Chinon Cabernet Franc Blending Workshop ★ 4.6
Blending workshop at Couly-Dutheil's Chinon cellars beneath the fortress, tasting Clos de l'Echo, Les Picasses and Les Gravieres parcels then blending a personalised Cabernet Franc to take home.
Flat-bottomed Loire barge cruise from Saumur past the chateaux of Saumur, Boumois and Montsoreau, with an onboard sommelier flight of Saumur, Saumur-Champigny and Cremant de Loire.
Address: Quai de Mauves, 49400 Saumur, France, Loire Valley
Blending workshop at Couly-Dutheil's Chinon cellars beneath the fortress, tasting Clos de l'Echo, Les Picasses and Les Gravieres parcels then blending a personalised Cabernet Franc to take home.
Marc Bredif cliff-cellar visit covering the 19th-century galleries, petrified-shell tufa walls and a six-decade library vintage tasting of dry, demi-sec and moelleux Vouvrays.
Cellar tasting at Nicolas Joly's biodynamic Savennières-Coulée de Serrant monopole AOC (7 ha, Demeter-certified since 1984). Walk-in tasting Monday-Saturday in standard hours.
Methode traditionnelle masterclass at Bouvet-Ladubay's tufa cellars covering base-wine assemblage, secondary fermentation, riddling and disgorgement of Saumur sparkling.
Self-paced bicycle tour through eight kilometres of Bouvet-Ladubay's underground tufa galleries, with route signage on methode traditionnelle and a tasting at the visitor cellar.
Guided walk from Sancerre town through the Kimmeridgian vineyards down to Chavignol village, with two estate tastings, a Crottin de Chavignol AOP pairing and a sunset Sauvignon flight.