre…read moreshares the same situation. Recently I tried Wrongo Dongo by Juan Gil. Perhaps one of the silliest names I've ever heard for a wine. However when you smell it and taste it, you'll notice some crazy smoke, oak and cherries going on which unlike the name, are serious. It's almost pinot like. Think roasted meats or grilled steak as a pairing. Please note this is in the Town of Jumilla which Yelp seems to not be able to find properly when creating an entry

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).

We drove from Lyon to Roussillon and stopped at this wine store because we read about it online…read more This store did not disappoint. Arthur was very knowledgeable about all the regional wines. And before we left, we did buy 5 different bottles. If you're heading south into wine country, make this a stop. But try to find Arthur!

Napa and Sonoma are sh$%. That was solidified while tasting at what became our favorite winery in…read moreAmpui. We literally traveled here due to our intense love of Cote Rotie (ironically, we learned about this wine via "warehouse wines" in NYC. A French winemaker had a bad year and no respectable French person would drink that crap Cote Rotie. So send it to the Americains - winemaker sent cases to this one wine spot in NYC. So, we were able to enjoy $15 bottles of this earthly volcanic delight and we were in love. We didn't care or know that it was the dregs. We realized it was supreme and unlike any other and yearned to know more). The motto of the region is une nature extreme, un joyau rare. Yes, this wine is rarely exported because it's a rare jewel to the French. So, enjoy it in France... Because you won't have sticker shock. The staff at Yves Cuilleron was so kind, helpful. We had a great tasting and quickly realized that we really enjoyed the St. Joseph (we bought the l'amarybelle for drinking now and Les Serines for storing). We also loved and bought the Terres Sombres Cote Rotie. These wines are layered with volcanic granite, ash, minerals and oh so much more. Smoked meats, heaven, blackberries, so many other smells and tastes. Ask me in the year 2021 how the Terres Sombres and Les Serines taste - that's when we will drink them. Oh but l'amarybelle - we went back and got more of that for our trip. It was the reason two French couples at our B&B liked us (they realized we weren't brainwashed by the marketing gimmick of Guigal and Chapoutier). You must go here if you are in Ampuis.

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.

We were on the way back to our holiday rental and had some time left. After getting some patisserie…read morein an excellent nearby Bakery we stopped here. Parking is just a few meters away from the front gate. We were the only ones there on this late afternoon. We didn't come for a tour, but just to enjoy the nice architecture and surrounding park. Free to visit during opening times. Part of the Chateau was built before the 14th Century even. Over time and centuries parts were reconstruced, added and restored. And since 1980 it is in the good hands of Bruno und Sandrine de Brosse. It is a very pretty castle and the surrounding area and park very nice, very green and very peaceful. Took some really nice pictures of it. It surely is worth a stop. We liked it.

This is a remarkable outdoor amphitheater rich in history and beauty. I had the opportunity to…read morevisit during the Vienne Jazz Festival. It's located right in the middle of Vienne, near plenty of local shopping and eateries. There is seating near the stage as well as tables on the upper level. Large trees all around provide terrific shade. If you get a chance, take a walk through the rose garden up near the grassy area on stage right-it smells lovely!