Ampuis: Walking Tour of the Côte-Rôtie Terraces and Tasting at a Winemaker's
ID: GYG1473863-2266056
Categorie:
Land: Frankrijk
Duur:
03:00 uren
Beschrijving
Côte-Rôtie is one of the steepest vineyards in France, and almost nothing of it can be seen from the road. Three hours to climb it with a guide from the village, then a tasting at a winemaker's.
Côte-Rôtie is the northernmost of the great vineyards of the Rhône, and one of the most difficult to cultivate in France. The hillside rises nearly three hundred meters above the river in dry-stone terraces, some of Roman origin, most far too narrow for a machine. Everything is still done by hand there, on a slope that no tractor can handle.
Your guide lives in Ampuis, at the foot of these terraces. We meet in the village, where we take the time to study the hillside from below before climbing it. We then take the paths that separate the plots: the walls that retain both the soil and the heat, the wooden stakes that support each Syrah vine where no wire can pass, and the few rows of white Viognier still planted and pressed with the red grapes.
The ascent leads to a vantage point from which the vineyard can be taken in at a glance: the dark schist of the Côte Brune on one side, the lighter granitic sands of the Côte Blonde on the other, and the Rhône Valley below. This is where everything you've encountered along the way comes together.
We head back down along the vineyard paths, between the stone huts and the old vines, and then the walk ends at the home of a Côte-Rôtie winemaker, just a few minutes away. The time slot is booked for you in advance: you are expected, and you will taste the wines of the hillside you have just explored, often with the person who makes them. Payment for the tasting is made directly at the estate.
No rehearsed speeches, and never more than six people: questions are welcome, and the route is adapted to the weather and the season – the grape harvest in September is nothing like pruning in February.
Hoogtepunten
- Explore the dry-stone terraces with a guide who lives in the village
- Understand why Syrah and Viognier share the same impossible slope
- Compare the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde from the paths of Ampuis
- End with a tasting at the home of a partner winemaker in the village
- Explore the hillside in a small group of no more than 6 people
Talen
BELANGRIJKE INFORMATIE
Your guide is French-speaking and also leads the tour in English. He speaks it well ("good level/upper intermediate"), but has more difficulty understanding strong accents: feel free to repeat a question – he prefers to ask twice rather than give an incorrect answer.
The tour lasts 3 hours, including approximately 1 hour at the winemaker's. The tasting slot is booked for the group in advance; each person pays for their tasting directly at the winery – expect to pay €6 to €12 per person. It is only available for those aged 18 and over; soft drinks are offered to younger participants.
The tour will take place in light rain. In the event of a thunderstorm warning or strong wind, your guide will contact you as soon as possible to arrange a solution (an alternative that still includes the cellar tour). If necessary, visitors are eligible for a guaranteed full refund.
Small group: maximum of 6 participants.
The tour does not include entry to museums or historic monuments.
Place de l'Église, in front of the church porch, just opposite the pharmacy. Your guide will be waiting for you there ten minutes before departure. Free parking in the square and in the immediate vicinity.
INCLUDED
- Local guide, in a small group of no more than 6 people
- Live commentary throughout the tour
- Reservation of a tasting time slot at the premises of a Côte-Rôtie partner winemaker
- Route adapted to the season and weather
NIET INBEGREPEN.
- The tasting itself, paid for directly at the winery (expect to pay €6 to €12 per person, depending on the winemaker)
- Food and drinks
- Round-trip transportation to the meeting point
- Admission to any paid site, museum, or historic monument
- Accommodation
Wanneer moet ik boeken?
Om de beschikbaarheid te garanderen, dient u zo snel mogelijk te reserveren. Vroegboekkorting is het overwegen waard, vooral als u de reis plant tijdens het hoogseizoen, zoals op feestdagen of in het weekend.
Annuleringen
Deze excursie kunt u kosteloos annuleren tot: annuleringstijd voor aanvang van de reis. Bij annulering na: annulering na: annuleringstijd of niet aanwezig zijn op de excursie wordt de volledige prijs van de activiteit alsnog in rekening gebracht. Te laat komen bij het ophalen of vertrekken wordt beschouwd als niet komen opdagen.
