France: Homestyle

Select a Wine & a Home

Will 2002 be a good vintage? With fall wine making now well under-way in France,
we'd like to call your attention to a few more of our lovely historic homes.

Each is located in a different region that produces its own unique and outstanding wines.
Perhaps you can experience the wine making process firsthand in 2003.

Alsace

"Eguisheim Village House"

A week or two in this picturesque village house in Eguisheim will give you the chance to explore the famous Alsace "Route du Vin".

The Alsace Wine Route winds its way from north to south for 170 kilometers, crossing undulating hillsides and meandering through pretty villages with narrow streets and flower-bedecked half-timbered houses. Signposted paths invite the visitor to walk through the vineyards discovering first hand the work of the winegrower and the diversity of the grape varieties.

Eguisheim produces two "Grands Crus": Eichberh and Pfersigberg. Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat, white wines from this region, are aromatic and irresistible. The excellent Pinot Noir is the only local red variety.

Rhone

"L'Arinier" at Caromb

We offer you this large, classic Provencal home, L'Arinier, located just north of Carpentras and northeast of the historical Chateauneuf du Pape.

Winding through the Rhone Valley, the Rhone River is lined on both sides with numerous vineyards. This region has a long and famous history of wine making with the Phoenician Greeks first cultivating vines here circa. 600 BC. Vinsobres, Beaumes-de-Venise, Cairanne, Rasteau, Séguret, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Tavel are all names you will see on the shelves of the local wine shops. These are also the names of the villages you will visit when you stay at L'Arinier and travel on the strikingly beautiful road towards Avignon. Try it at sunset; it is a poet's dream.

Côtes du Luberon

"Bastide La Panisse", on Val-Joanis Estate, at Pertuis

Surrounded by fields and vineyards, La Panisse is a perfectly restored 16th century country house located on a large estate east of Avignon and north of Aix.

In Roman times, wines from Val-Joanis were carried down via Domitia to Rome to be enjoyed in the Roman capital. The foundations of an ancient Roman villa are still visible at one end of the property. With concern for the environment being high priority, chemical fertilizers are banned and other environmentally friendly practices are employed. This is an ideal setting from which to enjoy French life and French wine.

Côtes de Provence

"La Meridienne" at La Cadière d'Azur

La Meridienne, near Bandol, is a beautifully landscaped estate with two stately homes, a large pool, and views of the Mediterranean.

Fresh rosés and gusty reds have made this area's reputation. These fragrant and tasteful Bandol wines are grown in arid terraces cut into the hillsides above a scenic stretch of coast with fine sandy beaches and vibrant views. Eight villages around Bandol produce these wines.

One of the many wine estates, Domaine de Saletes at La Cadière d'Azur, has been in the family since 1602. A delicious, fragrant, white wine is produced in Cassis, a short scenic drive east from La Cadière.

France: Homestyle, your French vacation specialists.

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