Headed off to France in a couple weeks. Will be making our usual
pilgimage to Puligny Montrachet, and then headed down to Provence /
Rhone. Any suggestions on winemakers / cellars to vist?
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, etc...

"Ric" wrote in news:1148239041.183849.202560
@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Headed off to France in a couple weeks. Will be making our usual
pilgimage to Puligny Montrachet, and then headed down to Provence /
Rhone. Any suggestions on winemakers / cellars to vist?
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, etc...



stop in Gigondas eat lunch at Les Florets and then visit Domaine la
Garrigue their winery.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Thanks Joseph - had tried to book to stay at Les Florets, but it was
booked; will definitely stop there for lunch tho, and try Domaine la
Garrigue - thanks

"Ric" wrote in news:1148252428.258842.209070
@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Thanks Joseph - had tried to book to stay at Les Florets, but it was
booked; will definitely stop there for lunch tho, and try Domaine la
Garrigue - thanks


don't know where you plan on staying but Avignon has some very nice
accomodation and several top notch restaurants, If I knew your tastes in
hotels I could give a recommend.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Joseph Coulter wrote:

don't know where you plan on staying but Avignon has some very nice
accomodation and several top notch restaurants, If I knew your tastes in
hotels I could give a recommend.


Actually, if staying in that area I'd suggest Villeneuve Les Avignon
instead: charming town with some excellent accomodations and good
restaurants, and just across the river from Avignon. You can sing "Sur
la pont D'Avignon" the whole way across the river. :P

As for wineries to visit in CdP, the ones I've enjoyed:
Domaine du Pegau
Clos des Papes
Font de Michelle

Ch. de Beaucastel is also worth a visit, though it's a lot more
Californian in feel. Keep in mind that most wineries are run out of
people's homes, and it's the winemaker or a family member who will
receive you. Phoning ahead for a reservation is always advisable. With
the exception of Beaucastel and Pegau, expect to speak French.

Mark Lipton

On Sun, 21 May 2006 23:49:59 -0400
Mark Lipton wrote:

[]
restaurants, and just across the river from Avignon. You can sing "Sur
la pont D'Avignon" the whole way across the river. :P

[]

O la la, professeur! Eet eez "le pont" parce que eet eez boy!

Interesting anthropological study we make een la France wiz
zis song, to know how zee ancien tradespeople "did it" in
zer time, which we do not deespise, and compare to how zee
courrant tradespeople "do it," of which we know from our
experience intime! Zo, we trace great currants of zee people
of le coq, which shows again ees importante to know boys
from girls.

Otherwise, I recommend a stop at Clos des Cazaux in Vacqueyras.
Very fine. Also one of the best Beaume de Venises is Dom. Durban,
which would be worth a visit for the gorgeous spot even if the
wine weren't terrific.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies

Mark Lipton wrote in
news
Keep in mind that most wineries are run out of
people's homes, and it's the winemaker or a family member who will
receive you. Phoning ahead for a reservation is always advisable.
With the exception of Beaucastel and Pegau, expect to speak French.

Mark Lipton
I have found that such visits are the one's that produce the most
surprises. a few smiles sometimes bring out some dusty bottles of well
aged wines, sometimes not. The truly important thing is not the qulaity
of your French but the degree of appreciation shown and IMHO one need
not fawn over the mediocre just treat it with some respect and note the
truly better, the host will know the difference already and appreciate
your palate all the more for it.

Anothr thing, always be b=prepared to buy, you will have taken up a lot
of someone's time and except at the big places or formal tasting rooms
this often means the owners time. the best praise isn't magnifique!it is
"Je voudrais , une, deux etc."


--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Joseph Coulter wrote in
. 97.136:

Mark Lipton wrote in
news
Keep in mind that most wineries are run out of
people's homes, and it's the winemaker or a family member who will
receive you. Phoning ahead for a reservation is always advisable.
With the exception of Beaucastel and Pegau, expect to speak French.

Mark Lipton
I have found that such visits are the one's that produce the most
surprises. a few smiles sometimes bring out some dusty bottles of well
aged wines, sometimes not. The truly important thing is not the
qulaity
of your French but the degree of appreciation shown and IMHO one need
not fawn over the mediocre just treat it with some respect and note
the
truly better, the host will know the difference already and appreciate
your palate all the more for it.

Anothr thing, always be b=prepared to buy, you will have taken up a
lot
of someone's time and except at the big places or formal tasting rooms
this often means the owners time. the best praise isn't magnifique!it
is
"Je voudrais , une, deux etc."



Wow, does that sound pendantic? Who is this person that he should tell
the world how to act? oops, it was me sorry about getting on my high
horse.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Emery Davis wrote:
On Sun, 21 May 2006 23:49:59 -0400
Mark Lipton wrote:

[]

restaurants, and just across the river from Avignon. You can sing "Sur
la pont D'Avignon" the whole way across the river. :P


[]

O la la, professeur! Eet eez "le pont" parce que eet eez boy!

Ack!!! Caught again by the ever-present gender issue. I *did* actually
think about it while writing that post, but in my dimly recollected
version of the song I heard la not le. I've probably mispronounced it
lo these many years...


Interesting anthropological study we make een la France wiz
zis song, to know how zee ancien tradespeople "did it" in
zer time, which we do not deespise, and compare to how zee
courrant tradespeople "do it," of which we know from our
experience intime! Zo, we trace great currants of zee people
of le coq, which shows again ees importante to know boys
from girls.

I also read something about the fact that the original lyrics were not
"sur le pont..." at all, but that it mutated over the years.

Mark Lipton

On Mon, 22 May 2006 07:51:17 -0500
Joseph Coulter wrote:

Joseph Coulter wrote in
. 97.136:

[]
of someone's time and except at the big places or formal tasting rooms
this often means the owners time. the best praise isn't magnifique!it
is
"Je voudrais , une, deux etc."



Wow, does that sound pendantic? Who is this person that he should tell
the world how to act? oops, it was me sorry about getting on my high
horse.


That said it is a very frequent complaint that french winemakers have
about Americans. Everyone understands the problem with schlepping
bottles on the plane, but why not buy a bottle for a picnic? So the
logic goes, anyway.

-E


--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies

Mark Lipton wrote in
m:




I also read something about the fact that the original lyrics were not
"sur le pont..." at all, but that it mutated over the years.

Mark Lipton


the question is not so much what they were doing on the bridge but UNDER
the bridge that gives a bit of scandal to the song.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Great minds think alike - we are indeed staying in Avignon. As I said
before, had hoped to stay at least one night at Les Florets in
Gigondas, but we are booked at Hostellerie les Frenes in Avignon, and
will drive from there to the wineries we wish to visit. Appreciate all
who have mentioned favorite wineries. We'll be focusing mostly on
Southern Rhone; Chateauneuf-du-Pape up through Gigondas - but will take
in some Northern Rhone (Hermitage, et al) on our way back to Burgundy.

Hoping that hotel is on your list "very nice" places - and would
appreciate restaurant recommends.

"Ric" wrote in news:1148309450.261096.155260
@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:




Hoping that hotel is on your list "very nice" places - and would
appreciate restaurant recommends.

Your hotel is a bit out of the way from the center (or Villeneuve) where I
am more familiar. Avignon has about 5 or so one star restaurants, the only
one with which I am familiar (as in have eaten at) being the Europe which
is just inside the city walls and has closeby parking (my favorite hotel in
S. France by the way) a bit less pricy but very nice and an easy walk from
the parking near to the Europe are l'isle Sonnante and Le Fourchette.


--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

"Ric" wrote in news:1148309450.261096.155260
@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Great minds think alike - we are indeed staying in Avignon. As I said
before, had hoped to stay at least one night at Les Florets in
Gigondas, but we are booked at Hostellerie les Frenes in Avignon, and
will drive from there to the wineries we wish to visit. Appreciate all
who have mentioned favorite wineries. We'll be focusing mostly on
Southern Rhone; Chateauneuf-du-Pape up through Gigondas - but will
take
in some Northern Rhone (Hermitage, et al) on our way back to Burgundy.

I would definitely stop at Tournon/Tain l'Hermitage. Tournon is more
scenic but the big names are in Tain (Chapoutier, Jaboulet)

Vienne is also not to be missed from a touristic point.



--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

Gigondas is only 3km from Vacqueyras and 8km from Beaumes de Venise.

And, if you have a little non-wine time, why not drive to the summit of
Mount Ventoux - at over 6,000 feet it dominates the landscape.

You will marvel at the strength (read insanity!) of Lance Armstrong et al
who race over that beast on bicycles.

--

st.helier