THE RHÔNE VALLEY R


Rhône Valley reds are easy to love. In the north, spiritual homeland of the Syrah grape, wines are brooding and silky. In the ‘blender’s paradise’ of the south, Syrah is just one of a trio of grape superstars. TV presenter Helena Nicklin set out to savour the best of food and wine the Rhone has to offer


hône the


is one three


yet when you travel there,


regions it


of


revered French wine


most and


doesn’t


feel like ‘wine Disneyland’ in any way. It’s super easy to drive around and there’s no need to find highfalutin food establishments to drink the best wines. In fact, the Rhône is where you can put together a picnic from the most incredible fresh food markets you’ve ever seen then head to the hills with a great bottle. Do this at least once with some good friends and have the most memorable food and wine experience ever. Having said that, there are some fine dining establishments that alone are worth the plane ticket. My suggestion would be to go for a long weekend and do a bit of both. I know this, because I just came back from doing precisely that with another foodie couple. There are


38 SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE


many ways you can do a long epicurean weekend in the Rhône Valley, but here’s one itinerary that’s tried and tested.


Thursday Fly into Lyon from London, to arrive late morning. Pick up a hire car (nice and simple here) and drive for 30 minutes to La Pyramide: a 4-star Relais & Chateaux hotel with impeccable service, a bistro for easy- going meals and the unmissable icing on the cake: Patrick Henriroux’s 2-star restaurant. Leave the car here, unpack and get a cab five minutes down the road to Bistro de Serine for light-ish lunch. This is a cosy bistro with a great outdoor space and a view of the vineyards in Ampuis. It also has pretty good, affordable food and an epic wine list. Do with this last bit of information what you will. It is around Ampuis that some of


(T) Rhone Valley


(B) Syrah: The red wine grape that rules the Northern Rhone Valley


the greatest Rhône wine producers are located (think Guigal, Ogier, Rostaing, Gerin). Tastings at these places are often by appointment only but the prices for their wines in Serine’s enoteca are sensible enough to buy some to try at your leisure. Take a little walk, get a cab back to La Pyramide where you can freshen up, have a stroll and be back in time for a cheeky little Viognier in the garden before your 2 Michelin star meal.


A LONG WEEKEND IN


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56