2024 – What's new in the Rhône Valley

They say wine-tasting is an art, but it’s just as important to trust your own instincts and tastes. Less than 10 minutes from Uzès, Domaine Deleuze Rochetin offers an introduction to wine-tasting, showcasing the white wines of the Duché D’Uzès appellation and explaining why they feature such a wealth of flavours, as well as that enviable tang of freshness.  A little further north, near Tain l’Hermitage, visit the Clairmont winery to explore a range of grape varieties and their unique characteristics, then learn how to blend them to perfection. In a two-hour workshop, imagine you’re the cellar master, and create a wine that truly reflects you.  You’ll soon get the hang of being a winemaker’s apprentice, and you’ll go home proud of your own personal vintage!

It’s no exaggeration – there really must be a thousand different ways to explore the vineyards. Start at Cellier des Princes, for example, where there’s an 8 km accessible walking trail complete with a treasure hunt for children. A little further afield, in the Dentelles de Montmirail, and you can explore the slopes on a classic e-moped – an experience offered by Domaine Xavier Vignon. Admire  the landscapes of Beaumes de Venise before heading back to the winery for a guided tasting.  

Or would you prefer someone to drive you? Even then you have a choice: Mehari or 4x4? The Fabre brothers at Domaine des Romarins offer a tour of their estate (in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues appellation) in a Mehari, with wine-tasting, naturally, and a little surprise when you visit the winery. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Rhône in Sarrians, why not try a vineyard safari, featuring a unique visit to the vine nursery from which Fontaine du Clos, along with many other estates in the Rhône Valley and throughout France, source their plants.

We’re confident that once you’ve spent a little time exploring with us, you’ll want to stay longer. Treat yourself to some well-deserved peace and quiet at Domaine de Panery, once a farm, but now a vineyard since the 19th century. Wind down and relax amid vines and olive groves, in one of the 15 rooms in the newly opened hotel.  

Meanwhile, in Luberon, Château Saint Pierre de Méjans offers five guest rooms, with breakfast, plus a self–contained villa for rental by the week. Here too, the serenity of nature and the timeless charm of ancient stone will make your stay truly magical.