Provence Wine Tasting

Written by Viator, August 2010

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Cultural Experience, Good Place to Drink, Must-Do Experience, Popular with Locals, Tip - What to See & Do, Winery

As well as lavender, the soil of Provence is of course the source of some outstanding wines. Grape cultivation was big business around here even before the Roman Empire came along, and today Provencal wines grace tables the world over. Set out from the walled medieval city of Avignon and get acquainted with places which until now have just been names on bottle labels.

Let someone else take care of the driving as you tour local vineyards, tasting the best that Provence’s winemakers have to offer. The best-known examples are the red and white varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, produced in picturesque vineyards on gently rolling hills. The Provencal climate also ensures the perfect conditions for producing and – as it happens – enjoying rosé; sample refreshing Tavel, France’s oldest rosé, before moving on to Lirac, for more of the full-flavored reds for which Provence is renowned.

If you’re new to winetasting and all that talk of mouthfeel and bouquet sounds like double dutch, don’t worry. Wine experts are on hand to explain how to judge wines based on appearance, aroma and, of course, taste. They will also lay out the winemaking process from seed to cellar and explain the importance of “terroir” to both French winemaking and the Gallic character.

Wine and history are intertwined throughout Provence. Wineries are often architectural treasures in themselves, and along the way you’ll also visit historic sites like the Vaucluse hill town of Gordes and medieval Villeneuve with its churches, forts and Abbey. Explore the ruins of the Popes’ summer residence which gave Chateauneuf-du-Pape its name, and finally marvel at the stunningly preserved Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard.

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All Provence Wine Tasting Reviews

Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Private Provence Tour: Avignon Wine Tour

Caroline (our tour guide) picked us up right on time. She provided excellent commentary on the beautiful countryside as we drove through on the way to our two winery stops. We had time for a couple brief stops along the way to look at scenery. She was very knowledgeable about the area and about the history of wine production in the region. She also spoke excellent English (and Italian. And Chinese.). She topped it off by finding the exact chocolate shop my wife visited 17 years ago. The Mercedes minibus was very comfortable and held the 8 of us nicely. If you like wine, this is the tour for you!

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Reply by Viator, September 2012
Doing what: Orange and Chateauneuf du Pape Small Group Day Trip

Extremely enjoyable - a really helpful guide and a very good tasting at CNduP but the theatre at Orange was magnificent well worth the money

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Reply by Viator, July 2012
Doing what: Orange and Chateauneuf du Pape Small Group Day Trip

My wife and I enjoyed this trip very much. Our tour guide was wonderful (our 2nd trip with her) and knowledgable. We think that such short or full day trips are the best way to see many local sites in an efficient, comfortable and relaxed way.

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