France's Vaucluse discovers the importance of eco-wine tourism

By Andreas Heimann May 18, 2010, 15:26 GMT

Paris - A holiday in France is associated with fine food and above full bodied red wines and fresh whites. Many French regions are trying to encourage wine tourism. The department of Vaucluse is encouraging visitors with wine-themed bicycle tours and even visits to the laboratory.

Grapevines stretch to the left as far as the eye can see, while on the right is a forest of cherry trees. In the distance the 1,900-metre-high Mont Ventoux rises above the landscape of the department of Vaucluse in France's south-east corner. A group of cyclists can be seen effortlessly riding up the mountain's slope. No wonder as each of the bikes has a small electric motor on the rear wheel, helping the riders to enjoy the view of the countryside. As they travel they pass hazel trees and holm oaks beneath which grow truffles.

The region south-west of Mont Ventoux is a biosphere reserve where many of the local winemakers are trying to pursue their businesses in a more environmentally friendly way. For the moment, however, only a portion of the winemakers are making eco-friendly wine as the market is regarded as still too closed. But most are environmentally aware and water conservation is an important issue for many in the region.

Almost 80 per cent of the wine produced in Vaucluse is made in cooperatives. One of these belongs to Terraventoux vineyard in Villes-sur-Auzon. The town is also the starting point both for guided tours and the electric bicycles.

Winemakers also use bicycles to travel around the region - not just because they want to raise awareness for their work and the issues they face. 'It would simply be very strange for us to go around the biosphere reserve in a car,' explains Jean-Marc Thibaut who is in charge of wine tourism at the cooperative.

After learning about the art of wine making, participants on the bicycle tour get some hands-on practice. In the village of Flassan north of Villes-sur-Auzon is a fountain where riders can rinse their wine glasses before sampling the local produce.

Many of the other villages in the department have discovered the importance of eco-tourism. In Mormoiron visitors have the opportunity of taking part in the wine harvest at Chateau Pesquie vineyard. The wine cellar in the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin, where bottles are stacked as high as the ceiling, is open to the interested.

The wine cellar cooperative Caveau des Gourmets in Gigondas offers special wine tasting sessions. The cooperative has a selection of 18 wines made by 80 local wine growers. The wines are sampled outdoors with Provencal specialities such as aubergine with tomato and garlic or sheep's cheese with fig jam.

Rasteau, a village north-east of Orange, is another popular spot for eco-wine tourists. The Cave de Rasteau vineyard belongs to a cooperative of 80 wine makers. Spread over 700 hectares, the grape most grown here is the Grenache used to make Cotes du Rhone. 'To make one litre of wine we need 1.4 kilograms of grape,' says cellar master Alexis Cornu.

The regional speciality is Vin Doux naturel, a wine with 16 per cent alcohol content, made with black Grenache grapes. The area has a hiking route that winds six kilometres through the wine slopes of Rasteau.

The vineyard of Lavau is in Violes south of Rasteau. It is growing in popularity with tourists and Aurelie Lardets is charged with taking care of their needs. The enologist studied in Dijon and conducts courses where participants learn to make their own cuvee with the most harmonious blend possible.

That means paying a visit to the laboratory where graduation cylinders, test tubes and glass flasks await the amateur wine makers. Everyone dons a white lab coat to begin the chemical analysis. 'We're making a Cotes du Rhone today with a blend of the typical grapes from the south of the Rhone valley,' Aurelie tells her students.

The next stage is sampling and spitting out the wine as it burns the tongue a little. 'Too much tannin,' says the enologist. 'The Grenache supplies our wine with its alcohol.' For comparison the students try a dark red Shiraz. 'We get the wine's colour from Shiraz. It has less tannin but tastes a little drier.'

The third sample is a red wine that matured in oak casks. 'The oak gives it a unique aroma,' says Aurelie. The question is how much from each wine do you need to make a good Cotes du Rhone? That can only be discovered by trial and error.

With that in mind the participants keep testing until they have the cuvee that suits their pallets. The wine is then transferred from a graduated glass to a bottle. A very satisfying moment: holding your own self-composed Cotes du Rhone in your hands for the first time.