Ventoux

The Ventoux (formerly Côtes du Ventoux) is a huge appellation with over 17,500 acres of vines on and around Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse département. This is one of the most scenic parts of France with some of the country’s prettiest villages and most beautiful countryside. 90% of the wine is produced by co-operatives and its tends to be surprisingly lighter and sweeter than that of the Côtes du Rhône. However, some of the less widely available prestige cuvées are capable of ageing well and provide outstanding value.

Recent vintages have been kind to the Ventoux, as elsewhere in the valley although it certainly doesn't follow that this vast area enjoys the same successes as some of its more illustrious neighbours. There are still many wines which, in the 21st century, have no excuses for being sub-par. That said, wine fairs in the region have been becoming more and more pleasurable encounters in recent years. However, there are always going to be a few standout names and, whereas some guides are stuck on one or two such estates, we have been following these, together with relative newcomer Chateau Juvenal for some years and, frankly, the trajectory of the quality and range of wines from this estate, just on the edge of the Ventoux appellation, near to Beaumes-de-Venise, is astonishing. The enthusiasm here is something you can almost taste in every sip. Deservedly awarded wine of the week by Jancis Robinson MW when I encouraged her to taste the wines from the 2015 vintage and they've only got better since then! Another estate we have been following for several years is Domaine du Bon Remède who make a range of very individual, high quality reds, recently lauded by Matt Walls in Decanter.

Abbaye de Senanque (great honey, produced by the monks!)	Chateau Juvenal	Domaine du Bon Remède	Mont Ventoux in the early morning, view from Venasque