Sue and I recently celebrated a major milestone – our 30th wedding anniversary. Since we both have a passion for wine and travel, we planned a memorable trip to Europe to celebrate the anniversary of our nuptials. We used our travel business, Sphera Travel, to plan a memorable trip which would take us to 5 European countries in in 22 days.
We had a fabulous time on our trip and it will remain in our hearts and minds forever. We posted many of the places we visited online – the excerpt below is from a day in the vineyards in France.
Tain L'Hermitage Vineyards
Tounon, France
You could take two tours today; both were walking right off the ship. The first was a Wine and Chocolate tasting, and the second was a more strenuous hike up Tain L’Hermitage Hill, where a wine tasting was held afterward.
Yes, I took the more strenuous hike for some great photos and met a lot of really cool travelers on the same hike. The images were taken on the trip up, down, and about halfway up the hill in the pictures where the sign is for some reference points. The grade up was about 20 degrees, then increased to 35 degrees. We took the same path back down.
L’Hermitage wine is prized for the strict conditions under which it can be grown. Regulated by the growers and the French government, it is so good for specific reasons.
- The only water allowed is rainfall. Yes, the growers know that some years will be better than others, but it is natural. In addition, they believe that if you stress the vines for one year of growing, you will get a perfect-tasting grape and then a great wine in one to two years. They also have hundreds of years of proof that this is working.
- No unnatural chemicals. Everything must be natural and organic. They do use natural pheromones to keep the pests away.
- The soil or Terre. Grape vines are not set to grow anywhere; the soil and nutrients make a big difference in taste.
- Sunlight. L’Hermitage is on a sunny slope, with temperatures in the summer reaching around 120 degrees at times. The vines have leaves that grow over the grapes to shade them from the harsh sunlight.
- Location, Location, Location. Due to its geography, L’Hermitage cannot expand and is, therefore, strictly controlled.
- No mechanical equipment is allowed in the vineyards’ care or the grapes’ harvesting. Horses, manpower, and hard work go into carrying the grapes up and down the hill during the harvest.
So enjoy these pictures of the Tain L’Hermitage hills, and while you’re at it, let us know when you’d like to visit.
Travel Tip: All of these steps in the process were learned from the tour guide, who talks with the growers regularly and can help you understand the whats and the why’s. Go with an expert guide when traveling.
