Goat farm opened in 2011 at the entrance to Saoû, organic since 2013, making Picodon and goat meat, with Syrah vines since 2019. Early-morning farm sales; relais paysan for one to eight people.
Cheeses: Picodon
Website: chevrequisaourit.com
A fresh, supple Picodon is goaty with hazelnut and mushroom notes. Dry, full-bodied Saint-Péray Marsanne has the weight to sit next to that tang without drowning it. The accords-mets-vins.fr guide lists Saint-Péray among its whites for Picodon.
The accords-mets-vins.fr guide names Crozes-Hermitage blanc among its whites for Picodon, Marsanne and Roussanne wines it says bring floral and fruity notes. Their round, dry body meets the cheese's goaty tang and its mushroom and hazelnut notes.
The accords-mets-vins.fr guide keeps Provence rosé for young Picodon and picks Tavel, which it calls fuller and more structured, for an aged one. An aged Picodon is drier and firmer, and a dry rosé with Tavel's weight and fresh acidity has the grip to match it.
Address: 180 route de Crest, Quartier de Biègue, 26400 Saoû, Rhone Valley
Organic goat cheese farm since 1976; a new goat house and dairy were built in 2008. About 160 goats are fed from 60 hectares of cereals and fodder. Morning sales at the farm, Monday to Saturday.
Cheeses: Picodon
Visiting: farm shop, market stalls at Saint-Donat, Hauterives and Bourg-de-Péage
Dairy making raw-milk goat cheeses from partner breeders' milk since 1963, now in its third generation. Range: Tomme Capra, Réveil de l'Empereur, Saint-Bardoux and Picodon, with group tastings.
Cheeses: Picodon, goat tommes, fresh faisselle
Visiting: direct sales on site, group tastings by appointment all year (groups of up to 40, per the dairy's own site)
Farm run from father to son since 1954, with 60 goats, 70 cattle and apricot orchards. Its main product is goat tomme, with goat charcuterie and apricot nectar; farm-inn meals on reservation.
Cheeses: goat tommes
Visiting: farm shop, educational farm visit by reservation, September to June, farm inn meals by reservation, market stalls at Saint-Donat, Bourg-de-Péage and Pont-de-l'Isère
Family cheese dairy founded in 1963, run today by Catherine Reynaud, the third generation. Makes ladle-moulded raw-milk soft cheeses, tommes, yoghurts and cream desserts from the adjoining Montbéliarde dairy farm's milk.
Cheeses: Saint-Félicien, Saint Michel, Jacquemart, Bréca, Catochon, Cœur DauphiNoix, goat cheeses (Ministre, Priscillou), Tommes, yoghurts and cream desserts
Visiting: direct sales at the dairy at set hours, Saturday morning producers' market at Saint-Donat-sur-l'Herbasse
Goat farm set up in June 2018 in the south Drôme; the syndicate listing counts 55 goats and says the cheese is ladle-moulded. Sells Picodon, faisselle, yoghurt and a cow's milk cheese at weekly markets.
Cheeses: Picodon, fresh faisselle, cow's milk cheese
Visiting: sales at four weekly markets: Cléon-d'Andran (Tuesday), Saint-Gervais-sur-Roubion (Friday), Montélimar (Saturday), Meysse (Sunday)
Picodon ageing workshop in Planzolles with the Terra Cabra museum route above its ageing rooms. It ages fresh tommes collected from 21 producers (Picodon syndicate), largely into Picodon AOP.
Cheeses: Picodon
Visiting: museum route of about 40 minutes over a 200 m2 exhibition, films and educational workshops, ageing rooms, tasting (free for individuals, per the Ardèche Guide listing), shop with the workshop's cheeses and local products
Private wine tour of the Rhône Valley, a day out in France tasting great wines in a unique atmosphere.
Discover two of the best preserved Roman monuments in the world: The Roman Theatre of Orange and the Aqueduct of the Pont du Gard (UNESCO Sites) and enjoy a wine tasti...
Explore the beautiful city of Avignon. See the Papal Palace, enjoy some lunch, visit Chateau Sainte-Roseline, and taste the wine of the Provence.
