Weekend Wine
Discovery Tour
This weekend of wine discovery will include visits to
producers in four appellations – Limoux, Minervois,
Cabardès and St Chinian as well as the opportunity to taste
wine from all over the Languedoc.
The itinerary below is from Friday afternoon to Sunday
lunchtime. If you would prefer a weekend wine tour with
slightly different timings (Saturday – Monday for example)
then we can arrange that for you. Contact us with your requirements.
The Tour includes: All visits, guide, lunches,
accommodation, evening meals and transport in
air-conditioned car or minibus.
For more details and prices, please use our
Enquiry Form
Friday
Early afternoon, arrive at hotel.
Visit to Domaine Pierre Cros, an innovative producer
who, as well as top Minervois, makes an excellent Pinot
Noir and an intriguing red from forgotten Languedoc
varieties. We will quiz Pierre on his unorthodox
approach in his spacious tasting room, decorated with
memorabilia from his other passion, Rugby.
Before
a gourmet dinner, Juliet will take us through a tasting of
classic Languedoc wines.
Saturday
The first stop today will be to the medieval citadel of
Carcassonne before we head towards Limoux. Weather
permitting, we will take a walk through the vines to soak
up the views before sampling the sparkling wine for which
Limoux is famed. Fortified by an aperitif, we visit
Domaine de Begude. This impressive property
is owned by James Kingslake, an enterprising Englishman
who produces fine cool-climate white wines as well as
some very promising pinot noir.
After lunch we drive to
the other side of Carcassonne and Domaine Cabrol in the Cabardès region. Here
the wines reflect the influence of both the Atlantic and
the Mediterranean and are a blend of cabernet sauvignon
and merlot with Languedoc varieties Grenache, Syrah and
Carignan. Claude Carayol makes highly individual wines
and explains his philosophy with enthusiasm and charm.
Our last visit of the day
is to Domaine Sainte Eulalie
which is
situated in a beautiful valley just above the village of
La Livinière.
These
vineyards on the slopes of the Black Mountains are the
source of some of the finest wines in the Languedoc and
have their own special appellation, Minervois La
Livinière. The charming Isabelle Coustal will lead us
through her range of award-winning wines.
Return to hotel before gourmet dinner with local wines.
Sunday
Sunday is market day in St Chinian, a bustling little town
which lies at the heart of the appellation of the same
name. We take time to wander through the market, admiring
the different wares for sale, from mussels to mousetraps!
We the meet up with winemaker Luc Bettoni who will take us
on an intimate tour of his vineyards and tiny cellar. His
first vintage at Domaine Les Eminades
was in 2002 and
he is set to become one of the stars of the future. He
makes excellent red St Chinian as well as a fine
barrel-aged Sauvigon Blanc.
We the meet up with
winemaker Luc Bettoni who will take us on an intimate
tour of his vineyards and tiny cellar. His first
vintage at Domaine Les Eminades was in 2002 and he is
set to become one of the stars of the future. He makes
excellent red St Chinian as well as a fine barrel-aged
Sauvigon Blanc.
After an excellent tasting we then repair to a fine local
restaurant to enjoy a great Languedoc tradition, a
leisurely Sunday lunch with plenty of wine. A fitting way
to end our weekend of wine.
This
itinerary may be subject to change according to the time of
year and size of group
Weekend Wine Discovery
Tours
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