Last of the Summer Wine in the Loire Valley

Our Loire Valley Wine Tours take you beyond the tasting room. We dig deep into the tuffeau and come up with some great visits. Based on an extensive knowledge of the area and personal friendships with many of the regions winemakers here are just a few of the July 2011 highlights.

Our Wine Tours are not just about tasting wine. With us you'll get to meet some great personalities, experience the character of the region and get an idea of what terroir really means. Here's a taster of our Summer 2011 Wine Tour Schedule to give you an idea of what you might expect.

Dined at sunny riverside restaurants or took a picnic in the vines

Took a walk out into the vineyards with Tessa Laroche at Domaine Roche aux Moines in Savennières

Saw the new winery at Chateau de Tigné owned by Gerard Depardieu. The mobile bottling line was there too!

Toasted a 70th Birthday with a bottle of sparkling whilst sailing down the Loire River.

Gained wine knowledge from experience winemakers

Listened to the wine fermenting in the barrels with Guillaume Pire
the winemaker at Chateau de Fosse Seche

Visited the high tech wine press facility at Langlois Chateau

Walked out into the vineyards around Le Puy Notre Dame for an explanation of viticulture

Tasted a wide range of wines at the swanky Chateau Soucherie in the Anjou region

Ate fabulous food with wines to match either at La Grande Maison or at local restaurants

Arranged exclusive visits such as the unique private label collection at Bouvet Ladubay

Tasted some great Chinon rouge at Wilfred Rousse

Tasted a fabulous line up of Saumur Champigny's at Domaine Filliatreau

Saw some stunning architecture & blus skies at Chateau Dupetit Thouars

Took a cycle tour out into the vineyards

Brought home the purchases!

Plus you get the chance to be welcomed into our home with the opportunity to stay at the beautiful La Grande Maison in the heart of the vines.

The 2011 Wine Tour season is pretty much full but do check for late availability just in case we have an odd slot. In the meantime we are now booking now for 2012 Wine Tours. Glasses, corkscrews & bottles at the ready we can't wait to hear from you. Sante!

Guest Blog - Memories for a Lifetime & Education in Loire Valley Wine

We have been back in Chicago for more than a week now, and still have vivid memories about our stay with you at La Grande Maison. From the minute you met us at the train and assured Andy that "yes, there's a lot of old here," we felt relaxed, welcome, and right at home. We loved so many aspects of our visit, but there are some we want to mention specifically. Our bedroom, with the fireplace, built-in sink, and giant wooden beams took us back to another era. The food, from our amazing and welcoming wine-paired dinner, to the fresh croissants, hand-squeezed orange juice and yogurt each morning, to the variety of a daily picnic spreads, and the restful, rejuvenating pleasure of afternoon tea, was all perfect for us. We enjoyed the company of each of you on our long jaunts each day, and we also appreciated the lively distraction of the dogs!

The little touches in your décor, the thoughtful aspects of showing us the "special" places for picnics or the unique clos with the walls that the vines grew through, to showing us the "Sleeping Beauty" chateau on an extra bit of our trip, all made this a wonderful vacation for us, one that we will always remember. We had fun wandering around in the nearby vineyards and woods near your home, and also meeting your neighbor with his beautiful prairie planting.

All of this would have been enough for a refreshing and restful vacation for us, but then if you add the value of our education about wine, and the opportunity to meet your favorite local producers, and their generosity in showing us caves, vineyards, and lots of wines, we feel especially grateful. Our two favorite places were Chateau du Petit Thouars with Michel, and Franck and Catherine's Domaine de Pied Flond. All the wineries we visited were special, but these hold a special place for us.

At Michel's, the character of his wine came through and matched his passion for the craft of wine making. The way he shared his knowledge of making wine with us really communicated his desire to have people understand what goes into making good wine. From the age of the barrels, to the different tanks he was using for fermentation, to the storage of wine in his cave, he shared his knowledge in an especially personable way. And indeed, his wines were amazing. We particularly liked that 2005 Touraine AOC Rouge. When we drank it in the pigeonerrie overlooking the vineyards surrounding La Grande Maison, with that lovely dinner that you so graciously provided, it was one of the romantic highlights of our stay. Michel's wine provided a perfect accompaniment to that lovely evening.

A rare opportunity to see the chai at Chateau du Petit Thouars

Franck and Catherine, from Domaine de Pied Flond, were perhaps the most charming and enthusiastic winemakers that we had the opportunity to meet. Franck's candid conversation about the reason he was making wine in a different way from his father, but within the traditions of the seventh generation family business, were so interesting to hear. His passion for making excellent wine, even if in (relatively!) small quantities, could be seen both in the way he operated, and in the taste of the wine itself. After this wonderful tour, where he showed us everything about his business and took his time to explain answers to our many questions (and seemed to delight in understanding the English word "fill"), we were then in the company of Catherine, who shared his interest and his passion for their wine. She was a knowledgeable and gracious hostess in leading us through tasting their exceptional wines. She was very good at explaining what food would work well with what wine, and imagining the pairing helped Diane understand more about the subtle differences in some of the wines. Catherine even brought out a lovely plate of ham, sausage, and bread to accompany the wines.

Franck Gourdon of Domaine de Pied Flond

On our return to Paris, we had our first opportunity to enjoy and appreciate Franck's fine work as we drank a chilled bottle of his Rose de Loire on our hotel balcony. The afternoon was hot, and the wine was a perfect accompaniment for our last afternoon in Paris, and we drank it with joy overlooking the dome of the Hotel Invalides and the Eiffel Tower. We are looking forward to drinking his other 2 bottles in the near future (or keeping them as long as we can stand it!), as we share the wine and our stories with our friends.

Gardens at La Grande Maison

We have been telling our friends about our trip and sharing our pictures. All are envious, and we hope some may come and enjoy your exceptional hospitality. We also would love to return to La Grande Maison ourselves; if that doesn't happen, we will have memories for a lifetime to recall our stay and our education in Loire Valley wines.

Snippets from our Loire Valley Wine Tour Season 2010

What an amazing season 2010 has been for us and the vines. So busy that it has left little time for updating our blog and now it’s December and snowing - sheesh!

So at last here are some pictorial snippets from this year’s wine tour diary to get your mouth watering for next year. Don’t forget to request availability for 2011 NOW as we are already getting booked up and we wouldn’t want you to miss out.

Anyway here are some of the best bits :

Ambience with friends:

Wine tasting with winemaker Tessa Laroche at Domaine Roche aux Moines

In the caves at La Grande Maison with Guillaume Pire of Chateau de Fosse Seche

Our wine tour guests viewing the production line in action at Langlois Chateau

The Tasting Rooms:

Edouard Pisani-Ferry introduces his wines at Château de Targé

It's not only the excellent wine at Domaine Baumard the frescoes are pretty impressive too!

...and there is always a friendly welcome for our guests at Domaine St Just

The Fermentation & Maturation Tanks:

We have created our own micro-winery in the caves at La Grande Maison


But it's always fun to go out and peer into other tanks like Pascal Lambert's in Chinon

...or these revolutionary egg shaped fermentation tanks at Chateau de Fosse Seche

Tasting from Barrel or Tank:

You don't have to wear the red robe to taste wine here....

....but we do sometimes get the chance to taste directly from barrel with Seb at Chateau Dupetit Thouars

...or from the tank with Frederic Mabilleau in St Nicolas de Bourgeuil.

The 2010 Harvest:

We have been helping out with the hand harvest for many years now and hand pick our own few rows of Chenin Blanc too.

Harvesting with Melaric is a more than family affair!

The Terroir:

Learn a little about the soil structure and the wines that come from it.

Or view the soil profile in the vineyard.

Barrel tastings, hand harvesting, meeting the wine maker, viewing the bottling line, and discovering the vineyards are just some of the season’s activities. Read more about booking your wine tour here at La Grande Maison.

Wine Tours from La Grande Maison are also available by bike.

With picnics en-route by the Loire river or in the vineyards.


Or occasionally by boat if the river conditions are good!

You can read more about our Vineyard & Discovery offerings on wine writer Sarah Ahmed’s blog here : The Wine Detective.

Weekend Wine Tours in Loire Valley France

The Weekend Wine Tour in the Loire Valley France

Always wanted to take a Wine Tour but never thought you could afford the time or the money? Well now you can. Our Weekend Wine Tours are tailored to offer you the opportunity for a quick weekend break away in the Loire Valley Vineyards with the thrill of sampling wines, visiting the wineries and meeting the winemakers. If you loved the idea of Oz and Jame’s Wine Adventure then here is your chance to sample the life in the vineyards for yourselves in just a weekend.

All you need do is arrive - we’ll take care of the rest!

Fly to Tours Airport in the Loire Valley from Stanstead and we’ll be there to collect you. Or take the train from London to Angers (Eurostar/TGV) or to Saumur.*

Tours run all weekends subject to availability :

Arrival Friday - Tour Saturday - Return Sunday

Arrival Saturday - Tour Sunday - Return Monday


The weekend includes the following :

You will be met at your chosen airport/station in one of our fleet of 6 or 9 seater vehicles and whisked away to La Grande Maison in the heart of the vineyards.

On arrival you have the chance to sample your first local wine with our welcome drink whilst we give you the itinerary and explain a little about the local region and it’s grape varieties.

Once you have settled in you will have chance to go walking in the vines or even go for a bike ride before dinner.

The kitchens at La Grande Maison provide deliciously creative menus using fresh produce direct from our own organic potager. You have the opportunity to sample the local wines with the Wine Sampling Supper on your first evening at La Grande Maison

After a yummy breakfast we head off the next day into the Saumur/Anjou Region where we will have the opportunity during the day to visit 2-3 wineries, sample the wines, tour the caves and buy wines at cellar door prices. There is a picnic lunch en-route either in the vineyards on the banks of the beautiful Loire River. The area is so rich in history and culture that we always throw in a little sight seeing in along the way too.

Back at La Grande Maison you will greeted with tea/coffee and biscuits in the stunning gardens and have time to relax before being taken to a local restaurant in the evening

A not to be missed tour of the caves and tunnels at La Grande Maison awaits you after breakfast the next day. Then time to relax in the glorious gardens before being returned to your chosen departure point. SO EASY!

The Prices :

Standard Weekend Tour : 390 euros per person (minimum 2 persons)**
Premium Weekend Tour : 460 euros per person (minimum 2 persons)***


*other travel options maybe available please ask
**reductions available if you bring a group of 4 persons or more
***Premium includes additional 1/2 afternoon wine tour direct from pickup & bottle of sparkling wine in your room on arrival
Additional days/nights available on request

Kirsty Lang of BBC Radio 4 says about our Wine Tours - “How wonderful to be able to drink 29 different wines in the space of one weekend and console yourself with the fact that it's educational as well as pleasurable - heavenly from the first to the last drop. Our hosts not only provided great food and fascinating lessons in viniculture but were excellent company too. We shall be back!”