Staying in a small village near Amboise was one of the best choices on this visit to the Loire Valley. Not only were we close to beautiful châteaux, but there were also Loire Valley wine caves all around.
Loire Valley Wine Caves
It was wine time after a day of visiting Château Ambroise and Château Clos Luce. Fortunately, the Rick Steves travel guide, Caves Duhard, recommended a wine bottler and merchant nearby. There was some excellent wine, musty caves, and ancient bottles. (Note: Since this post, Caves Duhard has expanded an rebranded to Les Caves Ambacia, specializing in old vintages from the Loire Valley — an excellent reason for another visit!)
Loire Valley Wine Caves
Another find was just around the corner from our chalet in Ambroise: Caves du Pigeonnier.
My friend Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France, who has taken many tours in France with her travel customers, says this was the “best-guided wine tour ever.”
Guestault Caves of the Loire Valley
With Nancy performing as interpreter to the few English speakers, we all learned much about wine production in the Loire, especially about the 300-year-old cave owned by the same family for six generations.
Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France
Guestault Caves of the Loire Valley
The ancient cave has been enlarged in recent years, yet wine-producing techniques from its beginning are still prominent, including the “vat” in the cave wall that was used in the process before the introduction of barrels.
Guestault Caves of the Loire Valley
Bubbling juices and skins are being prepared to use as “coloring.”
Wooden crate contraption that rotates to turn bottled wine during the production process
Under the wine appellation (AOC) Montlouis, the production at Guestault is predominately white wines from Chinon grapes, including sparkling wines.
As ancient as the caves and some original processing methods, the grape production at Guestault is modern. I turned on the video recorder for this explanation, interpreted onsite by Nancy.
Stay tuned …
Categories: Around France
Loved my time in the Loire!
It’s definitely worth spending more time there. So much more to see and do.
My wife and I visited a winery near Amboise this spring, also underground. There are over 300 miles of these tunnels! (former quarries) The vintner told us that her grandfather had been the local tunnel expert, with maps of all the entrances and connections. Near the end of WWII, the Nazis were retreating from the Amboise area and wanted to bury some of their munitions in the caves to keep them from falling into Allied hands, so they asked her grandfather how to do it. There were three possible entrances they could use but grandpa knew that two were hiding Resistance fighters. So he doctored his maps to make it look like those entrances wouldn’t work (“here’s a collapsed tunnel, here’s a place where it becomes too narrow for your carts…”) and got the Nazis to use the third entrance. He was a big hero after the war!
Keith, I love hearing stories like this. It’s so amazing to me how France has suffered, survived and prospered during the ages.Thanks for sharing!
What an amazing adventure. I really enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed the visit. Thank you for coming along!