Blog Archives

April 4, 2012

Hello Again – Happy Spring!!First – vineyard news:The vineyards around the area are all growing by leaps and bounds.  We have had mostly sunny and relatively warm weather, with the occasional rainy day – – just what the vines need to grow up big and strong.  Its a great start to the new year.It is this time of year that makes me SAD to have needed to sell-off the vineyard.  I have always looked forward to the new growing season with anticipation for a great vintage- but not for me this year….it is now up to Isabel at Domaine Saint Prefert.I should...

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March 9, 2012

Hi All – the travelogue continues:This Week – HILL TOWNS of the COTES DU RHONE (part deux)This week takes us to Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise – homes to some most interesting wines.First stop is maybe a quick nip into La Bastide Saint Francis, which is actually down on the flats just outside the small town of Violes, But they have vineyards up in the AOC of Gigondas, and make some very nice wines…plus its on the way.Or, another potential visit is to Domaine Saint Damien – another ‘along-the-way’ stop down on the valley floor. This is a...

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March 2, 2012

Hi AllI know, its been more than a week!Up this week: HILL TOWNS OF THE COTES du RHONE (part un)This trip we start with the little town of Seguret. This home to about 200 folks is built into the side of the hill toward the northern end of the hills – the Dentelles de Montmirail. They are the eastern border of the Rhone Valley. And it is here that most of the Cotes du Rhone Villages are situated.We start by going up to, and then past, the entrance to the town and push our way up the hillside to Domaine de Mourchon. Established back in 1988 by Walter McKinlay, this domaine produces...

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