Although they make a small amount of white wine, they are undoubtedly known for their site-specific single vineyard Cabernet Franc. Castles Tickets. callback: cb Last but not least the wine! Discover magnificent Loire Castles in 1 day. The location is divine. Copyright Wine Traveler, LLC . Wine holidays here for the more adventurous amongst you can even explore this winding subterranean network of cellars and caves on a vintage bike! The place is vast, with 87 wine appellations strung along the river, from Muscadet on the coast to . As in Chinon, theCabernet Francgrape is the star variety, producing fresh and lively ros wines and delicious fruity reds. Do take the chance to use your wine tasting to experience the several fascinating wine styles unique to the region, such as sparkling Crmant de Loire. He was generous in letting us sample many of the various wines and made this a most enjoyable experience. Blois is a medieval throwback town one that is beautiful to experience on foot, lending that old world, European village feel at every turn. Arthur was super helpful! The caves, which are unusually spacious, are now also used as an exhibition space for resident and visiting artists. They may exhibit a broader range of fruit characteristics, from citrus to tropical notes, but generally lack the intensity and complexity of Sancerre wines.Despite these differences, both regions offer high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Loire Valley and showcase the versatility of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. ); . Our host Romeo was both charming and knowledgeable, and spoke passionately about wine and gave an excellent background to the French wine industry. Orlans, Tours, and Blois all work well as a hub for exploring the area. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Which experiences are best for wineries & vineyards in Loire Valley? Over the centuries it was passed onto families, torn down through wars, reconstructed, sold, and now sits as an incredible garden and museum open to the public. You can join a 45-minute guided tour of the winery, enjoy a walk around the vineyard with an audio guide or head in to the old cellar for a free 15-minute slideshow explaining the wine-making process before tasting the still and sparkling wines produced here. My wife and I walked off our wine tasting by walking around their vineyards. Contact Winerist for some help in planning your dream Loire wine tour, or if youre looking for some inspiration then you can find some great ideas in our article on how to spend a weekend in the Loire! The train stop in Blois is Blois-Chambord. From Paris, there are many trains daily and they consistently are around an hour and half. One of the more well-known areas for Cabernet Franc is Chinon, and one of the most renowned producers is none other than Olga Raffault. Cabernet Franc from this region is known for its floral bouquet and peppery characteristics. The Domaine is easily accessible from Paris, with plentiful options here for visitors. For wine tours and tastings at Chteau de Minire, book with Winerist today! You will find many amazing wineries near Amboise or Chinon as well as hundreds of other attractions to visit throughout the region. After 10 min she was back to get me. Cave Monplaisir. We were offered a lovely tasting including cheese (which was delicious) and purchased our favorite bottle to take sigh us. The region is a renowned wine producing area with a wide variety of wines including whites, reds, ross, and sparkling wines. A wine tasting here is an hour or two well spent, and insightful, interesting tours of the vineyards are also available on request it pays to call ahead! During these periods, you will get to enjoy long spring and autumn days and profit from a mild Atlantic climate. Along the 1,000-km of the Loire Valley wine route you will be gifted with unforgettable sights and warm encounters with the wine-makers of the . Their vineyards have a lot of signs (some in French, some in English/French) discussing the history of wine in France and detailing how they care for their vines. Producers of 4 different appellations of wines at their winery, 200 years and 8 generations of winemaking, Check out our local wine tour guides with their wine tour offers to have everything organized when visiting wineries in Loire Valley. Additionally, on-site, you can also do a wine tasting from March to November. Domaine Coirier. A massive architectural feat, its a classic French Renaissance architecture chteau. To help you find the best tours in the Loire Valley, weve put together a list of our favourite chateaus and wineries to visit whilst you are there. Wine tourists are guaranteed a warm welcome the winery is open to visitors 7 days a week (although do check, as opening times vary season to season) offering regular guided wine tours through the excavated underground cellars. Look out for the Sunken Cathedral, home to 35 monumental sculptures hidden away in the underground galleries. The Loire Valley sits right in the center of France, dividing north and south, so it gets relatively hot in summer (around 25C in July) and cold in winter (around 7C in January). The wines were tasty, and afterwards we bought a still and a sparkling wine at very fair prices. Spanning more than 800 sq km (over 300 sq miles), the vast Loire Valley sits in the northern and central parts of France. The members, all from the Vouvray AOP which is just east of Tours on the right bank of the Loire, give half of their harvest to the co-operative for the production of Vouvray sparkling wine. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The Chteau du Petit Thouars vines grow in the shadow of the slate-tiled and turreted chteau and include cabernet franc and chenin blanc varieties which are used in the range of wines produced here. Highly recommend a visit. The Loire Valley is a long area that hugs the Loire River on both sides, covering 634 miles (1015 km). Explore Now! The grapes grown are a mixture of local and international varieties, such as Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A floral workshop is on display in every room in the castle, the floral designers prepare for 3 months for this event every year! The wine tasting is free, and I think the expectation is to buy wine after (which is VERY easy to do with their low cost bottles). The owners are very nice and the wine is excellent. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. The Loire Valley is a truly special destination visitors are spoilt for choice with the amount of culture, natural beauty and fascinating wine heritage to explore! })(); This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He was helpful, funny and instructive about wine. The chilly cellar itself is another space left behind after the excavation of tuffeau limestone for the building of Loire Valley chteaux, abbeys and buildings. France , Sancerre. The construction for this castle originally started in the 10th century. Best French Wine Regions to Consider Visiting This Year, 10 Important Facts About the Loire Valley Wine Region, Beautiful Luxury Wine Hotels & Vineyard Resorts to Stay at Around the World, The Most Beautiful Castles to Consider Visiting in Europe, Best Wineries in Tuscany, Hotels & Vineyard Resorts 2023, 10 Best Bordeaux Wine Tours & Wine Tastings for 2023, Tenerife 7-Day Itinerary: Wine Tours, Volcanos, Surfing & Beaches, Top 20 Things to Do When Visiting Luxor Egypt in 2023, Best North Fork Wineries, Tours, Hotels & Restaurants, 15 Best Tuscany Wine Tours & Wine Tastings for 2023. Chteau de Vaults is an organic winery that forms part of a world heritage site. 13 Rue de la Croix Buise, 37210 Vouvray, France. Sail on the last wild river in Europe. With its concerts, literature evenings, modern sculpture exhibitions and many other events, this winery is a popular destination for wine and art lovers. Keep reading below for more! The combination makes this a family friendly place to visit. Sancerre and Touraine are two wine regions within the Loire Valley in France, known for their production of white wines, particularly from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. more. Wine lovers canvisit the cellars on a vintage bike and discover the underground cathedral an ensemble of 35 monumental sculptures nestled in underground galleries while learning about the bottle fermentedMthode Traditionnelle winemaking process. Cabernet Francthrives here and the limestone soil of the vineyards makes it perfect for producing ripe and fruity reds with silky tannins. wine tastings and a visit to Chteau Soucherie, wine tours and tastings at Chteau de Minire. The Loire valley is home to a wide range of wines, from Muscadet in the west, through Saumur-Champigny and Chinon, to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum in the east. But do you really know what Vouvray wine is about? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The cellar, vineyard and expertise has been passed down through four generations from Pre Auguste who excavated a cellar out of the limestone and used the rock to build his farm and house on the hillside here. You can explore the beautiful biodiversity of the Loire Valley through a self-guided tour before enjoying a formal tasting of the wines, and if youre bringing the kids, they wont feel left out with their own grape juice tasting! Planning tip: Take the elevator at Le Quai, the contemporary theater, for a panoramic view of the city and its surrounding. Loire Valley Our vineyards Loire Valley Wines are in its nature Previous Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its landscapes and chateaux, the Loire Valley has a unique lifestyle and world-famous vineyards. forms: { In the Anjou region of the Loire Valley, the Domaine du Closel vineyard is located at the Chteau des Vaults, an historic Anjou mansion. 5. The Loire Valley Famous Grapes 3. This is a must-visit region for #Winetravelers. I was not feeling well but my girlfriend went in, I stayed in the car. 10. This year's awards program recognized 3,505 These cookies do not store any personal information. What is the difference between Sancerre and Touraine? Join them for an introduction to the wines of the estate during a winery tour and tasting. RELATED: Beautiful Luxury Wine Hotels & Vineyard Resorts to Stay at Around the World. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Domaines des Sables Verts is the project from a couple who took over the estate in 2019. 726 Tours & Activities Food & Drink 357 Tours & Activities Why you are seeing these recommendations Reserve Now & Pay Later Loire Valley Wines and Chambord Castle Small Group Day Trip from Paris 35 Reviews Paris, France Share Save to Wishlist From $333.25 Lowest Price Guarantee Select Date and Travelers Check Availability Reserve Now & Pay Later The appellation covers 27 communes and only became a new AOC in 2001, although there have been centuries of winemaking and viticulture dating back to the 10th century. If youre unsure about navigating yourself and would prefer to have a local guide take you around the region(s) for wine tasting, there are excellent wine tours that leave from both Tours and Blois. The Loire Valley, often referred to as the Garden of France, is famous not only for its historic castles but also its extensive vineyards. The tour in the Caves includes : - Sensorial Experience : waking up and stimulation of your 5 senses - The Vintages Odysseus : discovery of the wine collection through 150 years of wine history - Initiation and tasting of 3 exceptional wines led by a sommelier. Discover iconic castles on this bus day trip from Paris to the Loire Valley and explore Chteau de Chambord on a self-guided tour. Many vineyards and wineries offer tours and tastings, allowing Winetravelers to explore the picturesque countryside, learn about the local wine-making process, and sample the regions exquisite wines. The resulting wine is a refreshing blend of exotic fruits and white flowers. We visited in July, 2021 and got the owner Pascal as our tour guide. It is pretty cold in there. Visitor's Guide. It felt like, As one of Hipcamp's mothers once wrote, Everyone has a Mother: Mother Nature. Chteau de Chenonceau is in Chenonceaux, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire. 1. There are two other Chteaus with Chaumont in the title. First class fun - mille mercis! The resulting wine is a refreshing blend of exotic fruits and white flowers. Chteau des Vaults is another favourite and of the best wineries in the Loire Valley to visit. Val de Loire travel private wine tours from Paris to Loire Valley. A day-visit in the city of Tours. Wine merchants since 1874, come and discover our 16th century Free cancellation. 9. This small and friendly vineyard and winery in an easy-to-reach location on the outskirts of the town of Chinon is a modern facility in the hands of a family who have been winemakers for generations. THE 5 BEST Amboise Wineries & Vineyards Wineries & Vineyards in Amboise Enter dates Filters 1 Food & Drink Traveler favorites All things to do Category types Attractions Tours Day Trips Outdoor Activities Food & Drink Shopping Transportation Traveler Resources Food & Drink Wineries & Vineyards Wine Tours & Tastings Breweries Wine Bars Chenin Blanc is incredibly versatile, leading to wines that range from bone-dry to sweet, as well as sparkling wines.In addition to white wines, the Loire Valley also produces noteworthy reds, primarily from Cabernet Franc in areas like Chinon and Bourgueil. The winery has received over500 medals and awards, thanks to the consistently high quality of their wines. As you move further inland and to the east, a much more continental climate prevails with more seasonal and temperature variation. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The winery supports sustainable practices in viticulture and winemaking, using modern technology whilst retaining respect for tradition. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Similar to a lot of Europe, public transportation is abundant as well. Venture into the Anjou-Saumur wine region, a unique and historical terroir with no less than 27 official wine . DISCOVER AN AMAZINGLY RICH VARIETY OF VINEYARDS. Claire Plassais was also very kind and extremely knowledgeable about the, Valeria and Charlotte were engaging and informative as we, You can freely roam about to check out all the, There are a variety of tours to choose from - we chose the 3 Eur per person self tour around the, Sarah and Adriana treated us to an informative, relaxed, and in-depth tour and, is accessed via tunnels carved out of the limestone rocks that form the basis of the terroir of the, Couly but his range and depth of knowledge of the. The region is also well-known for many of the castles/chteaus in the area. Wine Spectator just unveiled the 2023 Restaurant Awards winners, which honor the world's best restaurants for wines. Les Caves du Pre Augusteis located inCivray-de-Touraine, in theTouraineregion. The food was excellent, the wine was excellent - a great range to suit every palate, the service was excellent and very personal - delivered by the Count of Petit-Thouars himself, along with his family. Scroll down to see the latest Loire content Grapes The diversity of the region is evident in the assortment of grapes used. The key red grape varieties areCabernet FrancandGamay. These conditions give Sancerre wines a distinctive minerality, along with pronounced acidity and typically aromatic profiles with notes of citrus and white flowers. The Chteau de Blois is also in the middle of town and is very much a recommended stop. ~20 minutes by car from Blois (and shuttle buses run consistently). Their dedication to expressing terroir in their Muscadet is evident. The owner took her time to explain the grapes and the history of the winery to us. } If you like sweet wines, you might like to visit Chteau Soucherie which produces Coteaux du Layon and Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume wines as well as Anjou and Savnnieres. { This cellar is a co-operative enterprise founded by 40 vineyard owners in 1953. The winery opens every day of the year between 11am and 5pm, and guests can choose from a wide range of wine experiences, including classic wine tastings, guided or self-guided tours of the vineyards, and even cycling wine tours if you are feeling athletic! Paris: Loire Castles Day Trip by Coach With Wine Tasting. Here are three Loire Valley castles we highly recommend, in addition to the Chteau de Blois easily walkable and accessible on foot while youre staying in Blois. Vin-Vin: Lovely place for a glass of wine - See 43 traveler reviews, 17 candid photos, and great deals for Helsinki, Finland, at Tripadvisor. Historically, it was women who took charge of the estate, a tradition that today is continued by Kathleen Van den Berghe who maintains the best practices in winemaking, which respect both the terroir and the environment. From ornamental flowers to water gardens and vegetable patches, the Chteau de Villandry is an incredible example of Renaissance landscaping. Wineries in Loire Valley always have been evolving in terms of wine tourism. There are two main airports close to wineries in Loire Valley: A good way to discover wineries in Loire Valley is to travel by train using the. I found out about this winery through Wine Enthusiast (they have top rated Vouvray wines). Bouvet Ladubay, producer offine sparkling wines, is the most visited winery in Saumur, a peaceuful region also known as the Garden of France. The Loire Valley contains severaldistinctive wine regions and appellations, each with its own characteristic grapes and style of wines. Pierre-Jean Sauvion nows runs Chteau du Clray and is the winemaker as well. If you are going to Blois from the southwest, near Bordeaux, there are also high-speed trains and regular regional trains as well. All Rights Reserved. Stop: 75 minutes - Admission included. From Saumur to Sancerre, discover our pick of the best vineyards and wineries you can visit on holiday in the Loire Valley, France. Chteau du Petit Thouars. Discover the unique selection of wines at a free tasting with the winegrower himself! Cabernet Franc really comes into its own in the Loire Valley and it can vary in style from the light wines ofChinonto the medium-bodied, oak-aged reds fromBourgueil. You can even take a guided tour with Bertrand Couly himself! The best time to visit the Loire Valley to have good weather is from April to October. These cookies do not store any personal information. There is parking at the vineyard and the woman who led us through the tasting was very friendly. The wines were excellent an we bought enough to max our allowance. The Denis Papin Staircase is a fun link between the upper old town, and the more modern lower part of town directly on the Loire River. An interesting variety of white, red, ros and sparkling wines are made, with unusual ancestral varieties such asCt. This region produces a variety of wines, but its Sauvignon Blancs are often fruitier and less mineral-driven than those from Sancerre. The wine cellars themselves span an astounding 100 miles, weaving underground as the magic grows atop. If you enjoyed this guide, consider joining the Facebook Group to interact with other Winetravelers and for wine travel inspiration around the world. Notably, possibly for another separate trip, the Central Loire contains the world famous Sancerre region, known for Sauvignon Blanc. event : evt, The chteau and its cellars were built by a wine merchant from Bordeaux in 1856, with a new modern winery added by the current owners in 2008. I imagine there isn't a wrong time to visit the Loire Valley, but it does get cold in the winter and busy around harvest in August/September. They strive to make wines that reflect the terroir of the Chinon region and produce a range of mostly reds and ross.
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