Wine Uncovered
Solving the Mysteries of Terroir
The Ultimate Wine Tour
Let Wine Uncovered be your guide through some of the most beautiful vineyards in the Southern Rhône / Provence as you follow the grape’s progress, step by step from vineyard to bottle.
You can only truly appreciate the soul of a great French wine by visiting the vineyard in which it has its origins. It is amidst beautiful Provençal vineyards that I explain how the quality and characteristics and of the wines that you taste are derived from the unique “terroir” of each vineyard and the loving attention and toil of the vine-grower.
French wine production is focussed on the vineyard and what the terroir (growing conditions) brings to the wine, in particular the diversity of wine styles as each grower seeks to express their terroir in their wine. I contrast this approach to the more cellar-led approach prevalent in other regions where the winemaker is the star. In France, we talk more about “growing” wines and embracing the diversity that this brings, as opposed to “making” them in the cellar.
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Olivier Hickman
A Passion for the Art of Wine & Provence
I fell in love with Provence at an early age. My mother was French and as a child I was often taken to visit my grandmother in Orange. I recall being bowled over by the fairytale beauty of the surrounding countryside and vowing to return when I was “grown up”.
In 1996 I did return – to the nearby village of Rasteau – and it was there that my love affair with the region was rekindled. Not only was the summer landscape even more magical than I remembered it, but the local wines were stunning too.
That visit inspired me to learn more about wine – and as my knowledge grew so did my passion. Due in part, no doubt, to my Provencal roots, I became increasingly fascinated by the wines of Provence, in particular the marvellous Côtes du Rhône wines.