The Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours ended at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, as the previous tours have done.
We spent our last dinner and night at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape. Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet prepared a very special wine-pairing menu for us matched with wines of the Rhône Valley.
This was a special evening in a very special place and a fitting finale to our tour through the Rhône Valley.
Hostellerie du Château des Fines Roches
Hostellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape is a 4 star exquisite castle hotel. Approaching the hotel takes your breath away. The medieval and Provencal fantasy style castle was built in the 19th century. It sits high on a hill overlooking the Châteauneuf du Pape vineyards, with gorgeous views to the town of Châteauneuf du Pape and as far as to the Luberon.
Hostellerie du Château des Fines Roches was built in the late 1800s by Auguste Constantin. In 1936, Louis Mousset bought the castle including 45 hectares of vineyards and made the property the centre of his extensive wine business and his family home. After the death of Louis Mousset his assets were divided among his three children, Jacques, Guy and Catherine.
The château remains in joint ownership of the Mousset family.
Since a decade or so it has been used as a 4 star Hotel with Restaurant. Since 2021, it is under the direction of Denis Duchêne, along with Sébastien Gutierrez and Chef Hugo Lorridan, his two associates.
Pictures: Dinner and Overnight-stay at at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Wine-pairing Dinner at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape in 2022
Bye-bye
After a good sleep, we all had breakfast together and then went to the train station in Avignon. Most of us went to Paris. Some went to Lyon. Annette and I went to Frankfurt.
Winemaking: Château des Fines Roches and Many Other Mousset Family Wines
Today there are three branches of the Mousset family in Châteauneuf-du-Pape who can thank their common grandfather, Louis Mousset, for their status as major landowner and winemaker in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
First, Jacques Mousset inherited from his father the negociant firm and some estates, but sold off the negociant firm to Cellier des Dauphins in 1996. Today the Mousset family has nothing to do with this firm any more.
Jacques Mousset has retired and his three sons now run his estates. Yann Mousset owns together with his brother Fabrice Domaine de Tout Vent (25 hectares Côte du Rhône). He also runs the wine shop at the Château des Fines Roches. Fabrice Mousset runs Domaine Fabrice Mousset (10 hectares Chateauneuf du Pape) and together with Yann Mousset Domaine de Tout Vent (25 hectares Côte du Rhône). Cyril Mousset runs Domaine de la Font du Roi (24 hectares Châteauneuf du Pape).
Second, Guy Mousset's sons Olivier and Frank Mousset own Clos Saint Michel (15 hectares Châteauneuf du Pape and 12 hectares Côte du Rhône). Frank Mousset has furthermore his own small estate, Domaine des Saumades (2,5 hectares Châteauneuf du Pape).
Third, Catherine, the youngest child of Louis Mousset, married Robert Barrot and today they own Vignobles Mousset-Barrot consisting of three properties: Château des Fines Roches (53 hectares Châteauneuf du Pape), Château du Bois de la Garde (63 hectares Côte du Rhône) and, purchased in 2003, Château Jas de Bressy (4,5 hectares Châteauneuf du Pape). Catherine and Robert's children Amélie Barrot and Gaelle Barrot are now in charge of these 3 estates.
The wines of Clos Saint Michel are made at the cellars of Clos Saint Michel. All other wines of the Mousset family are vinified and aged in the cellars of Château des Fines Roches - separately for each domain.
Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (Issued and Forthcoming Postings)
Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History
Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France
The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône
Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Lunch at Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Visit and Tasting at Domaine de Boisseyt in Chavany, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Wine-pairing Dinner at Hôtellerie Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo with Anne Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Visit and Tasting at Domaine du Tunnel with Owner/ Winemaker Stéphane Robert in Saint-Peray, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Lunch at Restaurant Le Quai (Michelin/ Bib Gourmand) in Tain-l’Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting and Cellar Tour with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Lunch at Maison Chabran - La Grand Table with Chef Louis Chabran and his Father Chef Michel Chabran in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud with Owner/ Winemaker Valérie Chaume-Arnaud in Vinsobres, Southern Rhône- Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Visit and Tasting with Alexandra Berthet-Rayne at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas with Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet, 1 Star Michelin, in Gigondas, with Owner-chef Laurent Deconinck and Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Visit and Tasting at Domaine des Pasquiers in Sablet, Southern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Philippe Lambert in Sablet, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting at Domaine la Bouïssière, Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Josiane Faravel - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Lunch at Restaurant La Maison de Celou (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Châteauneuf-de-Cadagne - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
In Les Baux de Provence: Visit of the Olive Oil Mill Moulin Castelas and Overnight Stay and Dinner Hôtel Le Mas de l’Oulivier - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Arles: Roman History and van Gogh - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
At the Pont du Gard: Lunch at Restaurant Les Terrasses and Sightseeing at the Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Lunch at Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Avignon: Guided Tour of Pont Saint-Bénézet, the so-called ‘Pont d’Avignon’, and the Palace of the Popes - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Vineyard and Cellar Tour at Vignobles Alain Jaume, Domaine Grand Veneur, with Hélène Jaume in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Wine-pairing Lunch at La Table d’Alain Jaume with Hélène Jaume at Domaine Grand Veneur in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard in Châteauneuf-du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting of Châteuneuf-du-Pape Wines at La Cave de Mathias with Mathias in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Wine-pairing Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France