 |
| Ode to Provence as inspired by reading Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence." Chateau La Canorgue (above) is in the famed Cotes Du Luberon region. |
--Château la Canorgue,
route du Pont Julien, 84480 Bonnieux (tel. 04-90-75-81-01;
chateaucanorgue.margan@wanadoo.fr): You might recognize this handsome château
from Ridley Scott's 2006 romantic comedy A
Good Year, a movie based on the excellent writing of Brit ex-Pat Peter
Mayle, who now lives in Provence.
--Château de
Beaucastel, 84350 Courthézon (tel. 04-90-70-41-00; www.beaucastel.com): The
Perrin brothers' vineyard is one of the top estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But
it's unusual in that it grows all 13 varieties of grape allowed within the
Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. You can taste 10 vintages of their grand vin
Château de Beaucastel, among many others, by appointment only.
--Château de Simone,
13590 Meyreuil (tel. 04-42-66-92-58; www.chateau-simone.fr): This
well-respected vintner lies less than .5km (1/3 mile) north of Aix-en-Provence.
The vineyards surround a small 18th-century palace that might have been
transported unchanged from La Belle du bois dormant. You can't visit the
interior, but you can buy bottles of the recent crops of reds, rosés, and
whites.
--Château de
Calissanne, R.D. 10, 13680 Lançon-de-Provence (tel. 04-90-42-63-03;
www.calissanne.fr): On the premises is a substantial 18th-century white-stone
manor house sporting very old terra-cotta tiles and a sense of the ancien
régime. Even older is the Gallo-Roman oppidum Constantine, a sprawling ruined
fortress that you can visit if you obtain a special pass from the sales staff.
The white, rosé, and red Côteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and the two grades of olive
oil produced by the property are sold in an outbuilding. Advance reservations
are vital.
--Château d'Aquéria,
Route de Roquemaure, 30126 Tavel (tel. 04-66-50-04-56; www.aqueria.com): Wines
produced near the small Languedoc village of Tavel are considered some of the
finest rosés in the world, which is not surprising considering this is where
rosé was first created. An 18th-century château on the premises can be viewed
only from the outside, and cellars and wine shops sell bottles of the famous
pink wine.
--Domaine de Fontavin,
1468 rte. de la Plaine, 84350 Courthézon (tel. 04-90-70-72-14;
www.fontavin.com): Set 10km (6 miles) north of Carpentras, this is one of the
leading producers of the heady, sweet dessert wine Muscat des Beaumes de
Venise. As the organization here dates only from 1989, there's nothing
particularly noteworthy in terms of architecture on-site. But oenophiles
appreciate its proximity to some of the most legendary grapevines in the
French-speaking world.
--Château la Siroque.
Jean-Pierre Margan and his family belong to one of a growing number of
winemakers that work on strictly organic principles, forbidding the use of
chemicals. You can buy the award-winning Côtes du Luberon reds, whites, and
rosés directly from the château, which is on the D36 just north of Bonnieux,
but some advance warning is appreciated.
--Château de Pibarnon,
410 chemin de la Croix des Signaux, 83740 La Cadière d'Azur (tel.
04-94-90-12-73; www.pibarnon.fr): Some of the best of the rich red Bandol wines
are produced here in an amphitheater of vineyards on top of the Colline du
Télégraphe. The views are as seductive as the award-winning reds and rosés produced
by Henri and Catherine de Saint-Victor and their family. Tastings are available
Monday to Saturday (except during lunch), but advance warning is always
welcome.
Read more:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/provence-and-the-riviera/750232#ixzz2tby0IrP6
No comments:
Post a Comment