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.

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).

Semaska was a hop, skip and a jump from our B&B (La Gerine), so we meandered over after a long…read morebreakfast. Their St. Joseph's clearly outshined their Cote Roties. We bought the Malleval St. Joseph (to store) and the generic St. Joseph to enjoy on the trip... They were sold out of various bottles, so we judged our tasting based on what was available. If you are a St. Joseph fan you should come here.

Domaine Corps de Loup was the only opportunity I got a chance to taste some of…read more Northern Rhone's finest. I was able to drop without an appointment scheduled in advance. When you enter their estate, keep going up. There will be a sign for their tasting room. At times, there might not be anyone in the tasting room since they will be busy working on their next vintage. Be patient, someone will come! This winery is located in the Cote Rotie region of Rhone and is worth stopping by since it's not as accessible back in the States. Definitely try their Syrah and Vionier blend. It's unique for this area. Hours: 8am - Noon + 2pm - 6:30pm Free tasting with or without appointment. If you want a visit to their grounds, make an appointment. Service was great and the worker was very patient with our tasting. Thanks for the great experience!