Friday, January 31, 2025

Tasting at Domaine Alary in Cairanne, Southern Rhône, with Jean Etienne Alary and Senior Boss Denis Alary - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours






Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours led by Annette Schiller took place from October 13 - October 23. The tour started in Lyon and ended in Châteauneuf-du-Pap/ Avignon. There were 8 of us including Annette and me. 

The Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France, and the second largest after Bordeaux. The Greeks introduced viticulture in the 4th century BC. Later the Romans came and brought viticulture to a different level. Since then the world has discovered Rhône wines and some of the most famous wines come from the Rhône Valley. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river. The Rhône Valley is divided into two distinctively different regions: the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. 

For an overview see: Overview: Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours led by Annette Schiller - Facebook Day-by-day Posting

This was our first day in the Southern Rhône.

The day started with a tasting at @Domaine Alary in Cairanne., a recommendation of one of the tour participants. Jean Etienne Alary was our host. Senior boss Denis Alary joined us for part of the tasting. 

Domaine Alary in Cairanne, Southern Rhône

This wine estate can look back on a long history. It was founded in 1692, when Louis XIV was king in France. We will be in for a treat when tasting the wines of Domaine Alary. I quote Jancis Robinson: “Few wines can compete with Château de Beaucastel 1978, an iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape from a legendary vintage – but this unassuming 2018 from the village of Cairanne did exactly that at a recent Rhône tasting I hosted. It's a blend of Syrah and Grenache, in roughly equal proportions, and even as a young wine it demonstrates complexity, depth and charisma, and punches way above its price.” 

Today the domaine is run by the 10th and 11th generation: Denis and Jean-Etienne Alary. Since 2009 they are certified organic (AB Agriculture Biologique) and the total vineyard area is 73 acres. 60 cares are
planted with traditional Southern Rhône red grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise) and 13 acres with traditional Southern Rhône white varieties (Clairette, Bourboulence, Viognier, Grenache blanc, Roussanne). 

Domaine Alary produces wines in different appellations: 6 Cru: 4 red cuvées Cairanne, 2 white cuvées Cairanne, Côte du Rhône: 1 red, 1 white, 1 rosé and 1 IGP Vaucluse, Principauté d’Orange, 1 Vin de Pays Vaucluse and 1 Vin de France made with 100% Counoise.





















Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours - Postings on schiller-wine (Published and Forthcoming):
 

Arriving in Lyon: Saucisson Sec, Saint-Marcellin Cheese and a Bottle of Rhône Rouge at Le Broc'Bar for Dinner - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Sunday Morning Stroll on the St. Antoine Market on the Banks of the Soane River Market in Lyon - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Meet&Greet (+ Introduction to the Rhône Valley Region) at Grand Hôtel des Terreaux in Lyon and Guided Sightseeing Tour of Lyon - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

"Menu Tradition" at Grand Café des Négociants - Created in 1864 - in Lyon - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

At the Foot of the Hermitage Hill and Tasting at Maison M. Chapoutier in Tain l’Hermitage - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch with a View of the Hermitage Hill at Brasserie Route N7 in Tain l’Hermitage - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Quick Stop at Valrhona, the Famous Chocolate Producer, in Tain l’Hermitage - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet, Croze-Hermitage, with Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

3-course Dinner at Restaurant Le Quai in Tain L’Hermitage - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Caveau Ferraton Père & Fils in Tain L’Heremitage, with Jerome Nuss - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Yves Cuilleron in Chavanay, Northern Rhône, with Thibaut Jager - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Next to Maison Guigal: Lunch at Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour at Maison Guigal and Guigal Tasting at Château d’Ampuis, with Kim Conley - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Focus on "Natural Wine": Meeting Alice Feiring at Le Moderne Wine Bar of Romane Vallon in Toulon - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting in the Cellar at Cave Sébastien Blachon in Saint-Jean de Muzols, Northern Rhône, with Sébastien Blachon - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting from Barrel and from Bottle at Domaine Alain Graillot in Pont-de-l’Isère, Northern Rhône, with Maxime Graillot - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

High-end Wine Pairing Lunch at La Grand Table Maison Chabran, with Chef Louis Chabran and Legend Michel Chabran - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

High-end Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Alary in Cairanne, Southern Rhône, with Jean Etienne Alary and Senior Boss Denis Alary - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours 

Tasting at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud in Vinsobres, Southern Rhône, with Valérie Chaume-Arnaud and Virginia Fréguin - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Le Mesclun in Séguret, with Artist Chef Christophe Bonzi - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Domaine Saint Gayan in Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Christian-Yves Carré de Lusançay - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Restaurant Domaine de Cabasse, Séguret - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine des Pasquiers in Sablet, Southern Rhône, with Jean Claude, Philippe and Perrin Lambert - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting in the Front-yard at Domaine La Ligière in Beaumes-de-Venise - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

3-course Lunch at Restaurant Auberge Saint Roch in Beaumes-de-Venise, with the Husband and Wife Team Johann and Isabelle from Corsica - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting in the Cellar at Domaine La Martinelle in Lafare, Ventoux, with Owner/ Winemaker Corinne Faravel - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Charcuterie and Cheese Dinner with Rosé Wines at Hôtel Le Mas de l’Oulivié, Les Baux de Provence - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Olive Trees Tour, Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Mas de Gourgonnier in Mouriès, Alpilles, with Owner/ Winemaker Eve Cartier - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

3-course Lunch at Le Mas Teulière in Maussane-les-Alpilles - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Van Gogh and the Romans: Sightseeing in Arles - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch with a View at Restaurant Les Terrasses at the Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Avignon - Town of the Popes: Guided Tour of the Palace of the Popes and of Pont Saint-Bénézet - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Light Dinner in Avignon at the Palace of the Popes - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pègau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger (from Austria) - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Vignobles Alain Jaume, Domaine Grand Veneur in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with Hélène Jaume and Chef Axel Thomas - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Berthet-Rayne in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laure Berthet-Rayne (Laure Capeau) - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours 

Light Dinner in the old part of Avignon near "Les Halles", the Central Food Market - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Bottleing and Tasting at Château de Ségriès in Lirac, with Owner/ Winemaker Henri de Lanzac - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting Château de Beaucastel Wines at Boutique Famille Perrin in the Village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at La Mule du Pape in the Center of  Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Gigognan in Sorgues, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with Head Winemaker Jenna Le Lay - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Michelin-star level Wine-pairing Dinner at Hôtellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

 

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Drinks with a View at Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Mexico City (December 2024)

              
       
     

       

              


Annette and I spent the second half of December 2024 in Mexico City, with Katharina and Diego, who have been living there since February 2024.
 
For an overview, see: 15 Days in Mexico City, at Diego and Katharina's Apartment, December 2024: Daily Facebook Postings
 











Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar of the Riz-Carlton Hotel

Katharina took us to the Riz-Carlton Hotel which has a spectacular rooftop bar and restaurant in the 38th floor. The view was breathtaking.
 
The Riz-Carlton is at the Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city's main avenues with impressive high-rises, quite different from the area where Katharina and Diego live.
 
Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar of the Riz-Carlton Hotel/ Forbes 

When gazing out of The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, you get the most mesmerizing view: the leafy treetops of adjacent Chapultepec Forest that seem to stretch to the surrounding mountains. Within the nearly 2,000-acre park, you’ll spot attractions like Chapultepec Castle, Altar a la Patria’s six marble columns and a Ferris wheel.

Soaring 58 stories above the posh Polanco neighborhood, the sleek, glass skyscraper is one of the capital’s tallest buildings. And you can catch a glimpse of the breathtaking vistas almost everywhere you go in the hotel. But there’s more to explore at this chic, modern tower, from a must-visit sky bar to a forward-thinking spa.
 
....We can’t stop raving about these panoramas. Residing on the building’s 37th to 47th floors, the hotel, which sits on the prominent Paseo de la Reforma, embraces its sky-high perch and puts the view front and center.

Admire the backdrop of the city’s architectural highlights, the park and peaks from the top-to-bottom windows in the rooms and suites, some of which have strategically placed tubs overlooking the scenery. Zip up to the 38th floor to SAMOS Sabores Míos, where you can appreciate the vistas from inside the restaurant through the wall of windows or outside on the almost vertigo-inducing terrace — tall, thick glass panels make you feel like you’re dining on the edge.

... Across from the restaurant, you’ll find another place to drink in the views. Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar lures you in with dim lighting, armchairs all facing the floor-to-ceiling windows and cocktails like the 360 (Flor de Caña rum with citrus and coriander oil, cucumber mint infusion and avocado leaf bitters).

If you sidle up to the black marble bar and mention that you love mezcal to head bartender Ivan Bollo Jiménez, he might break out some of his favorites, like Vago and 400 Conejos, both from Oaxaca, and unusual rimming salts (like peppery tarantula and herbaceous grasshopper) for an impromptu tasting.

Paseo de la Reforma









Ritz-Carlton
 

 
 
Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar




 Views
 





 Drinks and Snacks
 





 38th Floor
 


schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Invitation: Come Along on a Fabulous Wine Tour to Bordeaux, led be Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, Tuesday, May 20 - Thursday, May 29, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENT: Wine Tours in Europe by ombiasy with Annette Schiller 2025

Overview: Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours led by Annette Schiller - Facebook Day-by-day Postings

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023 

Visit at Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, in Vouvray, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Visit of Château Chenonceau, Residence of Diana de Poitier and of Katharina de Medici, Mistress (the Former) and Wife (the Latter) of King Henry II - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

schiller-wine Blog of Christian Schiller Top Washington DC Alcohol Blog (December, 2024)

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

German Wine Society (Capital Chapter) Membership Meeting 2024: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany

Masterclass - The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference March 2024 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Shifting from the Sugar Level at Harvest to the Wine's Geographic Origin

Dinner at JAN in Munich, Germany, with Jan Hartwig, one of the ten German 3-star Michelin Chefs (September 2024) 




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