Chateauneuf-du-Pape

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As I write this entry, it is actually April 29, and we are in Millau (much more on why we are here later) so if I switch tenses, please forgive me.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape was the summer residence of the Popes when they were based in Avignon. The papal palace in Avignon is quite spacious and elaborate (we have only seen it from the outside) but those poor popes needed a break from such splendor and headed north about 25 miles to Châteauneuf. It probably wasn’t called that until after the popes started living there. There is not much left of the Chateau, mostly ruins. It sits on top of a hill overlooking the village and is arguably the best wine region in the world.

Châteauneuf-du-pape is my favorite wine and the most interesting in style. All French appellations have very strict rules on how the wine in that region is made. For instance, Burgundy can only be made from one grape, pinot noir or chardonnay. Bordeaux (depending on right or left bank) can only have so much percentage of the three major grapes, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot (I believe they are allowed to blend a small amount of other varietals, but I am not positive on that.) In Chateauneuf, there are 13 different grapes, and the wine must be made with at least two of them. Most are made with three, almost all have grenache as the main varietal then lesser amounts of the others. One wine we tasted had all thirteen. While ninety-five percent of all Chateauneuf’s are red, they do make a white as well. It is one of the best white wines you might ever had, but very hard to find outside of France.

The reason we chose to visit here, other than the wine, was that eleven years ago we spent the night outside of the village and had lunch in the village. We were sitting across the street enjoying our lunch and wine and noticed a very nice hotel and restaurant across the street called Hotel La Mere Germaine, we decided then that someday we would come back and spend the night and have dinner there. Be careful what you wish for.

We did not have breakfast, even though the hotel in Grenoble did offer it to us at no extra charge, since we were unable to stay in the room we originally booked due to a hotel remodel. Since we were unable to take advantage of the breakfast, they instead paid for our parking, which was probably a better deal in the end.

It was a pretty easy drive, only about 90 minutes and we arrived at Chateauneuf just in time for our lunch reservation. We had lunch at Le Verger des Papes, just a short walk down from the ruins of the Chateau. After yesterday, any downhill walk was felt in the calves and thighs. The views from the terrace of the restaurant are amazing and rival that of yesterday’s views of the Alpes (but the Alpes really have to win that contest.) We were sat at a great table right on the edge of the terrace giving us an unobstructed view of the vineyards and Rhone River.

We had a wonderful relaxing lunch, but before moving to that, it is time for the section called: “Stupid Things American’s Say in France.” So we are sitting there enjoying the view and a lovely white Châteauneuf, when I hear the word Texas, I knew that we were about to be treated to either a very bad Merciiii BOQou (that is supposed to be a Texas draw) or something amazingly stupid. We got amazingly stupid. A very nice couple just seated the first thing out of the mouth of the woman was “What do the French eat for lunch?” Maybe I am too harsh, we all know I am not a fan of Texas, but really your sitting in a restaurant in the middle of France looking at a lunch menu, what do you think they eat? It’s right there in front of you. Oh, but wait, there is more, at the very next table were two American women and what appeared to be their private French guide, and what do I hear? “Americans just don’t drink wine”, WHAT don’t tell that to anyone from Napa, Oregon or Washington. If she would have added, “like the French or Europeans do,” then she would not have made the list, but just “Americans just don’t drink wine” well, go sit next to Texas.

Back to lunch. We went with the menu (entrée, plat, cheese or dessert). At lunch this really is the best value in most places. Jerry started with foie gras de canard, much more to it than just foe gras, which was like butter. I had the Chicken cake, it wasn’t really a cake, but really good a thin pastry filled with chicken, sauce and yes asparagus.

The mains were equally as good. Jerry had baked cod in a cream sauce, and I had roasted veal breast, perfectly cooked and in the running for dish of the day. Dessert, Jerry went with the cheese plate, and I had the chef’s dessert of the day, an ice cream sandwich with a filling of caramel and peanuts.

The overall lunch is in the running along with the lunch in Grenoble for best lunch of the trip (and we are not even halfway through.)

After lunch we had two wine tastings scheduled, on at Chateau Fortia at the bottom of the hill and one back here at Verger des papes.

Chateau Fortia is one of the largest produces (15^th) in the region. There are over 200 vintners in the entire appellation, which is a relatively small area of France. We got a nice tour of the facility with a full explanation of the wine making process. The white is never on oak, the red is aged on old oak (French mostly) for two years. I did almost tripped and broke my leg on the way down to the actual cellar, guess I would have just needed to drink the resting bottles of wine, to ease the pain. Back in the tasting room, we had one white and 4 reds. All of them were very good but 2020 was my favorite. We did buy a bottle of the white, which we will drink back in Paris on our last night in France.

We then headed to the hotel to check in before our next tasting. Here is where what would have been a perfect day started to unravel. I could go on for hours, but to be brief and to the point, it was a bit of bait and switch. I very clearly reserved a room in the original building with a view of the valley (the entire point of staying in the hotel) they booked us into a first-floor room in the new (well old building but remodeled) section of the hotel, across the street and zero view. I did manage to get what we booked, the man at the reception desk, smiled through it all (evidently, they were totally unprepared for the season which is only a few weeks away.) We did end up in the room we wanted with a very nice view, it was on the second floor (no elevator.) As I said earlier, be careful what you wish for.

The hotel issue resolved; it was back up the hill (in the car) for our next tasting. We did a tasting here eleven years ago and were pleasantly surprised that it was as enjoyable the second time around. We tasted two whites, four reds and a bonus red. Each one was excellent and very different. The last one we tasted was made with all thirteen varietals. We were happy to discover that they shipped to Rhode Island, so we purchased 6 bottles to ship home (two of the elusive whites.) These are not your evening relaxing wines, if you want to taste things, you will have to come for a French dinner prepared by Chez Christopher.

The Dinner that Wasn’t.

Earlier I stated that the perfect day started to unravel at check in. It was redeemed by the second tasting, but then dinner, simply put a “catastrophe!!” This was supposed to be one of the highlight dinners of the trip, well it was not. Like the hotel, they completely changed the concept. When making the reservation we very specifically did not want a tasting menu, as we did not want to be limited. Unfortunately, the ala carte menu was just the ability to pick and choose from the two tasting menus, and an inflated price. While we have nothing against creative cuisine (although not fans of French/Asian fusion) we do draw the line, when the entire menu is really nothing more than a very obvious attempt to get another Michelin star. I am really not sure how they got the first one, the menu was flowery but absolutely no real substance to it at all. Since the menu changes constantly, there is no way to even figure out what might be offered before you get there. In away we were very lucky in Grenoble because given that it was a complete surprise, we could have been in the same situation there. There was almost nothing I would want to eat on the entire menu, even the one meat item lamb, was destroyed with braised pickled cabbage, yeah don’t need hot coleslaw with my lamb.

To top it all off, the head waiter was the most pretentious ass, since a very bad experience at the West Side Café in Manhattan. He talked down to us as if we were simply not sophisticated enough to appreciate their Michelin star quality food. Well, that set Jerry off “don’t talk down to us, we have eaten in many better Michelin star restaurants than this and there is nothing on this menu worth of any star.” With that we walked out. They only had 2 other tables, so Michelin star or not, the only people they are appealing to are the Kardashian want to be, and who wants to be anything like that?

The only problem of walking out, is that there isn’t really much to choose from this time of year. We were lucky and did happen upon a recently developed little section of about three restaurants, one was the sister restaurant to where we just left, but they had a 1000% better menu choice. They also were about 30 minutes from closing, but were still nice enough to seat us, plus we got to sit at the counter and watch them cook, and the clean.

The food was exactly what we wanted, traditional with just a bit of updating and creativity.

Jerry started with a caramelized onion tart (deconstructed) and I had sautéed leeks with a poached egg. The plats were exceptional as well. Jerry had a perfect parmesan risotto with a fennel emulsion (he was skeptical of the emulsion or foam) but it worked. I had roasted pork, carrots, zucchini, onions, finished under the salamander and served with an excellent bearnaise (not the best, but excellent), accompanied by thinly sliced potatoes perfectly fried to nice chips. Accompanied by what else a lovely bottle of Chateauneuf-du-pape Red.

The day had some bumps, but it all ended well. Hint don’t stay at Hotel La Mere Germaine or eat at the main restaurant. Not many other options in the city, but if you’re an Airbnb person, that might work.

Yes, we will come back, the wine and view alone are worth everything. Just further research on other places to spend the night.

The dish of the day is very much a tossup between the veal and the pork, the veal is going to win out it was just presented well, straight forward and no tricks.

Tomorrow a change in plans and direction.

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Photos

Veal Breast
Dish of the Day