How to Spend a Wine Weekend in the Rhône Valley?

Jednostavna pravila za uživanje u šampanjcu

The Rhône Valley is a wine region that you fall in love with immediately upon arrival, provided you’re not looking for the pretentious and hyper-touristic wine experience offered by some other regions.

Prepare for a picnic in the hills

The spiritual homeland of the Syrah grape, the Rhône Valley captivates with its aromatic and robust wines, beautiful and historically significant towns, and wineries that consistently offer delightful experiences through wine tastings and conversations with owners, often members of families that have been engaged in the noble winemaking profession for centuries. For food and wine pairings, you don’t need to seek out Michelin-starred restaurants—though there are plenty here—because in the Rhône Valley, a picnic is the essence of enjoying wine. Wine is purchased during visits to wineries, food is sourced from local farmers’ markets that offer a wealth of delicacies of all kinds, and then you head into the hills to enjoy nature.

Tasting at the source

There are plenty of good wineries in the southern Rhône Valley, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is, in every respect, the wine heart of this region. In this appellation in the southern Rhône, vines grow over approximately 3,200 hectares, more than in the entire northern Rhône Valley. The red wines of this appellation, made from Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and other permitted varieties, are often described as full of earthy, gamey and leathery notes, and retain a lovely spicy character even after long aging.
Most wines, of course, can be tasted at the source, and one of the representative estates is Domaine La Barroche, successfully run by siblings Leticia and Julien Baro. Their vineyards are old, and there is no entry-level wine in their portfolio; the pride of the winery is the super-premium cuvée Barrot. The estate is open for visits year-round, but reservations are necessary from November to April.

A home to the major wine houses

If you want to see the place that inspired American statesman Thomas Jefferson, as well as many travelers of his time, head north along the Rhône to the town of Tain-l’Hermitage, an exceptionally picturesque place surrounded by vineyards and perfect for a wine picnic on a hill, like the one we recommended at the beginning of the text. Here, predominantly red wines are made from Syrah, and white wines from Marsanne and Roussanne, with major houses like Maison M. Chapoutier, Caves de Tain, and Paul Jaboulet Aîné calling this area home. Our wholehearted recommendation for a visit is Maison Ferraton Père & Fils, which throughout the year, without prior notice—only needed for group visits—reveals the secrets of its cellars in a beautiful tasting room. The winery was established in the mid-20th century when Michel Ferraton decided to infuse new spirit into his father’s wine estate. The famous winemaker Michel Chapoutier had a significant influence on the development of the winery, imparting his vast knowledge. As the new millennium approached, the winery transitioned to organic production and then adopted biodynamic practices.
From the picturesque Avignon and its bridges celebrated in song to the cosmopolitan Lyon, the Rhône Valley offers opportunities for a wine weekend to remember.