Our visit with Matilde was exceptional. She was passionate, knowledgeable and fun. We walked to the…read morevines and learned the history of L'Hermitage and the Chapoutier family (now 7 generations) and their biodynamic practices, then returned to the winery. Everything we tasted was delicious, including the gin (and the Discretia - a yummy chartreuse-like liquor). I especially loved the fact that all the bottles have braille labels. From switching to narrow practices in the 1980s to considering inclusion in every bottle, M Chapoutier is an inspiration and a pioneer. Note: definitely try their signature wine Sante-Allouette. It pairs wonderfully with fish, cheese, etc.

Chapoutier makes a number of wines in many different regions but…read more the Banyuls Appellation overhangs the Mediterranean sea near the border of Spain's Catalonia. Two thousand years old, the vineyard is ancient and the "mutage" practice of alcohol fortification, which they say was developed in 1285, gives Banyuls it's similarity to a port. Pairs well with cheese but more classically with say chocolate, it's also a fine specimen to be had on its own.

We came to Duclaux at the rec of our B&B owner. She is in love with their "la Maison rouge" cote…read moreRotie. It is their prime vintage and we are so excited to drink it after it opens up. We had a private tasting with Benjamin Duclaux. He is one of the young brothers and owners. Our experience at Duclaux was 180 degrees different than other wineries. He was wearing a rugby outfit, tasted with us (he gave us glasses of a newly opened 2003 cote Rotie that his bro just opened!). He also said "blah blah wine is meant to be enjoyed drink whenever!!" He did admit the taste of cote Rotie completely changes over 10 years - but he said "just try it every year". He discussed how the French have artisanal pride and refuse to use sprinklers in their vineyards. I told him how it was hard for me to find great wines in Sonoma and Napa - he said "well there ARE 1-2 good ones in Napa. I know I tried and I found them!" He was a bit cavalier in a good way and we really enjoyed viewing his caves. We were told by the family we were staying with that La Maison Rouge is (insert eye roll) unbelievable. Magnifique ... We bought a 2012 and we hope to hold out to 2022. Buying wine at the source in France is 10x cheaper than buying this rare gem in the states. Heading to Ampuis (away from the hordes of tourists in Paris and Provence was the best decision we made).

From the owner: Viticulteur-récoltant en Beaujolais, Dominique Chermette vous propose de déguster ses différents…read morevin blanc, rouges et rosés dans son caveau traditionnel

This is a super cute wine shop with seats for tasting. The owner was super friendly, and there's no…read moreset wine menu, but you tell him what you like, and he'll suggest things for you to sample. Turns out he's from Corsica, so there are some more unique things like wine from Corsica, sparkling water from there, and Italian charcuterie like culatello, which I rarely see outside of Italy. The decor is interesting, and music is fun.

Wow. Google review was great but we had the totally opposite experience. Apparently it's only a…read morewine store and not a wine tasting place now? Although there's quite a bit a seating space in the back?

This was our first foray into artisanal, local Cote Rotie in Ampui. It was a 5 min. walk from our…read moreB&B to Clusel Roch. We stayed at La Gerine B&B (the BEST B&B we have ever stayed in on any continent). Look it up on TripAdvisor... Nine, the owner recommended that we visit Clusel Roch (she is well connected, her B&B is literally on the Cote Rotie slopes and she makes calls and connections for those who stay with her). We tasted with Brigitte - she and her husband run the vineyards. The vineyards have been passed down over many generations. She was telling us stories about the War and how their vines survived it... Spouse and I were SHOCKED when we tried the Cote Roties, so much more subtle than the Warehouse Wines $15 bottle that we were introduced to in NYC. PLUS, wine is not a bougie exotic foray for the French, so their bottles are reasonably priced (compared to Napa - where you want to run away from the unearned pretension). We ended up getting their Classique cote rotie AND their show stopper - Les Grandes Places Cote Rotie. We later learned via Nine that only 4 winemakers can grow on Les Grandes Places, it's situated on the steepest slope, is very old and very prestigious in those parts. Apparently the wine will open in ways we can't even fathom right now. Too bad we won't know until say 2020, hahaha. Anyways, I highly recommend a visit to Clusel Roch. They will take you to their caves, provide you with really interesting history and their winery is just beautiful.

From the owner: Champagnes, vins et spiritueuxread more

Chateau Thivin's site sits on a volcanic site that juts out into the valley below from Mont…read moreBrouilly. It is also the oldest wine estate and benchmark of the Côte de Brouilly. I have to say I didn't know much about the wines from this region but Im always looking to be educated and was introduced to Claude Geoffray's wines through a friend. Highly mineral, great with rich meats (think duck and Iberico Ham), but also great stand alone. This made me want to learn more about the Côte de Brouilly wines, which I now have a reference to.