Walls: Best restaurants in the Rhône for wine lovers

If you’re looking for restaurants serving good food, there are plenty of guides and websites to consult. But if your priority is great wine, finding reliable addresses isn’t always so straightforward. If you’re visiting the Rhône anytime soon, here are some restaurants with exceptional wine lists. [embed]https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=14we8sQkdQhy1vhjV9_p3k4W-LYLuHVM&usp=sharing[/embed] [subscriber-content] Southern Rhône Avignon [caption id="attachment_505597" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Beautiful outdoor seating at La Mirande, Avignon. Credit: La Mirande.[/caption] As the capital of the southern Rhône , you’d be forgiven for assuming most restaurants would have wine lists overflowing with the finest wines of the region. But it’s harder than you might think to find somewhere offering a decent range of options – particularly by the glass. La Mirande - If fine dining and sumptuous decor are what you’re looking for then one-star Michelin La Mirande (££££) is a firm favourite. You can drink very well there, albeit at Michelin star prices. L’Agape - If you’re looking to maximise your wine experience and are happy with more informal surroundings, then L’Agape (£££) has some stunning bottles at surprisingly affordable prices. Le 46 - Another favourite of mine is Le 46 (££), a comfortable, unpretentious bistro close to the Palais des Papes with friendly service and one of the best wine lists in the city. Les Péquélets - If natural wines and snacks are what you’re after, try Les Péquélets (£), a new bar owned by François et Lucien, sons of Cédric Guillaume-Corbin of Vinsobres estate Domaine la Péquélette. Châteauneuf-du-Pape and surrounds [caption id="attachment_505599" align="aligncenter" width="630"] La Table de Sorgues. Credit: latabledesorgues.fr[/caption] Until recently it’s been almost impossible to eat and drink well in Châteauneuf-du-Pape itself, but with several new openings and some more established restaurants upping their game, finally there are options. La Mère Germaine and Le Comptoir de la Mère Germaine - The grande dame La Mère Germaine (££££) was taken over in 2019 and promptly gained a Michelin star. Its wine list was put together by one of France’s best sommeliers, Antoine Pétrus, and it has an extensive list of local producers. They’ve opened a bistro in the new village square, Le Comptoir de la Mère Germaine (££), which offers luxurious takes on classic dishes and has a good if shorter list. La Maisouneta - Next door you’ll find La Maisouneta (££), which always has some good Châteauneuf on the list and a warm welcome. Le Verger des Papes - For great views and a substantial roster of producers, Le Verger des Papes (££) next to the ruined Château itself is a reliable option. La Table de Sorgues - Before Châteauneuf improved its offering, the best nearby option was La Table de Sorgues (£££) – a favourite of the late oenologist and consultant winemaker Philippe Cambie. It remains a great choice for contemporary food and wine in a smart setting. Café de France - In nearby Caderousse, Café de France (££) is recommended by both Florent Lançon of Domaine de la Solitude and Vincent Avril of Clos des Papes – a quick leaf through its extensive, keenly-priced list shows why. La Beaugravière - If wine is your priority above all else – and you want plenty of older vintages to choose from – then La Beaugravière (£££), just off the N7 in Mondragon, is a must. The square dining room is simply decorated and the food agreeably old-school; but the hand-written wine list is a wonder to behold. À La Maison - If you’re passing through Orange, then a visit to À La Maison (££) is recommended for its smart selection of wines from across the Rhône Valley. Gigondas, Cairanne, Rasteau [caption id="attachment_505601" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The wine cellar at Nez! in Gigondas. Credit: loustalet-gigondas.com[/caption] Gigondas is one of the prettiest spots in the Vaucluse and should be top of your list of villages to visit. The Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel has invested heavily in restaurants here, and they’ve done a brilliant job – all three addresses deliver admirably at their respective levels. L'Oustalet - The one-star Michelin L'Oustalet (££££) serves stunning food and has one of the best Rhône wine lists on the planet, overseen by top sommelier Alexandre Fréguin. It’s a favourite of Victor Coulon of Domaine de Beaurenard, who praises the fair pricing and excellent advice regarding matching food and wine. Bistro de l'Oustalet - If you want to upweight your wine spend, then their Bistro de l'Oustalet (££) has a very competent kitchen and shares the huge wine list of the fine dining restaurant. Their wine bar Nez! (£) is a good option for informal grazing and wines by the glass. Hotel Les Florets - Just outside the village of Gigondas towards the jagged Dentelles de Montmirail is the restaurant of Hotel Les Florets (£££). It has a large shady terrace, traditional French cuisine and an excellent list of wines by the bottle. Le Tourne au Verre - In Cairanne, Le Tourne au Verre (££) is under new ownership and the wine list is impressive. They offer a massive selection of wines from the whole of the Rhône Valley at very reasonable prices – and a good range from other regions, a relative rarity in France! Côteaux et Fourchettes (£££) is conveniently situated between Cairanne, Rasteau and Gigondas. It’s on a main road next to a roundabout, but don’t let that put you off; inside it’s quiet and bright, and there’s plenty of options from its well-chosen list. Ventoux Chez Serge - Further east towards Mont Ventoux in Carpentras is Chez Serge (£££), an unmissable spot for lovers of all things truffle. It’s an informal but elegant restaurant with a thrilling wine list. Vin Ensen - Frédéric Chaudière of Château de Pesquié is a big fan of Chez Serge, and he also likes Vin Ensen (££) in Caromb. ‘This bistro manages to combine simplicity and refinement and is brilliantly run by Hugo and Jean-François,’ he says, ‘two excellent sommeliers, who take us on a never-ending journey of wine discovery.’ West bank [caption id="attachment_505641" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The restaurant at Maison Chenet. Credit: maison-chenet.com.[/caption] Maison Chenet - There are fewer options on the west bank of the Rhône, but Ambre Delorme of Domaine de la Mordorée praises the beautiful setting and local flavours of Maison Chenet (££££) in Pujaut, run by father-and-son chefs Maxime and Serge Chenet. Northern Rhône The northern Rhône is considerably smaller than the southern Rhône, and it’s less of a tourist destination, so there are fewer places to indulge your love of great bottles. But you can still drink very well in some of the region’s restaurants and bars if you know where to look. Ampuis [caption id="attachment_505648" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Sommelier Dominique Viala in the wine cellar of the restaurant at Domaine de Clairefontaine. Credit: domaine-de-clairefontaine.fr[/caption] Bistrot de Serine and Cave Les Epicurieux - There was nowhere good to eat and drink in Ampuis until Jean-Michel Gerin, Pierre-Jean Villa, François Villard and Pierre Gaillard opened the Bistrot de Serine (£££) in 2007. It remains the go-to restaurant in the village thanks to its shady garden and enormous wine list. It was recently joined by wine shop and informal bistro Cave Les Epicurieux (££) which is a very welcome addition to the village. Domaine de Clairefontaine (££££) across the river in Chonas-l'Amballan has an elegant dining room and beautiful gardens. Jacques Desvernois, winemaker at Guigal, says ‘The welcome from the Girardon family is very warm and sincere, the cuisine precise and delicate, the classic dishes are beautifully presented; the Michelin star is well deserved. On the wine side, there is a wide choice for the thirsty with an impressive depth of vintages and very affordable prices. What also makes it special is the range of Chartreuses, of which the chef is a fervent advocate!’ Tain L’Hermitage and Tournon [caption id="attachment_505651" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Lucie and Guillame, chefs at Le Cerisier. Credit: lecerisier-restaurant.fr[/caption] Le Bateau Ivre - After a long day of tasting, I often find myself in wine bar Le Bateau Ivre (££) for local beer, cheese and charcuterie. But the wine list is so good, it’s impossible not to choose a bottle or two as well. Le Mangevins - No visit to Tain is complete without a visit to Le Mangevins (£££), another favourite of Desvernois. Husband and wife team Vincent and Keiko deliver fresh, precise cooking in an elegant room on a quiet backstreet with a great list of wines. Le Cerisier - On the other side of the river in Tournon, Le Cerisier (£££) has over 800 wines to choose from, and offers precise, contemporary French cooking. St-Péray and Valence [caption id="attachment_505653" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Auberge de Crussol. Credit: aubergedecrussol.com[/caption] La Ruche - Travelling south, there are several options for wine lovers in the pretty village of St-Péray. La Ruche (££) is a small restaurant overlooking the market square that serves dependably good food and all the producers you’d want to see from Cornas and St-Péray. Emmanuelle Verset of Domaine A&E Verset in Cornas suggests two further options: Barr Avel (£) is a very affordable restaurant by day and wine bar by night, with a superb wine list put together by Baptiste Gauthier, who previously worked at Anne-Sophie Pic in Valence. Auberge de Crussol (££) is situated high on the hill overlooking the village. ‘I love this idyllic spot at the foot of the Château de Crussol,’ says Verset, where she can happily rely on the sommelier to guide her to new discoveries. Anne-Sophie Pic - The best-known restaurant in Valence is Anne-Sophie Pic (£££££), and as with any three-star Michelin restaurant, the wine selection is extensive. Considerably more affordable however is the one-star La Cachette (££££). For those wanting to spend more of their dining budget on wine, La Cachette’s stellar wine list is also available to those dining at Le Bac à Traille (£££), their bistro off-shoot next door. [/subscriber-content] Related articles Walls: 30 premium Côtes du Rhône wines to try Rhône trends to look out for in 2023 Lisbon: Top restaurants and wine bars

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