We woke up in Sancerre to another grey November day but were brightened by the prospect of some wine tasting. We decided not to have the over expensive breakfast in the hotel but chose instead to head up to the 'salon de the' in the square that we had spotted the night before.
Good choice!
In the cold light of day the village took on a rather different look and you could imagine it on a busy summer's day.
We had a very educational wine tasting experience at L'Aronde Sancerroise where Madam let us know the important impact that the terroir (soil/earth) of the valleys around the village made to the different wines produced from their vines. Then we got to taste wines from the different areas - even one from an area with predominately silex - something we are very familiar with in Southern Touraine. The wine was actually called 'Silex' - we had to buy some.
We did a little more exploring of the village but were too late in the season to take advantage of the views village's highest point - the top of 'La Tour des Fiefs'
This is the road leading down to the tourist office and some great views down on to the Loire river..
After another tasting in the village we headed of to a favourite producer of Mike and Liz -'Henri Bourgeois' in the nearby village of Chavignol - which is also famous for its goat's cheese.
They have a modern tasting room where you are looked after by a very charming hostess...
who has lots of wine to offer you.
Interestingly the company also have a vineyard in New Zealand which Mike and Liz sought out on a recent visit - though it did prove a little difficult to find.
There's that terroir again
Then it was of to the fromagerie to buy some of their famous 'Crottins'...
We were spoilt for choice!
And what about the brewery at the bottom of the hill?
ReplyDeleteJust visible on the right of the first photo of the last post!!
Sancerre is not all wine....