What I Learned
“Hermitage” as in Appellation Hermitage Controlee (AOC), is one of the most well-known wine appellations on the planet. It is located in the small town of Tain l’Hermitage, France, (which is also home to the chocolatier Valrhona). Situated on the left bank of the Rhone River, which faces west, at a spot where it bends dramatically, producing a southern exposure for many parcels as well. The vineyards rise up steeply behind the town, which itself lies on a narrow alluvial plain.
Trail Name: Sur les Pas de Gambert
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; surfaces vary from paved to rutted dirt to pebble on stone, mostly maintained, and fairly well marked.
Length: 4 kilometers/ 2.5 miles
Convenient to: Vienne or Lyon, France
Marking:
Yellow rectangles indicating direction of travel
White panels, with a large black colored number, QR code and photo collage of Louis Gambert
Continue reading Sur les Pas de Gambert: Trail in a Nutshell
The sea, hiking and wines are three of my favorite things to experience. However, it is not always easy to find a place where waves meet the vines. It is rarer still to find well-marked and maintained trails in such spots. Serendipitiously though, it is possible to savor all three in Collioure.
A recent trip to the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France led to the town of Collioure, a little gem of a town. Set on a beautiful bay, it is famous for its narrow, atmospheric streets in the old town, leading to one of its old forts. It is also famous for its wines. The vineyards surrounding the town produce wines both for the AOC Collioure and for the Banyuls AOC. Finally, it has some delightful trails through the hills and vineyards for hikers and mountain-bike riders to enjoy.
What I Learned
The Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) Collioure centers around the town of Collioure. (Within this area, vintners also harvest grapes for the AOC Banyuls, a Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) fortified like port, but that is another topic.)
AOC Collioure focuses traditionally on red wines, Grenache Noir predominates, but Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Carignan are also grown. But hot weather, and a diet laced with seafood, often calls for a lighter wine, vice a hearty red. Accordingly, this AOC allows production of rose wines. Interestingly, in a rose cuvee, vintners may add up to 30% Grenache Gris.
Trail Name: Vignoble de Collioure
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; well-maintained and mostly hard surfaces (paved or hard-packed), with some rocky areas, good marking on the trail
Length: Total – 9.6 kilometers/ just short of 6 miles
Convenient to: Collioure, Perpignan, France
Marking: Yellow rectangles on the trail, reinforced with signposts identifying the exact location. (See the white lettering on top of the post.)
Some places seem designed for vineyards, and this was one of them. Outside Guebwiller, the slopes of the foothills of the Vosges run into a small mount. Like its opposing counterpart, the Bollenberg mount itself is cloaked in vines. While the Bollenberg vineyards are well-known, more importantly, the Bollenberg itself functions as a shield for the vines on the opposite slope. Protected from eastern winds, and fully exposed to the sun, this long, albeit non-contiguous stretch of slope, has on it not one, not two, but three Grands Crus.
What I Learned
Alsace’s wine producing region identifies certain vineyard areas as Grand Cru. The Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine department) area is particularly favored with some great terroirs. Spread roughly north to south, many of the most well-known crus are in the northern and central parts of this department. However, around the area of Guebwiller, there are several, and this post focuses on three.
