- Becca with Hugues Meffre
It
seems the Rhône Valley is uniquely blessed this year … as long as the
good weather stays another couple of weeks. The rest of France hasn't
had it easy in 2012 but here, so far, it looks perfect. Not a big crop,
though. So we are here early - harvest is just starting - with Becca to
ensure we get plenty.
Also it’s a photo trip. Five
years now I've been taking my photographer friend Yves Gellie round the
old haunts to record it all for posterity … like for when I've popped my
clogs. We're capturing our lovely wine world as it is now. Because it
has changed, always will.
First stop: 'Le Plan de Dieu' or 'God's Plain'; a part of the Côtes du Rhône we are now finding very exciting. This wasn't always so. I remember 'le Plan'
as this vast, flat, featureless expanse of stones and vines I always
had to cross to get to my long-term supplier, André Roux, near Gigondas
on the far side. This part of the Rhône river plain made quite good
Côtes du Rhône back then, but its vineyards were relatively new compared
to those of the really old wine hill villages that encircle it; Beaumes
de Venise, Vacqueras, Gigondas, Sablet, Rasteau etc. I preferred their
wine.
- Great soil!
There
was a reason. Le Plan is just stones … and since forever, grew only
green oak trees, sanglier/ wild boar, and sheep. Because, in the days
of horse ploughs it was just impossible to cultivate.That all changed
just after WW2. A man called Gabriel Meffre bought a bunch of war
surplus US Army caterpillar tractors - huge things - and ploughed up the
big pebbles; 'galets' as they call them. Gabriel was the first to
realise these galets were the same as those of nearbye
Chateauneuf-du-Pape; a district famous for having these rocks. In fact,
CNDP has a variety of other soils. Whereas Le Plan de Dieu is nothing
but galets; must once have been a great old beach but now risen well
above sea and river level.
- Domaine Du Vallon 2011
Anyway
old Gabriel planted Grenache and Syrah. Amazingly, vines can grow in
rocks – as long as there's some soil and water somewhere underneath.
Those vines are still there at Domaine Vallon … and now rather 'Vielles
Vignes'. And today M. Meffre's grandson Hugues is making brilliant
wines there. To my mind, just as good, but at a much better price than
the 'famous Rhône village' wines I used to buy. In fact 'Le Plan' itself
got promoted a few years ago to the same superior 'Villages'
Appellation, even though there isn't one specific village … (There are
bits of four).
- Domaine du Vallon
- At the market, arguing with Hervé
Harvest
is just underway in the District called Le Bois des Dames. There are
the usual machinery problems. A rather preoccupied Hugues tries hard to
relax as Yves snaps away for ages. We are joined for a tasting by our
friend Hervé Sabardeil who is consultant here. Lovely wines … And why
their medal count is getting quite impressive.
They are
extra motivated by a friendly rivalry with their only neighbour out on
the plain; Alain Aubert at Domaine Mistral – our next visit. Jovial
Alain – a man who likes his food – seems to be winning but Hugues says
he'll nail him this year.
- Alain Aubert
I
don't mind who wins; we have secured exceptional and exclusive blends
from both these estates and they all sell extremely well.
Remember, if you haven't, do try the wines from The Plain of God!
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