As the hotel prep our bikes for us we have a little time to take in this stunning view of the  Rhone adjacent to Le Beau Rivage Hotel.

River Rhone by Le Beau Rivage

We cycle into Condrieu at a moderate pace in search of a Boulangerie. On route we compose a wish list of must visit winemakers in Condrieu and the Côte Rôtie, naively thinking our list would be complete by the end of the day!

Breakfast is a simple affair of pain au chocolat, it’s only 11:45am and we have Domaine Georges Vernay in our sights. We hurry across the road into their tasting room opposite the boulangerie and are disappointed to learn that it’s about to close for lunch and advised to return after 2pm!

We see a sign for the local Tourist Office and decide to get some intel on the other winemakers on our wish list. Schoolboy error! Most winemakers in Condrieu are taking two weeks off before the vendage!

We cut our losses and decide to venture to the Côte Rôtie. As we pedal leisurely along the car free ViaRhôna greenway we can already feel the sun burning our arms and the warm breeze from the river on our faces.

As we reach a roundabout it’s decision time! Either rejoin the busy main road to Ampuis and dodge some French HGV drivers fuelled up on their mid morning plat du jour et demi bouteille de vin or dig deep and take the quiet and almost traffic free 1 in 5 ascent to the town of Tupin-et-Semons at the top of the plateau of the Côte Rôtie.

The gears work their magic and our legs push hard on the pedals as we pass rows of vines. It’s obvious that these grapes are all tended to and harvest by hand and it helps to give some understanding of the labour intensive costs associated with these wines.

As we reach the summit we feel a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration?

Just past the church down a little lane we spot Auberge de la Source  A welcome oasis where we hope to take lunch and rehydrate!

The restaurant has the most incredible views across the Rhône and Côte Rôtie.

We meet the delightful Lucy, one of the co-proprietors who has recently taken over the running of the Auberge. She explains that they are full as they have a block booking from a local care home, the place is packed with local pensioners tucking into traditional Lyonnaise cooking.

It’s a really heartwarming sight to see the care and respect afforded to these senior citizens who are laughing and enjoying themselves, a model of care that should be aspired too, we think!

Lucy brings us a large jug of ice cool water and we order a glass of chilled St. Joseph white and one of a Condrieu, kick back and take in the panoramic view.

We get a further boost when Lucy tells us that her partner and chef is happy to rustle up 2 Salade Niçoise during a break in service. We gratefully order and spontaeously ask for the wine list! After all it is our wedding anniversary and for once neither of us is driving!

We order a stunning Condrieu Maison Christophe Pichon 2016
It’s pale gold in appearance with a medium plus intensity on the nose of white peach, wet stones and white blossom. On the nose it’s dry, with medium acidity, a full body, high alcohol with fresh apricot notes and high turpines. Ending on a very long finish with a full and pleasing mouthfeel. This Condrieu is youthful at present drinking well now with good balance and length with is great!  It’s also showing enough intensity and complexity to keep you coming back for more. An outstanding wine.

We descend down the Côte Rôtie and head towards the river to pick up the ViaRhôna once again.

Cote Rotie vineyards near Tupin-et-Semons

Passing a vista of terraces planted with Syrah and a smattering of Viognier. A combination of the topography and the effects of the Mistral necessitating  different forms of viticulture as seen below. Bottom left bush vines free standing whilst bottom right they are tied at the top for resilience and support against the winds!

Standing majestically just a few metres from the river is the iconic Domaine E. Guigal

We arrive back in Condrieu in time for a visit to the legendary Domaine Georges Vernay . Georges is long retired and his daughter, Christine, is now running the Domaine and expanding its range to major in both reds as well as the historic whites, her father’s legacy. It’s incredible that there were 170 hectares under the AOC when granted in 1940.

By the 1950s there were just 6 hectares left with many producers giving up on the back breaking and labour intensive terraced viticulture that is a central feature of this AOC. At a time when his neighbours were pulling back Georges showed commitment and dedication to the terroir by clearing land on the slopes of the Coteau du Vernon of dense acacia and oak to plant a further acre! Today Christine has 22 hectares under viticulture all organically farmed.

Inside the tasting room we opt to taste a range of wines.

Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes
Viognier: Pied de Samson 2016

Made from 100% Viognier but grown just above the 300m upper altitude limit of the Condrieu AOC and so classified as an IGP.  Fermented and matured in stainless steel, this wine is pale gold and made in a light style of Condrieu with lots of fresh stone fruit aromas of peach and apricot. It has medium plus acidity and medium to light medium alcohol with a medium finish.

Les Terrasses de L’empire Condrieu 2016

Classic nose of stone fruits all apricot and white peach with a hint of almond. Following through on the palate with medium body and medium plus acidity. Drinking well now with 2/4 years ageing potential. Fermented and matured in oak foudré for a richer style of Condrieu.

Les Chailles de L’Enfer Condrieu 2014

A Condrieu made in a style for ageing. Palate aromas of yellow fruit, especially ripe apricot more than white stone fruit but with a balanced background minerality. Medium plus body with medium acidity and long refined finish. A great wine that is delicately balanced with refined length and superb balance and complexity.

Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah: Fleurs du Mai 2016
Made from 100% Syrah but grown just above the 300m upper altitude limit of the Côte Rôtie AOC and so classified as an IGP.  Matured for 6 months in old wood barrels. Aromas of red cherry and tar secondary aromas on the nose with a purple/ruby appearance. Nose aromas continue on the palate with medium plus tannin and medium plus acidity. Drinking well now but will continue to improve over the next 4/5 years.

2015 Cote Rotie Blonde du Seigneur
A blend of 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier.Matured in 25% new oak barrel.
Medium purple appearance, jammy black currant nose with notes of toast and tar from secondary aromas. On the palate, dry with medium plus tannin, medium plus body, medium alcohol, medium plus acidity and long finish. A classic style for this AOC with great balance length, intensity and complexity, a little young now and will age for another 15 years or so.
After our boozy tasting we cycle back to the hotel, drop off our bottles and pick up our swim things for a dip in the municipal Lido on the other side of the river.

Here I fall foul of the Lido police who inset that my swimming shorts are too long and prohibit me from taking a refreshing dip in the pool. I fall on the mercy of the changing room attendant who passes me a pair of speedo trunks as my passport to the pool! With no options left I take the trunks and make for the pool. It’s so worth it! The pool is clean and refreshing and the perfect way to cool down after and cycling adventure.

With our body temperatures back to normal we cycle back to the hotel and turn around quickly. It’s a gorgeous evening and the restaurant manager decides to host service in the gardens by the river.

Knowing that it’s our wedding anniversary Julian has reserved us the best table in the garden right next to the still waters of the Rhône.

Julian naturally recommends us a stunning Condrieu made in a style to perfectly accompany the pork filet mignon with a mustard sauce. The grapes for this wine are grown on terroir that is adjacent to the Chateau-Grillet AOC, the most prestigious in the Condrieu area but at prices out of my league.

Condrieu Coteau du Chery 2015 Andre Perret
This wine is medium gold in appearance, with a medium plus intensity of peach and smokiness from partial oak. It is developing in character. On the palate it’s dry with medium plus acidity, high alcohol and a full bodied rounded rich mouthfeel with aromas of apricot and toasted cedar and a long lingering finish. In assesment there is balance in harmony with a great length, and intensity with complex flavours evolving. A great wine drinking well now and with some further ageing potential of a few years.

The richness of this style of Condrieu is perfect to balance the rich flavours of the pork and mustard main course.

We were so enchanted by the Apricot dessert from the tasting menu the night before that we reorder the same again along with a another glass of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.  To our surprise they put their own signature finish to the dish wishing us both a Happy Anniversary! A really lovely touch to bring a perfect day to its close!

With the moon working its magic on the river we stroll back to our room after another amazing day!

An intense azure blue sky is the opposite to what we saw the day before as we take in our last breakfast at the Chateau de Courban before hitting the road.

Most of the time, when on tour we take a room only so we can experience the delights of the local boulangerie but in Courban it's not really an option as the nearest one is a good five miles away and anyway it's an excuse to indulge in their delicious breakfast buffet! For me the toasted brioche with homemade apricot jam was irresistible.

As we loaded up the car we decided to take a small detour to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Fontenay Abbey, a decision we would later congratulate ourselves on!

At the centre of Châtillon-sur-Seine we pass this lovely fountain, one of many around the town.

We leave the the bustling town behind us and wind our way out into the beautiful rolling Burgundian hills. A landscape that is a riot of shades of green pastures dotted with the unmistakeable creamy white whisps of Charolais cows! The soothing brogue of Hugh Bonneville on Desert Island Disks is our soundtrack, it's the perfect fusion of the senses to instil peace and a sense of calm.

Arriving at Fontenay we estimate a quick pit stop but are unprepared for the sheer wonder of the place.

Founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard it is one of the oldest Cistercian abbeys. The industrious monks cleared a swamp that was here and dried the land to build the abbey and its surrounding buildings. The abbey was wealthy from 12th Century to the 15th Century with a community of more than two hundred monks.

The abbey owned a huge estate which was cultivated and farmed by the monks they even used their engineering prowess to create a novel forge, the first of its kind in Europe. By the 16th Century the abbey started to decline partly as the abbots became appointed by the King!

By the time of the French Revolution there were only twelve monks left. In 1790 the abbey was sold as state property and bought in 1820 by Elie de Montgolfier, a descendant of the famous pioneers of hot air balloon flight. He transformed the abbey into a paper mill. In 1906 Edouard Aynard, a wealthy financier and art collector bought the abbey back from his father in law, Raymond de Montgolfier.

He rescued the former abbey, transforming it from an industrial site and restoring the buildings to their original architectural beauty. The abbey remains in the family's ownership today and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Fontenay Panoramic Views 1

Fontenay Panoramic Views 2

Completely wowed by Fontenay we head off with a taste for a little more Burgundian architectural splendour and in search of the King of Burgundian cheeses, Epoisse!

Sadly the dairy which offers five different iterations of this strong and creamy Marc washed cheese was closed as was the local gourmand food store opposite the castle so we settled on a brisk walk around the inside of the castle, which is a perfectly preserved example of a double moated castle.

At the ticket office was a young French student combining his weekend job with some flute practice and this was the result!

Live flute at Epoisse

The temperature was rising and as we raced down the autoroute towards Beaujolais our next pit stop, we decided on an unscheduled stop just outside Beaune to take a dip in the natural outdoor lido!

Refreshed and refuelled with the leftovers of the previous night's picnic we continued towards Beaujolais. We wanted to be in Condrieu before 7pm and thinking that as it was a Sunday afternoon most cellars would be closed we just plucked a lesser known Cru as a wild card on the off chance somewhere would be open.

Julienas rewarded us with the local producers association PR centre being open. Housed in a former church and also used as an education centre on the wines of Julienas they also offered tastings! Here's the results!

The terroir of Julienas is granite and shale with clay veins.

Julienas 2013 Red; Medium ruby red in appearance, developing wine with a raspberry nose. More red fruit on the palate in the form of red cherry, dry with light tannin, medium alcohol, medium body and a long finish.

Julienas 2014 Red: Medium ruby red appearance again with a nose of Parma violets and red cherry with more of these flavours coming through on the palate. Dry, with medium tannin, medium alcohol, medium body and a medium plus finish.

Julienas 2015 Red: As predicted medium Ruby appearance, with a nose of bubblegum from the carbonic maceration. On the palate, dry with light tannin, medium alcohol and body lots of red cherry fruit and a medium plus finish. Developing and would benefit from keeping longer although drinking well now if you prefer a lighter, fruitier style.

Julienas 2016 White: Pale lemon in appearance. On the nose, white flowers, green apple and a hint of lemon. No oak. On the palate, dry, with medium plus alcohol and medium plus body, medium plus acidity and a medium plus finish. Aromas of apricot, peach and hints of tropical fruit. A surprising 100% Chardonnay Beaujolais which makes up less than 3% of total grapes grown in the Julienas AOC.

Julienas 2015 Red Oaked: Medium ruby red in appearance with red fruit, red cherry nose. On the palate, light sour red cherry aromas, like a cherry yoghurt. Dry, medium tannin, medium alcohol, light body, medium plus finish.

We arrive at the Le Beau Rivage before sunset in time for a quick change before dinner. Then a leisurely stroll along the Rhone before we drink a glass of Condrieu in Condrieu while studying the extensive wine list and menu as the sun goes down.

We are looked after by the charming Julian whose knowledge of wines is incredible we think he must be the sommelier and are surprised that he is not! We go for the turbot to share which we thought is a classic Condrieu pairing and our guided by Julian to the sublime 2014 Pierre Gaillard L'Octroi.

Dinner is a triumph of great food as much as great wines to match!

2014 Pierre Gaillard L'Octroi Condrieu

Pale gold in appearance with medium plus intensity on the nose of white peach and honeysuckle. A developing wine which is dry, with medium plus acidity, medium alcohol, medium plus body and a rich intensity of more stone fruits apricot and peach with background refreshing minerality. This is a beautifully balanced wine with a long lingering finish and seamlessly integrated components that are both intensely rich and complex. It is drinking well now and is an outstanding example of a fresh unoaked Condrieu.

The Turbot is amazing. Grilled whole and served by Julian at the table. It is perfectly cooked and is succulent and rich in flavour accompanied by a perfect hollandaise.

Whilst perusing the dessert menu we get food envy seeing the dessert from the tasting menu go to an adjacent table and twist Julian's arm to see if we can have that! Chef agrees and we are excited!

The dessert is a sorbet of apricot with pistachios granules and an apricot sugar dome covering an apricot and rosemary mousse sitting on poached apricots on a dark chocolate square. It's a riot of stone fruits with lots of sweet and sour/acid flavours going on and an incredible dessert which looks spectacular.

Dessert is classicly paired with a Beaumes-de-Venise and followed with coffee and an incredible selection of chocolates from the nearby house of Valrhona.

Dinner is rounded off with a Marc from Maison M.Chapoutier after dinner we take a romantic moonlight stroll along the Rhone.

Its the perfect end to another perfect day.

After a first full day in the paradise that is the Maremma, we wonder what day two would hold in store for us.

We had already researched that we could join a guided trek in English through the wilderness that is the Maremma National Park at 9am that morning. So we make an early start, leaving behind us Porto Santo Stefano, already bustling with life, its marina awash with daytrippers ready to board the shuttle service to Isola del Giglio.

We arrive in the sleepy village of Alberese just before 9am and make our way to the Tourist Information Centre to book ourselves onto the trek.

To our surprise we find that the English tour was the next day and that the Italian tour that day didn’t start until 10am!

Undeterred by this seemingly large setback we decide to take a flyer on the Italian tour with my limited knowledge of spoken Italian our restricted audio guide!

With an hour to spare before the tour begins we head over to a little cafe bar opposite, where we order two doppios and two large glasses of iced water and settle down in a shady spot to take refuge from the already searing heat with our holiday reading for amusement.

At five to ten the transfer bus rolls up with our guide who to our relief speaks some English and was an Ecologist from the University of Pisa.

Within 15 minutes we are in the thick of the park with wild boars and deer visible from the bus as we drive to the drop off.

The Maremma is one of the last great unspoilt ecosystems in Italy. Its biodiversity and beauty fiercely protected by controlled entry. Access to the park by vehicle is restricted to guided tours and these are limited to just a few a day.

One of the commonest trees indigenous to the park is the Mediterranean Oak which has evolved so that it can survive drought. Unlike our native English Oak it is an evergreen and is characterised by hard small green leaves. When thriving en masse like in the park it gives the hills and mountains an intense green colour that contrasts against the azure blue sky.

Droughts here can be extreme, exacerbated by the permeability of the limestone rock which causes the winter rains to rapidly drain away.

The only sound we hear is the faint swish of waves lapping the shore below and a few odd cicadas at the end of their season, this is in contrast to late spring and early summer when their chorus of mariachi can be deafening.

All along the Maremma coast there is a series of defensive towers a relic of the sixteenth century when this area was prone to raids by Saracen pirates

A rich canvas of olive green hues leads out to the turquoise sea, beyond which the islands of Elba, Montecristo and even the faint outline of Corsica creep along the horizon.

The Maremma is also home to the Maremmana longhorned breed of cattle which can be traced back to the Etruscan period. After a period of population decline it has reasserted itself, thriving in the harsh environment of the Maremma.

We descend down through the rocky path onto a huge expanse of wild beach, completely unspoilt and with just a handful of people sprinkled across the shoreline. Our guide advises us we have twenty minutes to take a refreshing dip before the short hike back to our bus so we take full advantage of this tranquil paradise.

We work up quite an appetite during our morning hike  and decide to head to the recommended nearby Osteria La Nuova Dispensa.

The recommendation is insightful! We sit in the shade under a pergola our table covered in a rustic style patterned cloth.

Highlights on the menu are the local charcuterie with cheeses and beef T-bone cooked Florentine style.

We opt for both! The starter is a mix of spicy wild boar salami, strong flavoured capo collo and a silky prosciutto Umbria with strong umami. A glass of Maremma Sangiovese from the nearby Santa Lucia vineyard  accentuates the flavours even further. A crumbly pecorino cheese is served with wild honey from a local bee keeper.

The main course arrives with a simple garnish,it’s a full on fest of rare cooked meat on the bone simply flavoured with salt and pepper.

Our bellies full we head off in search of the Santa Lucia vineyard. Located near Grosseto it’s a fairly modern affair with a tasting room located in a large bungalow style building at the heart of the estate.

We had the opportunity to taste 3 wines:

Brigante: 100% Vermentino.

Betto: A Super Tuscan comprising Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Sour cherries balanced with sweetness of the Merlot to produce a great example.

Santa Lucia: 100% Ansonica. A great expression of the local varietal that is crisp with a steely minerality and aromatic nose.

We arrive back at Cala Piccola in time to catch the last shuttle down to the little cove at the foot of the hotel.

As the mountains start to shade the falling evening sun we indulge in some open water swimming in the warm clear turquoise waters and for a finale sip on some ice cold tequila sunrises!

Before dinner we are treated to one of the most dramatic sunsets we have ever witnessed.

As we sip our pre dinner drinks on our balcony the sun finally slips behind the distant Isola di Giglio and a cooling sea breeze blows in as we descend into darkness.

Dinner is a simpler affair this evening after our meatfest for lunch.

Emilano, the sommelier again delivers a perfect recommendation:  Vini Montauto Enos I, DOC Maremma Toscana. A wine made by one of Tuscany’s new generation of winemakers who are reinvigorating their family owned vineyards with new enthusiasm for producing stunning wines that really express the terroir in which they are grown.

Exhibiting a classic nose of Sauvignon Blanc with gooseberry, fresh grass and Granny Smith, a great balance of acidity and minerality with notes of white fruits, herbs, apple and star fruit rounded with a long finish and perfect with the light summer pasta.

An appetiser of anchovy and buffalo mozzarella is very light, sourced directly from the farmer and served in a slightly quirky style. Nonetheless the saltiness of the anchovy balances nicely with the rich cream of the mozzarella!

Our main course is macaroni with a mirepoix of carrot, aubergine and bacon bound in a light pea velouté. The silky yet fresh execution of this dish sings a ballad of summer with every mouthful.

We are again seduced by the Valrhona chocolate dome with passion fruit ganache and dried fruit crumbs. As spectacular in its delivery as it was the night before!

Notching up the ante just a little Emilano our sommelier recommends one of my favourite dessert wines the rare Passito Pantelleria from the tiny Italian island that is closer to Africa than Italy!

Its a heady fusion of honey and honeycomb which is a rich golden colour, with a palette of rich marmalade.

With our second day in paradise drawing to a close we take a stroll around the gardens of the hotel serenaded by cicadas!