Keith Van Sickle Taste Wines and Spirits of Provence

Notre Dame des Pallières a Hidden Wine Gem in the Rhône Valley

Rhone Valley Wine Notre Dame des Pallières

Nestled among vineyards near the village of Gigondas sits Notre Dame des Pallières, a family-run winery specializing in the wines of the southern Rhône. It should be a stop for anyone who loves the robust, long-lived wines of this part of France.

Gigondas is sometimes described as the little brother of nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the wines are similar, with Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre dominating the reds. But while Châteauneuf-du-Pape is world famous—with prices to match—Gigondas provides delicious wines without all the fuss.

“As Satisfying as They Come”

Regarding Gigondas, Notre Dame des Pallières makes some of the best. At blind tastings among the village winemakers, their Gigondas consistently rank in the top ten out of hundreds of wines. The noted wine critic Jeb Dunnuck calls their wine “as satisfying as they come.” And yet, given their exceptional quality, their prices are very reasonable, making for some of the best-value wines.

That’s one of Pallières’ hallmarks: great wines at reasonable prices. And it’s not just their flagship wine, as the domaine offers a full range of reds, a white and a rosé. Care for a Sablet, a Lirac, a Rasteau? You’ll find them all here, as well as an excellent Côtes-du-Rhône.

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Five Generations of Winemakers

Wines have been made in Gigondas for centuries, and Notre Dame des Pallières sits on a privileged site that receives excellent sunshine. Family patriarch Jules Roux planted the estate’s vines over a hundred years ago, and some are still producing. Since Jules’ time, the domaine has been passed down from generation to generation.

In recent years, long-time winemaker Claude Roux has turned over his duties to daughter Isabelle and son Julien, making them the fifth generation to lead the estate. They have invested in up-to-date equipment and built a friendly new tasting room. They are experimenting with new cuvées, like a limited production of Gigondas made from their oldest vines.

However, they haven’t changed the traditional winemaking methods passed down from their ancestors, and the results are delicious wines. Notre Dame des Pallières is a hidden gem of the southern Rhône and worth a visit.

Practical Information

Notre Dame des Pallières (website)
311 Route de Lencieux
84190 Gigondas
Email: contact@pallieres.com
Telephone: +33 (0)4 90 65 83 03

Tasting room hours:
Monday – Saturday, 9-12 and 3-6 (summer)
Monday – Friday 9-12 and 3-5:30 (off-season)

Image Credits: All images courtesy of Notre Dame des Pallières and Keith Van Sickle

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Tags:Provence Wines,Rhone Valley Wines

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Keith Van Sickle

Keith and Val Van Sickle made their first trip to Provence decades ago, and it was love at first sight. After that, they came back every year until 2008, when they began a part-time life there, splitting their time between Provence and California.

Over the years, they’ve travelled all over Provence, seeing sights both well-known and obscure. Their French friends have introduced them to favourite restaurants and wineries and picnic spots and taught them funny local expressions (not all for polite company).

Keith now shares this local knowledge in his new book, An Insider’s Guide to Provence. Packed with the Van Sickles’ favourite things to see and do, it’s a must-have for anyone travelling to this glorious corner of France.

Keith previously published two books about the couple's experiences in Provence. One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence, and Are We French Yet?, both are available from Amazon.

You can see all of Keith’s blog posts at Life in Provence.