Connoisseurs of Nice’s wines are a determined lot. The output from Nice’s vineyards is discouragingly small and a small drought can wreck the harvest. It happened last year and the vintners lost 30% of their production. Which explains why the wine is so expensive. Count on spending from €15 to €50 a bottle. Ouch. But there is a sneaky way to sample Nice’s wines. Twice a year the local vineyards have an Open House where you can wander from chateau to chateau, sampling the goodies. The next one will be held on May 8 and 9 and I strongly recommend you head to the hills-of Bellet and Cremat where the vineyards are. The verdict is not yet in on the 2009 harvest but the quality usually ranges from good to excellent.

Find out more about Nice’s Vineyards.