the Rhone Valley |
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Text and photos by Panos Kakaviatos The heart of Lyon at Cour des Loges It takes just over two hours to travel to Lyon by train from Paris, or you can rent a car, more useful for visiting the vineyards of the northern Rhone, and to travel to the south. In the north, I first stayed in Lyon – France’s second largest metropolitan area after Paris – whose gorgeous original medieval city (Vieux-Lyon), built on the west bank of the Saône river, is recognized a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I stayed at a fabulous hotel in the heart of the old city, with access to all the major sites and museums, including the textile museum, the fashion design museum, the manuscript museum and the Gallo-Roman history museum, just next to the Roman amphitheatres, well worth the detour. Lyon’s richness, both culinary and cultural, is nicely displayed at the colorful Italian Renaissance style hotel Cour des Loges, where guests are treated to a kaleidoscope of colors and designs. Each of the hotel’s 62 rooms is decorated differently – and with taste – and discrete passageways permit people to sneak from one part of the hotel to another: what the Lyonais call la traboule or to trabouler, which means literally to sneak through. It was hard enough to find the hotel entrance, however, which required driving through pedestrian zones. Lost, I asked a waitress at an outdoor café where to go, and she curtly replied: Toujours la même question. Always the same question. Inadvertently driving past the hotel entrance, I noticed a well dressed man running after my car: he was none other than a hotel clerk who kindly drove the car into the hotel’s garage... after catching up with me. As one enters, the hotel has the feel of a Renaissance villa in Venice, with rose-colored interior balconies, still incorporating the modern, such as sleek and thin glass doors that open upon entrance to the hotel, which also features artist exhibits twice a year. I took a tour of the rooms, which include six large “Italian” style chambers as well as smaller more affordable rooms with the bed on the mezzanine. Famous architect and interior designer Philippe Starck designed modern-style bathrooms in all rooms, which mix well with the red color interiors. The hotel’s two matching buildings date from the 17th century. I stayed in the 14th century tower. The most expensive room is a suite for 560 euros a night. But I sampled the 460-euro a night “Piazzetta” room… with zebra like walls. I could not pass up a place chosen by the then G-7 when it held meetings in Lyon, not to mention rock stars like Robbie Williams in 2004. The most memorable rock star to visit was Michael Jackson, who for a one night stay needed five carts for his baggage. “Not including the baggage for his group and body guards,” remarked the concierge. Grand cuisine in Vienne: La Pyramide Heading to the vineyards of the northern Rhone, I chose to stay at other great hotel and better known two-star Michelin restaurant, La Pyramide in Vienne, not far from Lyon. The restaurant is in fact a legend for French cuisine, formerly owned by the great French chef Fernand Point, the inventor of nouvelle cuisine and teacher of such chefs as Paul Bocuse, Jean Troisgrois, Alain Chapel and Emile Jung among others. The yellow-walled restaurant today includes large format paintings of vegetables and fruits that chef and owner Patrick Henriroux installed. Both driven and amiable, Henriroux instills his cuisine with class and inspiration. I enjoyed a delicious serving of frogs legs in a delicate cream sauce with fresh string beans, grapefruit confit, frog sot-ly-laisses and a delectably fresh garlic cream which was balanced by the sweet grapefruit (see left photo). As delicious as they were originally presented and, well, pretty to look at, things began with an assortment of amuses bouches, including rillette in a small batter wrap shaped like a … bon bon candy, a daring mousse of… shrimp, which I only kind of liked because it was so odd! I was still very impressed with a chef making a mousse out of shrimp. Various vegetables fried in a light batter proved impressive, too, but the most delicious: a black olive Madeleine fondant, which was almost as sweet as chocolate, but tasted of black olive! Then came a lovely serving of chorizo and rouget (the middle food and the second photo), with a spicy eggplant "layer" (to the left) and rondelle de crabbe (to the right). The cheese plate, right photo, was most impressive, as were the wines selected by head sommelier Jean-Claude Roset (at left in the cheese plate photo), which were all absolutely delicious.
for the spicy chorizo, though its floral notes also matched the subtle fish flavors well too. He also perfectly matched the three cow milk based Marsallane, Epoisse and Maroilles cheeses and several goat milk based cheeses (including a savory Brin d’Amour from Corsica, Perrail and rich Bria Savarin) with a wine I had never heard of: a Coteau de Seyssvel “Sotanum” 1996 (100% Syrah) made by three well-known winemakers, Cuilleron, Gaillard and Villard as well as a Vin de Pays des Collines 2002, which was very licorice like and full bodied. Probably one of the best vins de pays I have ever had …
could possibly desire, including from the most famous (and expensive) producers, like Chave, Jaboulet, and Guigal, among many others. Prices seemed good for the wines, however, for a restaurant: a 1999 Chave Hermitage cost 158 euros, a 1999 Jaboulet, 162 euros, though a 1995 Chave Cuvee Catheline cost … 802 euros. But this is rare wine! The restaurant also featured a nice selection of wines from other regions, including more obscure wines from the Jura, for example. My eye was caught by a … 1955 Chateau Latour in a magnum format, at just under 2000 euros, as well as that most famous of Burgundies, a 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, for 5,537 euros. The wine list includes four pages of rare collection wines in the cave but not available for dinner, wines from the 19th and early- to mid-20th century, and major rarities, like a pre-French Revolution cognac (1788). For chef Patrick Henriroux, there is no off season, as he seems always on the move. Whether traveling to Japan to train aspiring chefs outside France or walking over to the local Vienne market for fresh produce for the restaurant, he is focused in his goal to be “the best two-star Michelin restaurant in France.”
the lunch hour, and began with a critique of what he called “easy exits” in cuisine today. For the sake of appearing trendy or international, he said that too many chefs tend to copy what they see outside their country but lose their roots. ‘How many chefs today know how to make basic French food in a traditional manner?’ he asked rhetorically. The notion of communicating savoir faire is being lost and in this way he echoed Jean Claude Barbier, the charismatic chef I met in Bordeaux back in 2004 from the restaurant Lion d’Or in Arcins, who complained that no young people can pluck a chicken anymore…Henriroux certainly knows his chickens, having worked at Auberge Bressane for seven years, a Michelin two-star known for its succulent volaille de Bresse. Indeed, all poultry at La Pyramide is prepared in the kitchen. ‘We have over 100 suppliers of food within a 25 kilometer radius,’ Henriroux said, stressing the importance of local suppliers for the freshness and for the regional character of his cuisine. Though interested in maintaining French identity in cuisine, Henriroux also stressed the need for international staff at the restaurant, such as a German server who had worked in a three star restaurant in Germany and a Japanese assistant sommelier whose wife is French. ‘We need international staff, not just for their ability to speak foreign languages – we French are not as good as we should be in that regard – but also to provide international perspectives to cuisine and to work.’ Indeed, Henriroux also criticized the lack of flexibility in the French marketplace. ‘We are squeezed with costs and thus cannot hire as many people as we would like. It costs too much,’ he said. ‘When I go abroad, I see how restaurants can invest more in service to the customer. In France however the customer is not winning, as government is squeezing margins for owners.’ While eating a sumptuous meal at his restaurant, however, I certainly felt like a winner, and wondered why he wants to stay at the two-star level… ‘For those who cannot afford a three star,’ he replied. He also prefers being at the top of the two-star level rather than fighting it out among the three stars. He only bought the restaurant in 1996 and recently opened the hotel, so that has been providing enough work and stress. At least for now.
wines from the producers Jamet in Cote Rotie, Paul Jaboulet and Chapoutier, also in Tain l'Hermitage. I received warm welcomes from all three properties and particularly cherished the time that Chapoutier manager Catherine Ronné took to guide me through the impressively steep vineyards of the Northern Rhone. Just after arriving at the modern offices of Chapoutier, Catherine was kind enough to seat my companion and me in a 4x4 and drive us up the legendary slopes of Hermitage (photo, at left)! At times I felt slightly queezy, as we road somewhat unsteadily up the steep terraced 125-hectare vineyard, 32 of which are owned by Chapoutier. The upper slope is very granite, while the lower part is granite and crushed granite. Chapoutier possesses vines in different areas to create a wide variety of wines. For example, one part of the vineyard has a magnificent southern sun exposure, soils are clay and limestone, and here is where vines are grown to make the famous Le Meal. The other side of the hill has more limestone, which is good for the white Chante Alouette. The lower, more fertile clay soils of Hermitage include vines for the Greffier wine. Weeds are grown among the vines to compete for nutrients, and bring insects and certain types of flies. Biodynamic winemaking. Few if any chemicals used and no machines (photo, at right). The name Chapoutier exists in the Rhône Valley since 1808. In 1879, the distant ancestor Polydor Chapoutier was the first to begin to buy vines, thus moving from the status of wine-grower of an estate to that of a viticulturist, a wine producer and a businessman. The pioneering spirit was already present in the family. Current owner Michel Chapoutier is only 41 years old, and is a very active wine maker: the only producer to own vineyards in all of the major Rhône appellations. Catherine drove us up to the La Chapelle vineyard with a view of the St. Joseph hill across the river (photo, middle). The appellation has grown too quickly, but one can be certain that most St. Joseph wines on that granite hill are very nice.
Belleruche 2003: Between Orange and Chateauneuf du Pape, creates an easy drinking (though tad too alcoholic) white made up of Grenache Blanc, Bouboulenc, Clairette. Chante Alouette 2001: Now we’re talking. 100% Marsanne, with floral and acacia aromas, a nice fat feeling but still mineral, though a tad hot on the back end. Le Meal 2001: Lower altitude vines than Chante Alouette, where there may be too much wind. This is made from vines at a lower more stable level, with limestone. Has greater structure on the palate, though a less expressive nose. 100% Marsanne. Brooding white, but shows much character. Too young! Cotes du Rhone 2003: 60% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvedre. Dark fruit, ripe, a bit jammy but spicy. Some astringent notes. Overall, a nice Cote du Rhones and better than Parallel 45. La Sizeranne Hermitage 2003: Named after the guy who invented Braille language (Chapoutier translates all wines into Braille on the label). Subtle nose, not too expressive, a bit thick and syrup like on the palate. 14.5% La Pavillion 2001: Nose is spicy, so is mouth though slightly green tannins. Le Meal 2001: Nose is not so expressive, mouth is tight, but grainy. Nose then turns to cinnamon and pain d’epice (gingerbread). Love those granular tannins on the palate! L’Ermite 2001: Leather notes and cracked pepper. Mouth is a tad sour, tight. An austere wine at this stage. Jamet Cote Rotie I late met with Jean-Luc Jamet, co-owner of Domaine Jamet in Cote Rotie. The appellation Cote Rotie contains 250 acres (twice as much as Hermitage), with two major types of soil: the granite northern part and the schistes to in the South. 2003 was a precocious vintage, with veraison on July 10! By August 10, the Jamets noticed something strange: the vine was taking water from the grapes to stay alive – it was that dry and hot. Harvest started on August 30 (others on August 20) and finished on September 10. “We lack minerality and freshness in 2003,” Jamet said. The appellation contains about 70 registered lieu-dits (cadastres), with about 130 vintners who declare their harvests. Out of the 130, some 50 sell to Guigal.
foreigners in France who know our wine,” Jamet said. The domain’s 8 hectares are grown in 25 different parcels and 16 lieu-dits (two parcels on Cote Blonde, for example). The Cote Blonde is granite soil, while the Cote Brune is schist. The domain has been in the family since 1948, but his father put wine in bottle since 1976. Before, grapes were sold to Chapoutier. He took over with his brother in 1986. Average age of the vines is about 20 and he looks forward to the vines gaining complexity with more age, though he thinks that the terroir already speaks for itself. Indeed he and his brother have spent much time learning their own terroir to make the best possible wines. Winemaking is not completely organic. There is some treatment but hardly no engrais chimique. Aging takes place in only about 20% new oak for some 22 months, with one racking generally. In August last year, Jamet was positive about the coming 2005 vintage. It had just rained (about 33 mm on August 20). He said that he did not need more. We also tried several barrel samples of the 2004, all of which tasted very nicely, reflecting the various terroirs. One from limestone and schist proved somewhat salty, with some blackberry notes and exuded greater freshness than another riper sample, which possessed kirsch with violets as well. Still another sample from a new barrel was quite toasty, while a sample from the Moutonne and Landonne vineyards were VERY floral, and that from a pure schist vineyard whose name I do not recall tasted of gingerbread and white chocolate and possessed nice corpulence and structure.
2003: raspberry, cherry, fresh nose, bit of strawberry jam on the palate, a bit of licorice. Not exceptional. 13.3% 2002: a bit like 2004, he said. Cooler in July with some pourriture, but harvest in sunny conditions. Nose is violet and mentholated. Slightly spicy with ginger notes. Tight on the palate. 2001: Violet flower essence, some vanilla as well. Nice corpulence, elegant minerality. Palate is rather tight now, but much more breadth than the 2002. 1995: Nose is cinnamon, Syrah at a reduced state, he said. Mouth is tight, tasting young (reminded me of the Guigal Brune and Blonde of 1995 when I tasted it a few years ago and it was tight and even sour, but was lovely last year!). Very nice structure. 1988: Disappointing bottle! Hard and edgy, with very earthy aromas. Brief visit to Paul Jaboulet During my trip last August, I also met with Michel Jaboulet (photo, at left). He was happy with how the 2005 was developing, and noted the healthy state of the vines and grapes as well as the beneficial August rainfall (35-40 mm on his vineyards, photo center). Tasting notes Le Chevalier de Sterimburg 2002: 35% Roussane and 65% Marsanne: Nose is tight, structure on the palate, though slightly alcoholic feel, with citrus notes (grapefruit). Le Chevalier de Sterimburg 2001: Same blend. Acacia on the nose. Reminded me of the Clos des Papes 1998 (white) I had tasted earlier on the trip, while the 2000 was somewhat flatter with a bit less acidity. Domaine Raymond Roure Crozes Hermitage 2001: 100% Marsanne. Candied flavors, north of Tain Hermitage, from vines on sandy soils. Rather thick feeling. Parallel 45 2003 (50% Grenache, 50% Syrah): Not bad for a low end Cote du Rhone, while the 2001 was better, despite slight astringent notes, it was also pleasingly licorice like. Domaine Raymond Roure Crozes Hermitage 2001 (red) 100% Syrah. Five hectares around Tain l’Hermitage, pure granite. A meaty nose, but the palate is edgy and thin La Petite Chapelle 2001 (second wine of La Chapelle): Pepper and licorice notes, the palate possessed body and structure but slight green notes bothered me. La Chapelle Hermitage 2003: Not yet in bottle. Mouth coating tannins, with bit of press vine, which he liked. Very full bodied and fine structure. A nice wine. About 50% of grapes used to make first wine. La Chapelle Hermitage 2002: Only 30,000 bottles made in this vintage. Pepper, raspberry and tannic – more so than the previous. Just 30% of grapes picked used to make first wine. La Chapelle Hermitage 2000: A bit of earth, some mushroom, and a slightly wet dog mouth! Some acidity, as well, but disjointed. Perhaps an awkward moment for this wine?
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A tour of France’s 497-mile Rhone Valley is a study in contrasts. In the cooler north, the gastronomic
capitol of Lyon is close to Hermitage and Cote Rotie, where bold red wines are crafted from the
famous Syrah grape. To the warmer south, the former residence of the French Popes, Avignon, lies
but several miles away from the Rhone’s most famous appellation: Chateauneuf du Pape. Rich and
succulent, Chateauneuf du Pape wines mix up to … 13 grapes, including Syrah but also Grenache,
Mourvedre, Cinsault and a panoply of others. There are also other great wines to discover in the
Rhone Valley, including your basic Cotes du Rhone, Gigondas, and Saint Joseph. Not to be
overlooked: the famous whites of Hermitage as well as Condrieu. This essay will include not only a
nice selection of tastings notes on some great wines (Jaboulet, Hermitage, Jamet in the North and
Vieux Telegraphe and Clos des Papes in the South), but also tips on where to stay and what to see as
you trek through the Rhone.
Photos (above): at top: that's me examining grapes at Chapoutier vineyards in Hermitage / upper left,
the famous large pebble La Crau vineyard of Vieux Telegraphe with red and yellow clays underneath /
lower left, cheese board at the Michelin two-star restaurant La Pyramide in Vienne / middle large
photo: the famous chapel on the Hermitage vineyard / upper right, terraced vines at Hermitage / lower
right, Avignon.
Photo (at right): luxurious stay at Cour des Loges in Lyon
capitol of Lyon is close to Hermitage and Cote Rotie, where bold red wines are crafted from the
famous Syrah grape. To the warmer south, the former residence of the French Popes, Avignon, lies
but several miles away from the Rhone’s most famous appellation: Chateauneuf du Pape. Rich and
succulent, Chateauneuf du Pape wines mix up to … 13 grapes, including Syrah but also Grenache,
Mourvedre, Cinsault and a panoply of others. There are also other great wines to discover in the
Rhone Valley, including your basic Cotes du Rhone, Gigondas, and Saint Joseph. Not to be
overlooked: the famous whites of Hermitage as well as Condrieu. This essay will include not only a
nice selection of tastings notes on some great wines (Jaboulet, Hermitage, Jamet in the North and
Vieux Telegraphe and Clos des Papes in the South), but also tips on where to stay and what to see as
you trek through the Rhone.
Photos (above): at top: that's me examining grapes at Chapoutier vineyards in Hermitage / upper left,
the famous large pebble La Crau vineyard of Vieux Telegraphe with red and yellow clays underneath /
lower left, cheese board at the Michelin two-star restaurant La Pyramide in Vienne / middle large
photo: the famous chapel on the Hermitage vineyard / upper right, terraced vines at Hermitage / lower
right, Avignon.
Photo (at right): luxurious stay at Cour des Loges in Lyon
Photos, above: Fresh fish at the Cour des Loges gourmet restaurant, with an outdoor balcony is perfect choice for a summertime meal / center: the
spacious Cour des Loges atrium in between the hotel's Renaissance buildings offers a spacious and comfortable setting for one's morning coffee /
right: one of the many originally decorated rooms at the hotel, this one with a cinema theme.
spacious Cour des Loges atrium in between the hotel's Renaissance buildings offers a spacious and comfortable setting for one's morning coffee /
right: one of the many originally decorated rooms at the hotel, this one with a cinema theme.
Speaking with Pyramide Chef Patrick Henriroux: 'At
this stage, it is better for me to be at the top level of
the two-star Michelin hotels than to be a three star.'
He also spoke of the need for France to learn from the
outside world, and stressed the importance of hiring
foreign personnel as well as traveling abroad.
this stage, it is better for me to be at the top level of
the two-star Michelin hotels than to be a three star.'
He also spoke of the need for France to learn from the
outside world, and stressed the importance of hiring
foreign personnel as well as traveling abroad.
Dessert put an accent on what turned out to be one of the finest dining
experiences I have ever enjoyed. After a series of small yet creatively
prepared sweets, such as mini candied apples, a crunchy home-made
hazelnut cream, a fresh strawberry tart and peach in a lemon verveine
sauce (among others!), my companion ordered a work of art, and we
probably stared at the raspberries and blueberries encased in a clear
sugar cone under a praline arc, supported by a small shortbread cake,
which was accompanied by a white chocolate mousse. I ordered a very
delicious lavender custard with apricot sorbet, and slices of fresh
apricot - which was also very nicely presented - but nothing beats the
photo at left ! Finally, sommelier Jean-Claude served a fine Beaume
de Venise Cave Castaud to go with the desserts.
experiences I have ever enjoyed. After a series of small yet creatively
prepared sweets, such as mini candied apples, a crunchy home-made
hazelnut cream, a fresh strawberry tart and peach in a lemon verveine
sauce (among others!), my companion ordered a work of art, and we
probably stared at the raspberries and blueberries encased in a clear
sugar cone under a praline arc, supported by a small shortbread cake,
which was accompanied by a white chocolate mousse. I ordered a very
delicious lavender custard with apricot sorbet, and slices of fresh
apricot - which was also very nicely presented - but nothing beats the
photo at left ! Finally, sommelier Jean-Claude served a fine Beaume
de Venise Cave Castaud to go with the desserts.
