Forget Cannes – how about a Wine Tour in Provence?

Just looking at this stunning Provence vineyard shot taken by Mick Rock of Cephas makes me want to jump in a car and get down there now. It’s that wild inland Mediterranean look that I love – much as the coastline can be spectacular (exploring the calanques for example) the allure of the green mosaic of vineyards, sharing space with scrublands and Mediterranean pines, is great.

I’ve known Master of Wine Liz Gabay for many years since she used to import some eclectic wines not just from Provence but also from Savoie – some of my first individual wine producer discoveries from Savoie came through Liz. A few years ago, already knowing Provence well, Liz moved with husband and children to the southern Alps, just inland from Nice to set down roots. It was natural that I should ask her to share her local expertise and provide some of the Provence content for Wine Travel Guides. It helps that Liz is a keen historian and cultural buff, because this is a region steeped in history. She writes about the Inland Provence area:
“There is no historic wine centre although Les Arcs is home to the Comité des Vins. Vineyards and the remains of mulberry orchards (once an important part of the local silk industry) surround the villages, while further north towards the Alps the landscape is more heavily wooded and less densely populated. The family-owned estates are friendly to visit and most are well sign-posted with an open door policy of being able to drop in to taste and buy.”

To celebrate the first birthday of the site, I’ve changed the free sample that registered users can download to get a taster of the guides and chosen to offer Liz Gabay’s Inland Provence guide. Do take a look: it just proves that Provence is not just about sun, sea and celebrities, but about increasingly good wines (reds in particular), wholesome food and fascinating history.

When you are ready to subscribe, don’t forget to use this blog’s special offer code D1BLG08 to receive a useful discount off the price.