What's in a name...

This is the white wine we bought from our picnic hosts 'Domain Paris Père et fils' over at Chançay last Monday. It is lovely and the label happens to have the name of two of our favourite places!

Le Pique-nique chez les Vignerons Indépendants...a good, if rather hot, day out.

Yesterday we spent the day over in Chançay in the heart of the Vouvray wine making country at the 'Domain Paris Père et fils' for a picnic hosted by the family - an event organised by our friend Gail. The concept is simple enough, you bring your own picnic and the winegrowers warmly open the doors of their estates to welcome you and provide the wines to accompany your meal in a very convivial atmosphere.

The day started with a greeting from Guillaume Paris (the 'fils') plus a coffee & cake! Once all the participants had assembled he led us up into his family's vineyards.

The idea is to give you some history of the family and introduce you to the many aspects of 'viniculture', or winegrowing. We have done these walks now many times, so the walk, interesting as it was, proved a wee bit uncomfortable in the 30+ degree heat. Made bearable by the company of friends old and new.

Don't mind admitting that after around 4km in that heat the venue for lunch was on the horizon was a most welcome sight!

Our hosts were very generous with their wine and aperos and the groups picnic contributions were of the usual high quality. Unlike some years their stock was depleted somewhat by purchases from our group to remind us of another successful 'Pique-nique chez les Vignerons'.

A little taste of the spice of life...

 

On Friday we went on a bit of a wine buying trip with friends Angela and Dennis and Mike and Liz to stock up for the summer months ahead. We started of at the cave 'Aubert' in Vouvray then spiced things up with a visit to 'Terre Exotique' for a bit of spice buying.

Cave  'Jean Claude et Didier Aubert' in Vouvray

Then we had our first alfresco lunch at a local restaurant under their sun canopy before heading up to the vineyards above where we had a smashing time (that's another story) at the cave of Jean-Marc Toussaint

We ended the day at the cooperative cellar of Bléré - 'Beaujardin'. 

Another sparkling day out...stocking up for the festive period.

Good day out yesterday with Jane and Peter stocking up on sparkly wine for Xmas...took in Montlouis-sur-Loire, Vouvray and also somewhere new for us for wine - Blere (more on this later) which by coincidence I'd featured yesterday on my other blog

Sparkling cave visit...Vouvray Foire aux vins

After the brocante  in Amboise on bank holiday Monday we headed over to 'Les caves de la Bonne-Dames' in Vouvray for a spot of wine-tasting.

Have to say that I was  impressed by the fact that it was advertised and signposted all the way from Amboise.

As there were a number of events over the holiday weekend it was a quiet affair but plenty of options to taste and as you only pay €3.00 for your glass great value for money.

Being the 'designated driver' Pauline was the main wine-taster for the day and did it with great gusto!

We picked up some sparkling and some still wines from suppliers new to us so well worth the visit.

Have a sparkling weekend...at Vouvray in the Loire Valley

Vouvray wine fair

Vouvray Wine Fair (Foire aux vins)

From 13/08/2015 to 16/08/2015

 

Discover the wines of Vouvray presented by a variety of local winemakers in the heart of the troglodyte  caves ‘de la Bonne Dame’ a great experience – try not to be the nominated driver!.
Visitors can also enjoy gourmet specialties to accompany the wines.

Free entry. Tasting glass is € 3.00 on site.   10 am -7 pm
Location: Vouvray - Caves de la Bonne Dame  : France 

Map location

Official website

http://www.vins-vouvray.com/evenements-vouvray.php

     

Friday market at Vouvray...

...I wouldn't bother! We visit Vouvray quite often as the 'Cave de Producteurs' is good for taking friends to when they visit plus we tend to take it in when we restock on our favourite tipple at nearby Montlouis-sur-Loire - but we had never visited on market day (Friday).

Last Friday we decided to try it but there were very few vendors and little or no atmosphere...or cheese!

Perhaps it is better during the summer.

 Other than the 'Cave de Producteurs' and the church we find Vouvray rather disappointing for a place that is a major tourist attraction here in the Loire Valley. 

A sparkling day out...Part I

We had to do a bit of re-stocking of our wine cellar recently which meant a trip up to Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire with friends with the same objective.

Our first stop was at the 'Cave des Producteurs' in Vouvry where Mike &Liz were picking up a repeat order for friends back in the UK, Jane & Peter were making their first visit and Pauline and I were back for another visit.

On this visit we all decided to take the guided tour of the caves and arrived just in time for the 11.30am tour in English.(there are others at 2.30pm and 4.30pm).They only charge €2.70 and its great value for money.

If you arrive a little early there is a video 'The four seasons of the wine maker' you can watch...

plus a small cooperage (barrel making) museum. These are free to view even if you are not taking the tour.

Then its down into the caves with your guide, on our visit a charming and knowledgeable young lady, where you are lead through part (a short walk) of the vast network of tunnels. After visiting the caves you are then lead across the road to the bottling plant where the is a gallery to view a very small part of the process which is explained in a good video presentation.

(This and previous pic. courtesy of Mike Funning)

Then its on to the serious stuff of tasting and buying - you do not need to buy anything and there was no pressure from our guide...but how could you resist that smile? 

If you haven't already done these we would encourage you to go..oh and take additional clothing even on a warm summer's day as it is obviously a constant 13 degrees in the caves (we didn't!).

Footnote: Next year's production has been severely affected by June hailstorms see article here.

Church on Sunday...Vouvray

This Sunday we are visiting the Church of Our Lady and St John the Baptist in the popular wine sampling town of Vouvray. The current church, enlarged and restored at the end of the 19th century, sits on the site of a smaller 11th century Romanesque church, of which only a small part remains, cut into the hillside at the base of  the tower. 

The tower itself is topped with a 19th century slate cupola.

You are encouraged to use the side entrance to the church beside which is a monument to the musician Charles Bordes, a native of Vouvray, who is said to be responsible for reviving interest in the music of Gregorian chants.It depicts three children singing or perhaps chanting.

It is a pretty and welcoming church with three naves with a main alter and two side chapels. 

  

There is also the nave dating from the 11th century dug into the hillside.

 There is a fine set of stone carved 'stations of the cross' in the church.

 Where's Joan?

To the left of the main entrance you can see how the church is actually built onto the hillside.