Châtillon-en-Diois
Gail very kindly drove Jean Charles and me to Châtillon en Diois, which is about 15 km from Die. Our first port of call was the Domaine du Maupas vineyard.
We were received by Victoria, a Franco Anglaise who shared with us the story of this vineyard, with its stunningly beautiful mountain backdrop. At the heart of one of the highest and smallest French wine appellations, Jérôme Cayol, winemaker at the Domaine du Maupas, has been producing organic wine for over twenty years.
Maupas is the largest operator of the Châtillon en Diois appellation with 11 hectares. In fact, Châtillon en Diois is one of the smallest appellations in France with just 35 hectares and less than ten operators. Maupas produces whites, rosé and reds in AOC Châtillon en Diois and a Clairette de Die Tradition in the ancestral Dioise method.
The red wines are mainly made from the Gamay grape variety, which can be blended pinot noir and syrah. We tasted a nice red, Cuvee du Loup, which was bold, well balanced and nicely structured, It will obviously age well for some years.
We then drove up to the village of Châtillon en Diois, and wandered through the beautiful, narrow back streets to arrive at our luncheon restaurant, the Bistroquet of the Hôtel du Dauphiné, whose chef Abdel Barakat serves traditional cuisine with a Mediterranean touch.
Gail and Jean Charles ordered artisanal ravioli (a local speciality) with morels, while I took ravioli with a lemon sauce. We accompanied this with a glass of Châtillon en Diois red wine. Also on the menu were two tajines, reflecting Abdel Barakat’s Moroccan origins.
Jean Charles and I stayed on for an afternoon of wandering around the charming streets and alleys of old Châtillon en Diois. We bumped into a local lady, Martine, who insisted on taking us for a walk down to and along the local river. It was a wonderful conclusion to a nice visit to Châtillon en Diois.
Châtillon en Diois is a “must-visit” for anyone interested in discovering “la France profonde”.
PS
I have just returned from my wanderings, having taken local trains and buses from Die to Grenoble, passing through the wonderful mountains of the Vercors. I then took the TGV up to Paris, and even the first section of that trip was very beautiful. This is very much a trip worth taking.