A couple friends and I are headed down to the Rhone region in a couple months. We’re not complete newbies, and have done wine trips before – Napa, Piedmont, Burgundy – but are rather ignorant when it comes to the Rhone region. I took a look back on the forum and it doesn’t seem as if there is too much up-to-date info (and yes, I know that not too much will have changed over the past couple years), but we were even just looking for some basic structure / logistics to get started.
We will have 3 days in the Rhone (arrive in Paris on a Thursday morning, take the TGV to/from Lyon, head back to Paris Sunday afternoon to stay there for a Monday morning flight). So here are some basic questions:
1a) We were thinking the trip can take 2 directions – either split time between the northern Rhone and Beaujolais, or spend a full 3 days in the Rhone. Given the fact we are there for just 3 days, what makes the most sense? Tackling the whole Rhone might be difficult – and moreover, our tastes lean more towards northern Rhone and Beaujolais wines – but at the same time it would be a missed opportunity to not see the geographic/landscape and production/varietal diversity of the full Rhone.
1b) If we decide on N. Rhone and Beaujolais, I’d assume staying in Lyon would make the most sense. But if we decide to do the full Rhone in 3 days, what are some centrally located towns in which we can stay? Or are we better off staying a night or two each someplace in the south and then in the north?
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Does anyone have recommendations for good car services in the Northern and Southern Rhone that could pick us up every day, take us where we want to go, and drop us off in the evening? (I can get by in French so that is not an issue.) We don’t really need anyone to tailor a full itinerary for us as we like to be hands-on, just someone who can drive so we can drink is perfect.
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Wine! As I mentioned, we don’t know a whole lot about the Rhone but some of the producers that would be on our list are: Chave, Texier, Souhaut, Calek and Gonon. But it would be great to get some of your suggestions in terms of what visits have the best combination of experience and wine quality…and we definitely prefer more rustic, intimate ones than big shiny expensive chateaux. (Although one of those is fine.)
I think that’s it – look forward to your input.
Brandon