Athos’ Recommended Top 3 Languedoc Reds for Christmas

All 3 wines listed below are stocked by Athos, and are sold internationally and may be available through your local Wine Merchant:

Chateau La Voulte Gasparet, AOC Corbieres
Chateau Ollieux Romanisse, AOC Corbieres
Borie du Maurel, AOC Minervois (Belle de Nuit or Cuvee Syllah)

Athos’ Top3 all contain blends of 4 typical Languedoc grape varieties:

Grenache (versatile with chocolate & pepper notes)
Syrah: weighty & fruity
Mourvedre: used in smaller doses than Grenache/Syrah for dark colour & leathery notes
Carignan: (sometimes the Make or Break grape (!). Vinified well, it adds depth and silky tannins.

Suitable food combinations: Corbieres & Minervois reds will blend deliciously with winter menus items like: turkey, duck, beef potato/garlic dishes, winter vegetables like red cabbage. Cheese!

Recommended Languedoc Reds for Christmas

Carcassonne – a destination while Cruising the Canal du Midi

This week, I’ve been called out of my usual office and school-run routine to act as the Tour Guide for our luxury hotel barge, Athos.

Alas, I admit that this is shameless use of an opportunity to recall (that is, dig 5 years’ back in my memory) a few of the details about the Carcassonne visit that Athos includes as part of her cruise week-long itinerary.

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Beat the South of France heat with a cold glass of rosé

This week’s Euro-heatwave has more or less passed, but not without having found a few pleasurable ways of dealing with the warm climes.

At the top of that list is the Languedoc’s famous dry rosé wines. In the introduction to Athos passengers’ first Canal du Midi alfresco lunch, I have often found myself presenting a tongue-in-cheek-educational-rosé-tasting. The speech follows something along the lines that Languedoc rosé does not fit the same category as 1980’s sweet Portuguese Matteus or even the 1990’s home-brewed White Zinfandel. A chuckle here, a guffaw there, one little sip and down the hatch.

I’ve yet to meet anyone onboard Athos who was seriously opposed to a touch of the cold, dry and lovely Pinkerton.

Current Athos onboard rosé favourites:

Cazal Viel rosé – newly re-discovered, and I love its posh glazed bottle.
Domaine la Colombette “La Plume” alcohol reduced (9deg. Volume) rosé
Chateau Ollieux Romanisse – the perfect pink: colour, dryness, fruitiness, clean tasting

And yet another admission: risqué though it is, I occasionally slip a cube or two of ice into my glass of already-cold pinkerton. Beat the heat, I say.

Languedoc wines including: Chardonnay Domaine l’Herbe Sainte, ANTECH AOC Limoux Cuvee Eugenie, Cazal Viel AOC Saint Chinian

Learning the Ropes, 2012

Deck of Athos cruising the Canal du Midi — Coming into Argeliers, Athos deck

Athos is up and cruising for 2012. I was lucky to be able to join the crew for the first 3 weeks and called myself Tour Guide, instead of Mum. It was great. I met some brilliant people, helped the new crew learn the ropes (well – I tell myself I helped them, but they’re a pretty competent bunch…) and jump-started my kiddie-dampened memory while trying to remember all the guiding info I used to pump out 5 years ago. Ouch, now I’ve admitted it online.

I received a really lovely email from a couple of Aussie passengers whose company I particularly enjoyed: “Hi Danielle and Julian, finally back home. I can’t express in words how fantastic the experience has been. Both of you are amazing in your knowledge and skills. My wife and I still find ourselves laughing over the “Captain’s Dinner stories”. Please give our thanks and best wishes to James, Sarah & Emily- such lovely and talented young people. Would love to see yourselves and them in Oz one day. Have already got another couple wanting to go on the trip. Best wishes,” M.S. AUSTRALIA.

A few pics from Athos’ first weeks out in April 2012…

Canal du Midi, Athos at Portiragne — Athos at Portiragne, Canal du Midi

Athos' working dog, Jill — Jill, Athos' working dog.

A comfortable corner in Athos' salon — A comfortable corner of Athos' salon

Languedoc Vineyards and Endless Wine Tastings

In addition to a full week’s luxury barge cruise, Athos endeavors to find at least one wine tasting in the Languedoc area each week. As the same tastings are new to passengers each week, we often do the same wineries. Having said that, over the years we’ve found wine tastings and visits so varied, interesting and educational that it’s well worth breaking an easy routine in favour of going somewhere new.

Some of the Athos’ recommended Languedoc wine visits:

Domaine de Guery – friends of the family, a charming visit of an 18thC winery and traditional equipment still in use
Domaine Pain de Sucre – new to Athos, thorough and a very pleasant setting
Mas Daumas Gassac – a bit of a drive from the Canal du Midi area, but well-acclaimed internationally and worth the extra time spent on the road
Borie du Maurel – a stunning corner of the Minervois, and scrummy wines to boot. Glamorous tasting Cave.
Domaine la Colombette – just outside Beziers, dangerously quaffable Sauvignon Blanc
Les Trois Blasons – an upmarket Cave Co-op close to the town of Minerve
Chateau la Vernède – fabulous historical Chateau setting, huge cave & broad selection of wines
Chateau Perdiguier –thorough estate visit and tasting
Chateau Ventenac – Cave co-op directly borders the Canal du Midi
Domaine Saint Brhune – in Athos’ home port of Argeliers, fruity summertime rosé & smooth, rounded reds.
Chateau de Brau – close to Carcassonne, offering some organic wines.

Languedoc Grapes on Languedoc vines — Languedoc Grapes & Vines

Thank you to Athos passengers for the great photos!

The problem with writing a blog for a luxury hotel-barge is that the management side of the business is just about has heavy as the barge. You’ll no doubt have observed that writing has been pretty low on the priority list these past few months. Fortunately, one of our first passengers of this barging season was kind enough to provide some fantastic blog-fodder. Thanks to David Wright who was on Athos’ “shake-down” week for 2011, I don’t need to witter on about how much he enjoyed his week onboard. Great photos – thanks David!

Luxury hotel barge dog — Jilly the luxury hotel barge Athos' onboard doggy

Canal du Midi luxury hotel barge cruising — Tall bridge at Portiragne on the Canal du Midi

Canal du Midi Onshore excursions from hotel barge AThos, Carcassonne

Luxury hotel barge Athos has her own top deck herb garden — Chef cutting fresh herbs from the deck herb-garden

Athos cruises to Marseillan port from the Canal du Midi — Luxury hotel barge Athos in Mediterranean Marseillan Port, Etang de Thau

Canal du Midi 1681, WIFI 2011

hotel barge Athos' salon — Comfortable salon onboard hotel barge AThos

Luxury Hotel Barge Athos offers onboard WIFI

Since the beginning of 2011, Luxury hotel barge Athos has had onboard WIFI. Athos cruise passengers are invited to bring their own IPads and laptops, and easily connect to send email or surf online in the comfort of the Athos salon or the sunshine of the upper deck. It’s a bit of a revelation on the 17thC Canal du Midi, to say the least.

Equally, Athos offers an onboard IPod dock, and welcomes passengers who travel with their own music to plug in and share their tunes. Many any evening has been spent grooving in the Athos salon with passengers favourite and specially-chosen music.

Luxury hotel barge Athos has 24-hour electricity, suitable for running CPAP machines, charging laptops and mobile telephones etc. We even have complimentary adaptors for US-Euro and UK-Euro plugs onboard…but it’s a good idea to pack your own for any nights you might spend in a hotel on your way to or from your cruise onboard Athos.

Endless Vineyards and Wine Tastings

Carcassonne, Chateau de Brau — Chateau de Brau wine tasting

In addition to a luxury barge cruise, the Athos itinerary plans at least one wine-tasting in the Languedoc area during a cruise week. As the same tastings are new to passengers each week, we’ve often done the same wineries week after week. Having said that, over the years we’ve found Languedoc wine tastings and visits so plentiful, varied, and educational that it’s well worth breaking routine and going somewhere new.

Some of the Athos’ recommended Languedoc wine visits:

Domaine de Guery – friends of the family, a charming visit of an 18thC winery and traditional equipment still in use
Domaine Pain de Sucre – new to Athos, thorough and a very pleasant setting
Mas Daumas Gassac – a bit of a drive from the Canal du Midi area, but well-acclaimed internationally and worth the extra time spent on the road
Borie du Maurel – a stunning corner of the Minervois and scrummy wines to boot, glamorous tasting Cave.
Domaine la Colombette – just outside Beziers, dangerously quaffable Sauvignon Blanc
Les Trois Blasons – an upmarket Cave Co-op close to the town of Minerve
Chateau la Vernede – fabulous historical Chateau setting, huge cave & selection of wines
Chateau Perdiguier –thorough estate visit and tasting
Chateau Ventenac – Cave co-op virtually on the Canal du Midi quai
Domaine Saint Brhune – in Athos’ home village of Argeliers, fruity summer-time rose & smooth, rounded reds.
Chateau de Brau – close to Carcassonne, offers a selection of organic wines

Languedoc grapes, in the vineyard — Languedoc Grapes on the Vine

Winter of Luxury, Hotel Barging

Barging and the Off-Season

If I had a euro for every time I’d been asked what we do during the winter when our Canal du Midi hotel barging season is finished – I’d be a rich woman. It’s ironic that as we look to winding down our cruises at the end of the fall, I know from 14 years’ experience in this business that the work actually begins now. My departments lean more to the telephone, computer, list-making, hiring and planning subjects.

Julian, however, has been deep in winter planning since August. He’s been busy researching the installation of a new engine for Athos. So along with the usual questions of maintenance, budget, pricing, next years’ bookings – we’re toying with the moral and practical dilemmas of which engine to buy?

Deutz or Baudoin? Do we install a Deutzs – a Chinese-built German engine similar to the engine already in Athos which has run relatively well for 15 years? Or, do we try to stay away from the Chinese-built engine (an infamous cliché for bad quality according to Julian and numerous followers) to go to a more old-world quality and find a rebuilt Baudoin?

Watch this space… 😉

Hotel barge Athos in winter — Athos barge in winter

Hotel barge Athos has ensuite bathrooms for each cabin

Luxury en-suite bathrooms get a vote of confidence

Last week’s passengers were guided into their cabins to get settled in before having a toast of the bubbly and a chitchat about the week. Julian was delighted when they reported that they found the Athos’ ensuite bathrooms to be extremely luxurious…much moreso than other boat bathrooms they’d been in, and on a par they felt, with luxury hotel bathrooms. They loved the oiled hardwood floors and cabins, and found the shiny white & royal blue tile work fresh and bright. We aim to please – thanks for the compliment Athos passengers!!

Ensuite bathrooms with hardwood floors and cabinets — Athos ensuite bathrooms have hardwood floors and cabinets

Ensuite bathroom on Athos — Ensuite bathroom onboard barge Athos

Luxury Hotel Barge, Athos and her Top Deck.

Most spacious hotel barge deck on the Canal du Midi

We were flattered when I recently received a phone call from a valued agent based in the US, who called to compliment Athos on her deck furniture. Apparently, passengers who had cruised the canal for a week on another Midi barge had returned home and complained that their hotel barge didn’t have sun loungers like on the Athos!

Athos has the largest deck space on the Canal du Midi, measuring at 13m x 5m. At 10 passengers, Athos has the greatest passenger capacity of the Midi hotel-barges. Equally, she has the deck space to offer hardwood sun loungers that convert into generous outdoor dining chairs for each passenger. Canal du Midi cruise-comfort!

hardwood deck chairs and Athos upper deck — Hardwood sun loungers on Athos' large upper deck overlooking the Etang de Thau

Cycle and Barge the Canal du Midi

Argeliers - part of the towpath used for bikes — The Canal du Midi towpath runs along the entire length of the canal

…and afterwards, rest onboard the luxury hotel barge Athos.

The Canal du Midi towpath stretches the entire length of the tree-lined canal. The path was historically built for the mules that towed freight barges down the canal. It is the Athos answer to a bike path – and for some passengers, a pleasant way of keeping off the gourmet pounds brought on by Athos’ onboard Chef and an indulgent week of food and wine.

Luxury hotel-barge Athos carries 10 onboard “BTwin” hybrid mountain/road bicycles for passengers’ use. Purchased new in 2011, most Athos passengers enjoy at least a few short rides per week by cruise passengers, and some additional use by crew members who shuffle Athos’ minivans to and from various moorings.

Btwins on Athos deck — Athos' deck with line-up of hybrid BTwin bicycles

The tree-lined canal is an ideal setting for the bikes: shady in the hottest of Languedoc temperatures and completely isolated from road traffic. What better place to ride surrounded by the glorious rural scenery: vineyards, old stone farm buildings, the occasional boat gliding buy?