“Letting Provence Out of the Bottle”
Text: Ester Laushway
Photo: Per Karlsson, BKWine
Copyright © 2007 Ester Laushway & BKWine
(first published in the Autumn 2005 edition of The Anglo Riviera Guide)
Vineyards
have been part of Provence’s sunlit landscapes ever since Greek sailors first
landed on its shores in the 6th century BC. The rows upon rows of grapevines
that stretch their dark, gnarled branches up to the sun are as much a part of
the region’s scenery and history as the tortured shapes of the olive trees,
which they resemble.
Follow us on a tour of five of the region’s quality wine-growing areas. In
each one, we give you a simple recipe for earthly bliss: take a couple of
outstanding vineyards, add a choice of nearby gourmet restaurants and charming
hotels -- some of which can be found under one roof -- and savour the
combination in a setting that is one of Nature’s masterpieces.
The first vines were indeed planted on the coast by the Greeks, when they
founded Marseille, but it was the Romans who deserve the credit for spreading
vineyards throughout Provence. Now, they carpet the region, from its
Mediterranean seaboard to its verdant inland valleys and forested hills, right
up to its sculptured mountain ranges.
In
Roman times, all the wine produced was rosé, and that is still the colour of
wine most often associated with Provence. But in addition to light, fruity
rosés, perfect for summer drinking, the region also produces a wide range of
hearty reds and some surprisingly crisp whites. The grapes traditionally used
for its reds are local varieties such as Mourvèdre (known as the
dog-strangler!), Tibouren and Cinsault, now being blended with international
names such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache. The whites are a marriage
of Provencal old-timers like Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Marsanne, and relative
newcomers to the region like Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Since 1935, when France developed a strict system of wine laws, the highest
quality wines from a specified area are granted A.O.C status -- Appellation
d’Origine Contrôlée. It is a tightly defined certification of origin, ensuring
that wines with the A.O.C. label have met a long list of requirements, including
permitted grape varieties, maximum yields, minimum alcohol levels and
vinification techniques.
The wine-growing areas of Provence that follow have all earned the
appellation classification: one as long ago as 1936, one as recently as 1995.
With that kind of quality assured, you will find the wines sliding down so
easily that we thought it best to provide a choice of nearby hotel/restaurants
where you can rest from your tastings and gather strength for the next lap of
your tour.
All the vineyards we describe are happy to have you come and taste their
wines, and the vast majority have English-speaking staff. The opening hours we
list at the end of the article were correct at time of going to press, but it
never hurts to give them a call before you go, just to check that there have
been no changes.
Finally, before we start, let us be quite clear that we will be taking just a
few small sips from the vast and varied wine cellar that is Provence. We are
merely uncorking some sample bottles for you at a handful of remarkable
vineyards. The region has countless other liquid assets for you to discover and
add to your own personal address book. A votre santé!
Cassis: The oldest AOC in Provence (1936)
Let
us begin at the very beginning, down on the Mediterranean Coast. Not far from
where Greek sailors founded Marseille 26 centuries ago, the pastel-colored
little port of Cassis nestles at the foot of Cap Canaille, France’s highest
sea-cliff. From its picturesque harbour you can take a boat tour of the
calanques, inlets of crystalline, deep-blue water carved into the white
limestone coastline, or take the more energetic option of admiring their
transparent depths from above, by hiking along the well-marked, spectacular
GR98-51 trail that borders the coast.
Once
the view of those sparkling depths has worked up a thirst, internal refreshment
is at hand, in the form of the excellent wines of Cassis, a unique phenomenon in
Provence. In contrast to all the other wine-growing areas, which produce mainly
reds and rosés, a good 75% of the wines of Cassis are crisp, clean whites, which
are the ideal table companion to the famous local fish stew, bouillabaisse.
Château de Fontcreuse
On the hillside above Cassis stands Château de Fontcreuse, a stately home
once belonging to Colonel Teed, a British Army officer who fell in love with the
area and launched himself into winemaking in 1922. Nowadays the estate is run on
exemplary lines by Jean-François Brando, the head of the Cassis vintners’
syndicate.
Clos Sainte-Magdeleine
In
the village of Cassis itself, and blissfully free of any bus tours, since they
cannot park nearby, is the elegant Clos Sainte-Magdeleine, which has most of its
grapes, all organically grown, planted in terraces on the slopes of Cap
Canaille, around the impressive Art Deco mansion. Its floral whites, with a
definite tang of the sea to them, simply cry out for some fresh seafood to
accompany them.
Nino
You
will find a wide choice of restaurants serving just that on the seafront. One of
the best is Nino +33 (0)4 42 01 74 32). Their bouillabaisse is the genuine
article and the service is relaxed and friendly.
La Presqu'Ile
Just a little way out of Cassis, in an idyllic setting at the tip of the
diminutive presqu’ile (promontory) of Port Miou, La Presqu'Ile (+33 (0)4 42 01
03 77) is worth seeking out for its combination of wonderful food with a
wonderfully romantic sea view. To either work up an appetite or work off your
meal, there are five seaside tennis courts that can be rented by the hour.
Hôtel de la Rade
If you would like to watch the sun set over the sea, the 27-room Hôtel de la
Rade (+33 (0)4 42 01 02 97) stays open year-round and will give you the
impression of going on a cruise, without ever leaving shore. Poised over the
sea, its teak terrace with canvas-covered railings sets the nautical theme,
which carries on inside, with seashell décor and brass portholes.
Bandol: The best-known AOC of Provence (1941)
A
short, scenic drive east of Cassis, the Bandol region spreads around the resort
of Bandol, with terraced vineyards climbing from the sea up to the Sainte Baume
mountain range.
“Quality, not quantity,” is the motto of the area’s winegrowers, and they
adhere to a punishing set of regulations to live up to that credo. Fresh rosés
account for 55% of Bandol wines, but it is the gutsy, long-lived reds made from
the distinctive Mourvèdre grape and aged in oak casks for at least 18 months,
that have made the area’s reputation.
Fête du Millésime
Every December, Bandol will hold its annual Fête du Millésime, a great
opportunity to taste the new wines of this year’s harvest. There is always a
theme – it was “Heroes” in 2006 -- and the wine producers have great fun getting
dressed up. Join the crowd, which is plentiful but happy, wandering along the
port from tent to tent, sampling and spitting, either into the spittoons
provided, or directly into the sea. By the end of the day, the fish in the
harbour must have a hard time swimming a straight line!
Auberge du Port
Like
most beach towns, Bandol has a string of seafood restaurants along the seafront.
One of the best is the busy Auberge du Port (+33 (0)4 94 29 42 63). If you go
for the Wine Fair, make very sure you reserve! The more casual Wine Bar of the
Auberge, the oldest one in Bandol, serves an eminently reasonable menu of
grilled meats and fish, with wines by the glass.
Château Pradeaux
Some of the greatest Bandol reds, with a life expectancy of 20 years or more
in good years, come from Château Pradeaux, which has been in the Portalis family
since 1752. Just outside the beach town of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, with a perpetual
sea breeze protecting the vines from diseases, the château was designed in the
style of a Roman villa. It is covered in rambling roses, and has an assortment
of friendly dogs snoozing in various corners.
Dolce Frégate
Right in Saint-Cyr, is the four-star, 133-room Dolce Frégate (+33 (0)4 94 29
39 39), a hotel with every modern comfort and convenience, as well as one of the
top ranked golf courses in France. Its facilities also include an indoor heated
pool, 3 tennis courts and a spa.
Le Gros’Noré
Just 15 minutes away, at the foot of the medieval hilltop hamlet of la
Cadière d’Azur, Alain Pascal, the new star among Bandol vintners, named his
domain, Le Gros’Noré, in memory of his father, a corpulent man called Honoré, or
‘Noré, for short. Alain, a former boxer, is a man who does not mince his words
or compromise -- particularly on the quality of his wines. Since 1997 he has
been producing an outstanding red and a superb Mourvèdre-dominated rosé.
L’Hostellerie Bérard
At the top of the village, L’Hostellerie Bérard (+33 (0)4 94 90 11 43) is an
inviting stop for a meal or for the night. Both a welcoming 40-room inn housed
in an 11th C convent and a fine regional restaurant, it has a superb view from
its luminous dining room. Chef René Bérard shares his palpable love and
knowledge of Provençal food in the 4-day cooking courses he runs every month
except January and August.
Côtes de Provence: The Biggest AOC of Provence (1977)
With a sprawling 45,000 acres of vines dispersed from Aix-en-Provence to
Nice, this appellation offers wines of every colour and style. Rosés make up 75%
of the production, reds account for 20% and whites for just 5%.
Maison des Vins
The
quickest way to get an overview of the immense quantity of vineyards is to visit
the area’s Maison des Vins – the Vinotheque -- in the medieval town of Les Arcs,
on the river Argens. You are close to some spectacular scenery here, like the
Pennafort gorges, where water cascades down deep-red rocks crowned by umbrella
pines. At the Vinotheque you can sample a free selection of Côtes de Provence
that changes every week and buy, at producers’ prices, any of the 600 wines that
are kept in stock.
Château Sainte-Roseline
In the idyllic countryside just outside Les Arcs, is Château Sainte-Roseline,
a state-of-the-art vineyard located in a 12th century abbey. It is visited both
for its consistently good reds, whites and rosés, and for its Romanesque chapel,
containing an immense mosaic by Chagall and, in a crystal reliquary, the
remarkably well-preserved 14th corpse of Sainte-Roseline herself.
Château Font du Broc
Also in Les Arcs is the recently built, magnificent Château Font du Broc,
which combines two noble pursuits: winemaking and horse breeding. The château,
with its stupendous Gothic-vaulted cellar, took four years of work and would be
worth visiting even if you did not want to taste the wines. You would be wrong
to pass them up, however. Everything on this grand estate, where peacocks strut
around self-importantly, is opulent and well made, and the luscious,
prize-winning reds, as well as the full-bodied rosés, are no exception.
Chez Bruno
For dinner and the night, visit another marvel in the area: Chez Bruno (+33
(0) 4 94 85 93 93) the truffle king of Lorgues. A genial, generous giant, Bruno
will greet you in person, with the warmth of a long-time friend. He also beams
down as Jesus, from a humoristic mural of the Last Supper painted on the walls
of his restaurant! Do not take offence, but do take second helpings! The truffle
menus are a gastronomic experience not to be missed, and four rooms await those
who wish to digest them in peace.
Hostellerie Les Gorges de Pennafort
Opposite the deep-red cliffs of the Pennafort gorges, floodlit at night, the
idyllic, Michelin-starred Hostellerie Les Gorges de Pennafort +33 (0)4 94 76 66
51) is a destination no self-respecting gourmet should pass by. Its ebullient
owner and chef, Philippe Da Silva, dishes up such delicacies as a divine foie
gras ravioli with Parmesan, and he always adds little extras, leaving you
groaning with pleasure at the end of the meal. His wife Martine watches over the
elegant, 16-room hotel, making sure that everything is of the same high standard
as her husband’s cooking.
Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence : The Most Elegant AOC of Provence (1985)
Stretching from the Durance River south to the Mediterranean, and from Mont
Sainte-Victoire west to the Rhône Valley, this appellation covers some 4,000
hectares, where 75 vignerons produce 50% rosés, 45% reds and 5% whites. The
rosés are fruity and easy-to-like, and the top reds do not just resemble
Bordeaux because of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape used in them, but also for
their ability to age well.
The region’s centrepiece is the lovely town of Aix-en-Provence, which charms
all who visit with its splashing fountains, honey-coloured mansions, lively
cafés and fashionable shops. The great painter Paul Cézanne was born and died
here in 1906. To celebrate the centenary of his death next year, Aix, together
with the National Art Gallery of Washington, is organizing a fabulous,
not-to-be-missed exhibition of 110 of his works in the town’s newly renovated
Granet Art Museum.
Hôtel Le Pigonnet
If you want to savour the charms of Aix, make the Hôtel Le Pigonnet (+33 (0)4
42 59 02 90) your base for vineyard exploration. Set in showpiece grounds on the
southern outskirts of town, it is privately owned, impeccably run and has a
restaurant that is an attraction in its own right.
Château de Beaupré
From Aix, it is a short drive northwest along the N7 to one of the most
gracious wine estates of the appellation. Château de Beaupré, a former
stagecoach relay, was planted with vines in the late 19th C by Baron Emile
Double. You will be warmly welcomed at the stately château with its courtyard
and fountains, very likely by the present Baron Double in person. He pours
tasting samples generously from the estate’s expanding range of wines in all
colours. Particularly good and good-value, are the red and white Château de
Beaupré.
Domaine de la Brillane
Beautiful châteaux like Beaupré, with vineyards attached, are plentiful in
the Aix countryside. A recent addition to this collection of architectural gems,
only 7 km north of Aix, is the splendid Domaine de la Brillane. Built from the
ground up within the last five years, the magnificent ochre-coloured building
overlooks 18 hectares of vines that predate it, but had to be nursed back to
health by the domain’s charming and energetic creator, Rupert Birch. Together
with Mary Mertens, his partner in all of life’s adventures, he produces three
organic reds that have quickly started earning enthusiastic praise from the wine
trade. Five tastefully decorated chambres d’hôtes, with sublime views out of
every window, give you the chance to experience the daily life of the vineyard
first-hand.
Relais Sainte Victoire
One of the restaurant addresses Rupert and Mary may well share with you is
the Relais Sainte Victoire (+33 (0)4 42 66 94 98) right at the foot of the magic
mountain of Aix, which Cézanne painted so many times. Its jovial owner René
Bergès made headlines in spring 2005 when he decided to hand back his Michelin
star because he was tired of the constant pressure of having to live up to the
restaurant guide’s high expectations. Since his announcement, he has lowered his
prices, but not his standards, and more people than ever have been coming to
enjoy his Provençal specialties and relaxed.
Château de la Pioline
In surroundings that have none of the natural splendour of the Relais, right
beside a large shopping centre 5 km to the south of Aix, the 30-room Château de
la Pioline (+33 (0)4 42 52 27 27) proves that beauty can survive in the
unlikeliest places. Blessedly sheltered by a wooded park from the sounds and
sights of frenetic commerce outside, the 16th C century, beautifully restored
château is a hidden jewel. Young, talented chef Olivier Brissy serves classy
cuisine in the classic beauty of the Golden Drawing room.
Les Baux-de-Provence: The Most Distinctive AOC of Provence (1995)
An easy hour’s drive east of Aix-en-Provence, the Alpilles mountain chain
lifts its chiseled profile to the sky. Girdled by olive groves, almond orchards
and vineyards, it is crowned by the dramatic ruins of the medieval citadel of
Les Baux, from which the mighty warlords of the area, known and feared as a
“race of eagles” surveyed their domain.
The vineyards, spread below, were once part of the Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
area, but earned their own appellation for the reds and rosés, which account for
90% of the area’s production, in 1995. By nature, they are wines with a marked
earthy character that sets them apart. Organic and biodynamic production methods
are gaining ground among the local vintners, who believe in working with
nature’s rhythms to make the most unadulterated wines possible.
Château Romanin
Biodynamic
methods, which avoid all use of synthetic chemicals and treat the vineyard as a
living entity to be respected, have been applied ever since 1989 at Château
Romanin, just a few kilometres east of St. Remy. The cellar, a magnificent
underground cathedral dug into the mountainside, is a magical place, built on
tellurian principles, i.e. on intersecting planetary force lines. Whether you
believe in such power fields or not, the complex reds and refreshing rosés made
under its soaring arches regularly win awards.
La Cabro d’Or
A short drive, punctuated by a succession of breath-taking vistas, will take
you to La Cabro d’Or (+33 (0)4 90 54 33 21) an idyllic 31-room auberge set
amongst lovely gardens at the foot of Les Baux. The cuisine is Michelin-starred,
yet you can eat there for 45€, because its young chef, Michel Hulin, is more
interested in client satisfaction than a big profit margin.
Domaine Le Hameau des Baux
Within a couple of kilometers, in the hamlet of le Paradou, the 15-room
Domaine Le Hameau des Baux (+33 (0)49 54 10 30) is one of those special
addresses to share with close friends. A collection of character-filled old
buildings -- a barn, a cabanon, a chapel, a dovecote and a mill – have been
restored with impeccable taste, keeping the relaxed feel of a private home, with
just the right dash of contemporary boldness.
Château d’Estoublon
The
second wine estate around Les Baux we suggest you visit, is a veritable
showpiece outside Fontvielle, near the windmill that inspired the French author
Alphonse Daudet to write his “Lettres de mon moulin”. Château d’Estoublon,
originally built in the 15thC by Benedictine monks, was burnt down during the
Wars of Religion and rebuilt in the 18th C. In January 1999 it was purchased by
the Schneider family, owners of Breitling watches. They spared no expense or
energy to renovate the buildings and replant and revive the vineyard and olive
groves. The estate has converted to organic winemaking and called in Eloi
Dürrbach, one of France’s top vintners, to provide expert help in producing
wines that are full of character, tasting of the soil on which they grow. A
visit to Estoublon gives you the opportunity to sample both the domain’s wines
and its excellent olive oils.
Hostellerie du Vallon de Valrugues
From there, pick one of several scenic routes to take you back up past les
Baux, to the chic little town of Saint Rémy de Provence, with its tempting
boutiques and markets. Many international movie stars prefer its more discreet
charm to the resorts on the Mediterranean coast. To be pampered like a star,
stop over in the sumptuous Hostellerie du Vallon de Valrugues Tel: +33 (0) 4 90
92 04 40). Its many hedonistic comforts include a gastronomic restaurant, a spa,
a private putting green, a billiard room and tennis courts.
Tasting Hours
Note: It is advisable to call in check beforehand since opening hours may
change.
Cassis AOC:
Clos Sainte Magdeleine
Open Monday -Friday from 10am to noon and 3 pm to 7 pm; Sat/Sun by
appointment. 33 (0) 4 42 01 70 28
Château de Fontcreuse
Open Monday – Friday from 8 :30 am to noon and 2 pm to 5:45 pm +33 (0)4 42
01 71 09
Bandol AOC:
Château Pradeaux -- Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer
Open every day except Sunday, 9:00 am to noon and 3 pm to 6:30 pm. + 33 (0)4
94 32 10 21
Le Gros ‘Noré -- La Cadière d'Azur
Open Monday – Friday from 9 am to noon and from 2 pm to 5:30 pm; Sat/Sun by
appointment +33 (0)4 94 90 08 50
Côtes de Provence AOC:
Château Sainte- Roseline -- Les Arcs-sur-Argens
Open Monday – Friday from 9 am to noon and 2 to 7 pm; Sat/Sun from 10 am to
noon and 2 to 6 pm + 33 (0) 4 94 99 50 30
Château Font du Broc – Les Arcs-sur-Argens
Open Monday – Saturday from 9 am to noon and 2 pm to 6 pm +33(0)4 94 47 48
20
Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence :
Château de Beaupré – Saint-Cannat
Open every day from 9 am to noon and 2 pm to 6:30 pm +33 (0)4 42 57 33 59
Domaine de la Brillane – Aix-en-Provence
By appointment, please, since Rupert and Mary are often out working in the
vines.
+33 (0)4 42 54 21 44; Bed and breakfast: 95 -- 140€
Les Baux-de-Provence AOC:
Château Romanin -- Saint-Remy-de-Provence
Open Monday – Friday from 9 am to 6:30 pm; Sat/Sun from 11 am to 7 pm + 33
(0)4 90 92 45 87
Château d’Estoublon – Fontvieille
Open Monday – Friday from 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm
+33(0)4 90 54 64 00
© 2007 Copyright Ester Laushway & BKWine
Back to the
Guest Writer section
En français
