The Kiss of St. Valentine, Cotes du Rhone
How a Saint’s Relics saved French Wines..(sort of)
When the Rhone river valley vineyards were devastated by phylloxera in the 1800’s, Maximilien Pichard, from Roquemaure, travelled to Rome to acquire relics to help save the region. His pilgrimage was not for any specific Saints relics, but when St. Valentine’s arrived….there were a few more years of blight, then it suddenly stopped! …and there was great rejoicing!!!
La Festo de Poutoun is now an annual celebration with the tapping of large coopers of Cotes du Rhone wines and lots of kissing! Roquemaure converts its streets to a 18th century villiage and a Bacchanalia festival goes on for several days!
Join us for the Kiss of St. Valentine Wine Dinner & a smoochable flight through the Cotes du Rhone region.
When the Rhone river valley vineyards were devastated by phylloxera in the 1800’s, Maximilien Pichard, from Roquemaure, travelled to Rome to acquire relics to help save the region. His pilgrimage was not for any specific Saints relics, but when St. Valentine’s arrived….there were a few more years of blight, then it suddenly stopped! …and there was great rejoicing!!!
La Festo de Poutoun is now an annual celebration with the tapping of large coopers of Cotes du Rhone wines and lots of kissing! Roquemaure converts its streets to a 18th century villiage and a Bacchanalia festival goes on for several days!
Join us for the Kiss of St. Valentine Wine Dinner & a smoochable flight through the Cotes du Rhone region.