This article “Winter Pruning: Why so Severe?” first appeared on Michèle Foster’s Think Pink Blog. Pruning: Out with the Old In wintertime, I find myself feeling a little sorry for the grapevines at the vineyards in Provence. The pruning looks severe, but we know that grapes grow on one-year-old wood. …

Gigondas Village We are blessed to have a house in Sablet, France and live as locals several times a year. We love our location at the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail, surrounded by vineyards as far as you can see. There is plenty to do in the area, starting with …

France’s Rhône Valley is significant on the world stage. At roughly three times the size of the Napa Valley, the diversity of this region is staggering. It’s divided into two segments: septendrial (North) and méridionale (South). The north is more linear: many independent winegrowers, mainly granite soil, dominated by single …

A Visit to Châteauneuf-du-Pape One of many things that attracted us to Sablet was its location in the Côtes du Rhône and proximity to world-renown wine villages such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We like all the wines from this area, but our favourites are Châteauneuf-du-Papes, and we go there …

David Scott Allen for Provence WineZine: Spice and wine are not always fast friends. Admittedly I like both, so my culinary goal is to find the right combination that will showcase both the food and the wine. Hence, the recipe for Spiced Duck with Blackberry-Balsamic Reduction was a challenge to …

Standing guard with a fabulous view looking south over the Rhône Valley is the magnificent hill of Hermitage, crowned by the famous chapel of St Christopher. Geologically, the hill was part of the right bank Massif Central until the Rhône River burrowed its way to the west, ensuring Hermitage as …

What’s the difference between France’s Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône Valleys? The difference is latitude. There. My work is done. Of course, I’m just kidding, but let’s start there. The Rhône River runs in a relatively straight, north-south path by the time it wedges into France from Switzerland near Lyon. …

Popes and Red Wine Villages in Provence’s Rhone Valley In my view, there is no better place to begin this wine village itinerary than historic Avignon. The city was once the seat of the Catholic Church and home of several Popes during the Middle Ages. I have chosen seven of …

Northern Rhône Wines Along with vintage, cépage (grapes), producer, a geographic tag is attached to Rhône Valley wines. The northern section stretches 65 kilometres (40 miles) running from Vienne to Valence. Wines from the Southern Rhône are part of the production in Provence. When it comes to wine, there is …

There is no need to explain that the 4th of July is a big holiday in the United States. Even for non-US residents, social media is awash in red-white-and-blue recipes well in advance of the celebration. This holiday is often a day when friends and family gather for lovely meals …