Another good day out...

Alex & Nicole joined us for a good day out yesterday - wine tasting,lunch plus a visit to the garden festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire.

It was Alex's mum's birthday yesterday so we raised a glass to her.

This year's Garden Festival theme is 'The garden goes to the movies'.

We also walked around the permanent gardens...

and then the chateau.

A thorn between two roses.

Behind the vats at Beaujardin.

As good customers, we were invited up to 'Beaujardin' in Bléré for an open day where a 10% discount was being offered as well as a look behind the vats, some wine tasting plus some arts & crafts stalls. It was good timing for us as we needed to top up our wine rack.  

https://vins-beaujardin.com/

Sparkling night out...

 On Saturday night along with Dennis and Angela we headed over to the village of Beaumont to 'Domaine La Tour Beaumont' for a unique event to celebrate the launch of their new sparkling vintage: Le Fié Gris Méthode Traditionnelle Brut.

There was an excellent turnout with our hosts providing plenty of nibbles and lots of fizz, obviously. 

They had also laid on 3 different musical acts throughout the day with the evening entertainment provided by 'Prokop' a folksinger who lives in Strasbourg but who I have since discovered is originally from Hull! He is a great believer in keeping old folk songs alive and is a lover of people like Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly whose songs he has covered. 

It was an interesting evening among the vats and their new vintage was very palatable but Pauline and I had only just restocked our sparkling wines at our favourite cave, Aubert in Vouvray. Dennis & Angela bought some to help celebrate the festive period with their family and we bought some of their red wines that we like.

Wining & dining and a sparkling day out!

 

Yesterday along with friends we went on a wine buying trip starting off at the cooperative cellar of Bléré - 'Beaujardin'.

We followed up our visit with a hearty lunch in Nazelles-Négron just over the bridge from Amboise at the Resto du Terminus - as recommended by Susan and Simon.

After lunch it was over to the cave 'Aubert' in Vouvray for more tasting and buying of their sparkling wines! This was another recommendation from Angela & Dennis/Jane and Peter.

All in all a very good day out with good friends,food and wine! 

Not part of the plan...

 On our 'plan B' walk on Monday with Chris and Gail I highlighted the odd looking tower that dominates the premises of Domaine Pierre Sourdais, what purpose did it serve? Was it a water tower, a watch tower or what?

So as we were passing I suggested we should pop in and ask. 

We did a spot of tasting,seeing as we were there,would have been rude not to and we got the answer...it is an elevator shaft down to their caves!

The domaine produce a special reserve 'Stanislas' (family name) which is aged in these impressive oak barrels. Their other wines rest in their extensive caves created over thirty years.

We  took a walk (not the lift) down the sloping entrance to the caves - very impressive. Not sure how they were made but a huge amount of work involved. Our host was a family friend who was 'standing in' and was not sure how they did it. 

Can you spot the elevator?

As we left we said that a revisit was in order which could be built around a walk,tasting and lunch at the restaurant,which looked good, for a good day out. 

Picnic with the vintner and a change of plan.

On Monday with friends Chris and Gail we headed over to the vineyards around Chinon to take part in one of the annual 'Picnic with the wine makers' events. Pauline had chosen Domaine des Rouet which sits just outside L'Ile-Bouchard on the north bank of the Vienne river and had understood from the website that it would follow the same format as last year's event with arriving as we did at 9.00 am,coffee, then a walk among the vines before a spot of wine tasting and our picnic lunch. On arrival however we were met by a rather surprised owner who went on to tell us that he did not offer the walk (or indeed a coffee) but only the venue for lunch.

Not to worry, we simply put plan 'B' into operation - Pauline and I know this area from visits with Mike and Liz so we headed over to the nearby village of Cravant-les-Coteaux where we knew there was a lovely walk. We started off with a coffee  in the village then headed up to panoramic view over the Chinon vineyards. 

On the walk you look down from the higher ground to the vineyards below. The tower of domaine 'Pierre Sourdais' has always intrigued us looking, as it does.like a watch tower.

The walk takes you over to the old village 'Le Vieux Bourg' with its ancient church...

then past the caves of some of the local wine makers (more on this later) before heading back to the village itself.

Where we stopped for a refreshment before heading back to Domaine des Rouet.

We arrived back in perfect time for lunch, which, in spite of  the presence of a rather strong wind we enjoyed with some of the owners wine.

He only had red on offer this year which was disappointing as a chilled rose would have gone down really well on what was a very warm sunny (though windy) afternoon.