Advice sought on trip to Cote du Rhone

Marcia and I are very tentatively thinking of spending nine days - from February 21 to March 1 - visiting wineries in the northern and/or southern CdR. At this early point, I would love to get some advice, especially from those of you who have toured the area, on some basic issues such as:

Is nine days too little time to split between northern and southern CdR? Should we just stick to the northern cote? Should we stay in Valence?

I am using Bettane & Desseauve as a guide, but if anyone has any other literaure to suggest, including travel posts here and elsewhere, that would be great. Also, I'd love to hear of any places that you found truly memorable. Anticipated thanks!

Hi Oswaldo

I think that nine days is plenty of time, but you should spend more in the south than the north - perhaps 3 or 4 days in the north and 5 or 6 days in the south. As you know a visit to a wine region isn't just about the wines and producers (unless you are on a strictly professional buying or writing/research trip), it's about the whole experience of tasting, eating, shopping (perhaps) sight-seeing (whether for spectacular scenery or historical things) and for taking driving/walking tours etc. So, the split I suggest takes into account the whole experience. The north is somewhat of a desert for good places to stay and eat with a few very noble exceptions depending on your budget and whilst the vineyards in Côte Rôtie and Hermitage (and all the appellations in fact) are spectacular, they can be visited in a fairly short time. In the south, you have so many wonderful places to visit in terms of vineyard areas, producers, scenery, interesting towns and restaurants/hotels that you are spoilt for choice. Also, the south is a little more spread out, whereas the north is in a line, so-to-speak, though distances are further (and more tedious on busy roads) than you might think.

In conjunction with serious wine guides, my travel guides are what you need, but I'm much too shy to say that (and it's against the 'rules') ... one place that both my northern Rhône writer, an unknown passionate wine amateur called John Wheeldon and my southern Rhône writer - Master of Wine (and wine broker, educator, writer ...) Liz Berry agree on is a Restaurant with 3 rooms which is really in-between north and south called La Beaugravière - make sure you spend a night or two there and indulge in the food and amazing Rhône wine list - I've yet to go down there for the experience, but it's very much on my list.

It will still be winter when you are there - and be warned, a few places may be closed for the traditional February school ski holidays, but vineyard scenery should still be spectacular and it is that for me that is memorable in both areas. Let me know by private message/email etc if you need more specific help as I can't really write it all out here, but these are regions I've personally visited on several occasions - you should have a wonderful time.

in the north in addition to wine you have vahlrona chocolate in Tain and a good if large cheese producer not far from ampuis - fromagerie affinois i believe. too bad you can't be there at the end of january for the cote rotie marche' - all the producers tasting and selling their wines. in the south, i stronly recomend the entire western face of the dentelles - where nearly all the CDR Villages are. be sure to do them all - esp. the most northern one. vaison la romaine isn't far away and is worth the visit - beautiful old section. IMO the best olive oil in the world is made at the moulin des bederrides - don't know if they take visitors - upheavel with passing of the father. bederrides is at the edge of CDP - close to Telegraph? great if expensive restaurant/inn - the Auberge du Noves just south of Avignon. that's all i know.

I agree that 9 days is fine for both regions, and that more time should be spent in the south. While I've heard great things about the food and especially wine list at La Beaugravière, I've heard less good things about the accommodation there.

In the south, it's much easier to visit cellar doors without a reservation. In the north, you'll usually need appointments, especially in Feb/March. In Gigondas there is a wine cave in the centre of the village that pours many wines from this region. It's great fun visiting all the CDR villages (e.g., Sablet, Cairanne, Rasteau), and there are always new and known producers to drop into for a visit/taste. CDP is a great little village/region to wander in as well.

For the south, I usually stay in gites in the Gigondas/Vacqueyas area, as it's central. That is, the Provence towns are 30-45 minutes away in the south, CDP is about 20-30 minutes to the south-east, and many CDR towns are from 10-45 minutes to the north. Gites are inexpensive home stay type places - from a one bedroom apartment type place (always with full kitchen and bathroom) to a whole 2-3 bedroom house. I look for the ones among the vines at wineries, as I enjoy staying in the country and surrounded by vines. In peak season you might have to stay a week, but in winter you can probably get away with dropping in and booking for a few days at a time. There is a website that lists all the gites in France by region if you want to book in advance. Click on http://www.gites-de-france.com/gites/uk/rural_gites. There are many small hotels in the area as well.

It's a great region to visit!

Depends what you want to do and what your priorities are.

The South may have more tourist infrastructure but the north is spitting distance from Lyon. Which is not too shabby either.