For centuries Côte Roannaise was a forgotten wine region.
But it was here tucked away in these lonely and windswept hills of Central France that I discovered one of the greatest vineyards on Earth - welcome to Romain Paire’s Domain des Pothiers.
Arriving at The Domaine after a long and winding drive, I encounter an elderly gentleman staring frustratingly into the abyss of a tractor engine. We exchange a ‘Bonjour’ to each other, but beyond that I am not even sure that he registers me. I lean back against the car and gaze on at his efforts.
A short while later Romain bounds up the rocky lane. He and his father talk ‘tractor’ for a few minutes, which seems to turn his father’s mood to a more optimistic bearing. And then, with a turn of the head, Romain faces me and unleashes a raw and gushing smile.
And straight to business Romain shows me around his house, which is at least one thousand years old and has been home to his family for as far back as records go. He tells me that for millennia this land has made wine and that his forefathers never abandoned this practice.
We take a tour to his magical ‘Clos’. An old monastery towers over this walled vineyard high up a hill. We feel as far away from civilisation as is possible but the view is awesome. From this ancient vineyard I can see the whole of France, North, South, East and West.
Romain is truly a man of the country; up at dawn working till dusk, completing more projects in a year than I will do in a lifetime. He is truly inspirational, and later that day as I taste his wines in his rustic Gaul cellars I realise that I have found an absolute gem.
The area is famous for the variety Gamay St Romain (this is not the Gamay of Beaujolais – but a different variety altogether which is prettier and more feminine). The altitude and cool climate give his wines a freshness and perfect ripeness - simply formidable.
That evening I share a wonderful meal with the family - everything on the table is grown by themselves from the land around them. We celebrate this together.
I discover that when Romain makes a rare visit to any of his 3 star Michelin restaurant clients around France he is treated like royalty, such are the quality of his wines and the respect he has earnt. I ask Romain what one thing should I take away from my visit with him.
‘Gamay forever’ he says. And in that instant we become lifelong friends.
And here I am now 12,000 miles from those lonely hills sitting in the buzzing cauldron that is Daphnes on Ponsonby Road. Established in March 2021 by owners Joost and Clare van der Berg at the height of Covid, this establishment has only been a roaring success. General manager Tania Pucher runs a tight and friendly team and Chef Thomas Wix works his magic from the fire pit kitchen. As soon as you walk in with its open space in bright blue and white hues, you are transported to the Mediterranean as if a white sand beach and jaunty fishing boats are just a sea shell’s throw away.
It’s a summery day here in Auckland and the rose sparkling tints of my effervescent wine shimmer in my tall flute in front of me. This is ‘The Eclipse’ from Domaine des Pothiers. A sparkling Rosé biodynamic wine made from the most ancient winemaking technique for this genre; ‘Pétillant Naturel’ or ‘Pét Nat’ as it is more fondly known amongst its fans. It is one of my fave summer drinks, of course made from Romain’s legendary Gamay.
And one dish you must have on the table when the ‘Eclipse’ is in play is the signature ‘Ouzo Salmon confit with burnt honey, sesame, feta and witlof. It’s a decadent dish with layers of richness from the textured salmon to the soft cheese and ‘to die for’ honey. The Eclipse nicely complements with its freshness, red fruits and elegance and resets the palate nicely for the next bite….C’est Magnifique…Très chic. (Puneet Dhall)
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