Rhone & Provence
The Rhône valley South from Lyon to the Rhone delta covering a distance of approximately 150 miles. It is divided in 2 parts - Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone. Northern Rhone is more famous for Syrah dominated wines while the Southern Rhone is home to a blend of grapes with Chateauneuf-du-Pape allowing upto 22 varieties in the blend. Most common is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre commonly known as GSM. The Rhone valley wines represent great value for money.
Provence is home to the finest expression of Rose.
Château de Montfaucon
Just across the Rhône river from the esteemed vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this 88-acre estate is owned and operated by Rodolphe de Pins, a UC Davis graduate and former member of the winemaking staff at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.
One of the strengths of Montfaucon is the diversity of soils and exposure (mainly calcareous pebble stone on silty sandy soil, soil with clay and sandy soil) combined with a large selection of Rhône grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Counoise, Viognier, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul). This diversity is an essential component of the quality, and helps gain an insight into the complexity of Montfaucon wines.
Domaine de la Janasse
Over the last quarter century, Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the most highly-regarded estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Led by siblings Christophe and Isabelle Sabon, the estate combines the best of both traditional and modern techniques to craft a collection of truly riveting wines from “simple” value-priced VDP’s to their benchmark Châteauneufs.
“I have long been a huge fan of the wines of the Sabon family of Domaine de la Janasse. Just about everything they make, from their Vin de Pays to their Côtes du Rhônes to their flagship Châteauneuf du Pape wines, are remarkable.” ... Robert Parker
Triennes
In 1989, two Burgundians, Jacques Seysses, founder of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conti, joined by their Parisian friend, Michel Macaux, went in search of new vineyards. They finally settled on a hillside, thirty kilometers from the Mediterranean with a special micro-climate in Southern France. Since 2008 Triennes began its organic conversion with Ecocert which should lead to its certification in the near future.
No wonder Triennes has won many awards including Best Rose