French Cellar Door
French Cellar Door
Hi, whilst in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, France during mid-late September I was planning on visiting some of the local cellar doors to taste and purchase their wines. But I have heard that the French don't generally have the same concept of cellar door as we do here in Australia. Is this the case, and if so, what is the best option for sampling some of the local wines? Thanks
Re: French Cellar Door
From my experience, they're mainly appointment only. I think in general they don't sell their wine to people like this....but I do know some places are starting to. Eg. Domaine Huet sells wine.
So basically, you can still visit some of the places you want but you'll have to arrange it ahead of time with a specific date and time. You'll have to research each place individually..some places are easier to get appointments with than others...
Last I saw in the Loire there were some touristy shop/tasting places...and of course the restaurants, etc....
So basically, you can still visit some of the places you want but you'll have to arrange it ahead of time with a specific date and time. You'll have to research each place individually..some places are easier to get appointments with than others...
Last I saw in the Loire there were some touristy shop/tasting places...and of course the restaurants, etc....
Re: French Cellar Door
Also note: there may be some cellar doors and cooperatives that don't require bookings but many regional towns and villages shut down:
- on Sundays and Mondays (all day) which are their true weekend (rest days).
- on all other days around lunch, 12-2pm
Also note in small towns and villages there may be only one of each type of food store open on a Sunday/Monday (eg. 1 of 2 bakeries open) - and even then may only be until mid-morning.
Sightseeing-wise, expect either a quieter itinerary on those days, or plan well in advance and be aware of what will/won't be open. We found a good option for those days was driving around and seeing natural settings with a picnic. If you can plan your longer-distance travel days on those days, even better.
Cheers
- on Sundays and Mondays (all day) which are their true weekend (rest days).
- on all other days around lunch, 12-2pm
Also note in small towns and villages there may be only one of each type of food store open on a Sunday/Monday (eg. 1 of 2 bakeries open) - and even then may only be until mid-morning.
Sightseeing-wise, expect either a quieter itinerary on those days, or plan well in advance and be aware of what will/won't be open. We found a good option for those days was driving around and seeing natural settings with a picnic. If you can plan your longer-distance travel days on those days, even better.
Cheers
Re: French Cellar Door
Each region in France is different. In Bordeaux you'll definitely need appointments. You may need 'help' from an importer to get you into some of the top places. Many places will not sell you any wine.
In the Loire it's more of a mixed bag: many of the more well known and/or larger places are open every weekday (watch out for the long lunch breaks though) and perhaps Saturdays, but for others you will need appointments. It's always best to contact a particular place if you want to be sure they will be open. The local tourist offices will often have a list of wineries in the region that are open or closed, and they can sometimes call for a reservation. But I was happy to find that most of the top wineries in the area (e.g., Huet in Vouvray, Baumard and Closel in Savennieres) were open for pop in tastings and purchases. The Loire is a wonderfully laid back place for visiting the amazing castles and wine villages. There are lots of great value gites to stay in if you like staying in the countryside. We used the Chinon area for a good central base with some nice local and nearby restaurants. Check out Jim Budd's website for some great Loire wine and visitor information. See also http://www.winetravelguides.com/Guides/France/Loire-Valley.
Have a great time!
In the Loire it's more of a mixed bag: many of the more well known and/or larger places are open every weekday (watch out for the long lunch breaks though) and perhaps Saturdays, but for others you will need appointments. It's always best to contact a particular place if you want to be sure they will be open. The local tourist offices will often have a list of wineries in the region that are open or closed, and they can sometimes call for a reservation. But I was happy to find that most of the top wineries in the area (e.g., Huet in Vouvray, Baumard and Closel in Savennieres) were open for pop in tastings and purchases. The Loire is a wonderfully laid back place for visiting the amazing castles and wine villages. There are lots of great value gites to stay in if you like staying in the countryside. We used the Chinon area for a good central base with some nice local and nearby restaurants. Check out Jim Budd's website for some great Loire wine and visitor information. See also http://www.winetravelguides.com/Guides/France/Loire-Valley.
Have a great time!