Exploring Tain-l’Hermitage: A Tasting, A Tour & A Train Through the Vineyards

“‘Look at those vines,’ he said. ‘Nature is wearing her prettiest clothes.'”

~Peter Mayle, A Year in Provence

I couldn’t take my eyes off the hillsides as the ms Emerald sailed into Tain-l’Hermitage. Rows of terraced vines dotted the landscape, cascading at such steep angles they appeared to almost plunge into the river. The scenery had clearly changed from the rolling hills of the Rhône’s wine-producing Southern region, and I was eager to head out and see what this Northern Rhône town, known locally as Tain, was all about.

Herb and I had signed on for a triple-header of an event that would take us on a winery tour, a wine and cheese tasting and a train ride into the vineyards. We began the morning at Cave de Tain, a wine cooperative of five “cru” – or superior – vineyards formed in 1933. Cave de Tain’s modern winery is a sharp contrast to the view across the parking lot, where old stone walls and seemingly miles of terraced vines create a tranquil scene that looks like a painting.

The Tour

Tour guide and sommelier Yann greeted our group with a warm welcome as he led us into the Cave de Tain cellars. His enthusiasm and passion were immediate, and I knew we were off to a great start. As we walked, Yann talked about the Syrah grape, which originated in the Hermitage and is the only grape used to make red wine in the region. The area produces white wine as well, often blending Marsanne and Roussanne grapes. These grapes thrive in the Northern Rhône’s mostly granite soil and its steep terraced hillsides.

Many of the Cave de Tain rooms look modern and sophisticated. A concrete tank selection room controls top select wines – concrete is easy to clean and sterilize, Yann explained – and about 3,000 French oak barrels are used for aging the wine. But other rooms were dug under the hillside many years ago and have the feeling of, well, cellars, with low ceilings, stone walls and bottles stored behind glass windows and an ornate iron gate.

The Tasting

After the tour, we walked to a lovely old stone building near the vineyards for our tasting. I was captivated by the setting, with a modern pool and fountain juxtaposed with the building’s architecture. The gardens along the way were as stunning as the vineyards. This was clearly a place where a great deal of thought and design went into creating the tranquil environment.

The tasting was actually a pairing of wines and cheeses from the region. A plate with very large pieces of cheese was waiting at each of our places. Yann explained how certain wines can change the taste of certain cheeses “like magic” and asked us to taste each cheese before and after taking a sip of wine. Herb and I were amazed at the impact the wine had on the selected cheeses. I thought I knew a little bit about pairing wine with food, but this class took the idea of pairing to an elevated level!

The gregarious Yann was extremely generous with his knowledge and patient with his time, answering our questions and introducing our group to the world of pairing. It was an information-filled morning, but my favorite takaway was something Yann told us about how he often decides what to order:

“When I’m traveling, I watch the plate of the oldest man in the village. He knows what to eat and drink.”

The Train

Le Petit Train des Vignes was pulling into the Cave de Tain parking lot just as we arrived back at the main building. I had seen these little tour trams in other French towns, but never had an interest in simply riding around a route I could explore on foot. This train, however, was different because in addition to the town of Tain, it takes visitors into the vineyards.

A light drizzle was sprinkling through the sunlight when the train stopped near the top of a hillside. As we stood taking in the views, a farmer appeared on the scene with apricots for our group. Our guide explained that farmers here practice biodynamic agriculture, a holistic and self-sustained management of the farm’s ecosystem. In addition to apricots, she said, they also grow almonds.

Moving On

Before returning to the riverboat, Herb and I stopped at Valrhona’s la Cité du Chocolat, a renowned chocolatier that has been a fixture in Tain-l’Hermitage since 1922. We walked through town before making our way to the Rhône, passing places we missed on our drive to Cave de Tain.

This was our last day on the river before sailing overnight to Lyon, and our footsteps were a little slower than usual. We knew, of course, that we couldn’t slow down time. But it was fun to try just the same.