Vineyard region: Ardèche
Appellations:
Côtes-du-Vivarais
Côtes-du-Rhône
Vins de Pays de l’Ardèche
Lodging: Riverside B&B in a village between Lyon and Avignon
The rocky vineyards of the Ardèche—on the western bank of the Rhone, midway between
Lyon and Avignon—were cultivated long before Roman times. One of the oldest varieties
in France, a dark and aromatic grape called chatus, still survives here. Overshadowed in
recent times by the monster wines from the adjacent Côte Rôtie, the vineyards have
undergone extensive restoration and replanting with shiraz, grenache, viognier, even chardonnay.
The Côtes-du-Vivarais wines were awarded an AOC in 1999. The varietal Vins de Pays
d’Ardèche are finding favor with major négociants like Louis Latour.
Your hosts, Véronique and Philippe, welcome you to their oasis on the banks of the
Beaume River : a stone-walled Bed & Breakfast, two miles from the village of Rosi`res in
the foothills of the volcanic Cévennes. Built on dry rock terraces called faysses and
carefully restored, the superb farmhouse features tiled floors, polished wood and the bright
colors of the sun. Almost hidden by the trees, there’s a private pool.
Rhone Valley Modern and Ancient Wines
Midway down the Rhone Valley, Modern Wines from Ancient Vines
Itinerary
Day One
- Arrival by car or train. (The high-speed TGV stops in Valence, where car rentals are available.) We provide you with a detailed map to the Bed & Breakfast.
- Meet your hosts, Véronique and Philippe Alcalde, and settle in at the farmhouse.
- Traditional table d’hôte dinner accompanied by local wines.
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Day Two
- Traditional home-made breakfast.
- Your guide, a local winemaker named Christophe Renouard, will take you to visit his property, the Domaine du Grangeon.
- Picnic and wine-tasting in the vineyards with Christophe.
- Across the valley this afternoon, drop in at the winemaking cooperative in Ruoms, where 80 percent of the wines from the southern Ardèche are bottled.
- Dinner tonight at a restaurant that features regional specialties.
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Day Three
- Traditional home-made breakfast.
- Visit one of the local villages, along with its wine museum.
- Lunch with a winemaker at a local bistro.
- Free time to explore on your own. Perhaps you’d like to drive along the canyons of the Gorges de l’Ardéche, where there’s a painted cave from prehistoric times, some 35,000 years old.
- Dinner at a gastronomic restaurant.
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Day Four
- Final home-cooked breakfast at the farm
- Departure
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Please inquire.
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2008 Tour Dates
Available on request for a minimum of 2.
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Included in the program:
- Three nights double accommodation in a chambres d’hôtes (Bed & Breakfast)
- Three breakfasts at the chambres d’hôtes
- Two home cooked farmhouse lunches (appetizer, main course, regional wine, water, coffee)
- One farmhouse dinner, two restaurant dinners (appetizer, main course, regional wine, water, coffee)
- An English-speaking host on days two and three
- Tasting & entrance fees for activities described in the itinerary
OPTIONS: This program is also available with a full-time, English-speaking driver-guide. Services
begin with pickup in Lyon, Valence or Avignon on the afternoon of Day One and end with return
transfer on the morning of Day Four. Please inquire for price.
We would be happy to assist you with a low-cost rental.
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Wine Holidays 
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