Elite Traveler Fall 2021

DISCOVER

Château de Berne’s winemaker starts harvesting grapes at midnight and presses them immediately to keep the pale color

Wine by Elin McCoy

ON THE ROSÉ ROAD AGAIN

Wine tourism is back, and one of the most pleasurable regions in which to indulge grape- driven passion is sun-drenched (even in fall), movie-set-beautiful Provence, home to the world’s most fashionable rosés. More grand wine estates than ever are wooing oenophiles with luxury lodging, pools, spas and expert-led tastings. Château de Berne, about an hour’s drive from the buzzy beach clubs of Saint-Tropez, is a trailblazer of the trend, with a serious eco-conscious twist behind its excellent wines. Think of the bucolic 1,700-acre historic estate in the large Côtes de Provence appellation as a sustainable Shangri-La. The château’s gourmet restaurant, Le Jardin de

Berne, is one of a small number of Michelin 1-star restaurants in France to earn the Guide’s new Etoile Verte (green star) award for sustainable gastronomy. Executive chef Louis Rameau draws from a 30,000-sq-ft organic fruit and vegetable garden to create his seasonal, local-flavors-of-Provence cuisine. The château’s savory rosés, as well as rarer estate reds, whites and sparkling wines, come from vineyards that were certified organic in February 2018. The tile-roofed Relais & Châteaux hotel is one of only three five-star spots in France to earn European Ecolabel certification, which reflects its commitment to conserving energy and water, and reducing waste. A free charging station encourages the use of electric