FROM THE LOIRE VALLEY TO NICE: EXPLORING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE WINE ESTATES IN FRANCE

July 15, 2024.

History, tradition, and exceptional craftsmanship come together to create unforgettable wines. These handpicked wine destinations offer a perfect blend of natural beauty, rich heritage, and exquisite wines. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or a curious traveler, let us guide you through some of our favorite wine destinations.

A Vouvray wine appellation, the Cathelineau family has been making wine for seven generations. Visitors can enjoy an educational visit and wine tasting, along with a tour of the museum of vine-growing and cooperage in the cellars carved out of the cliffs. Hear the owners' beautiful tales and their passion for the terroir, which has been cherished for seven generations. It's a story of love, family, respect, and passion for the vine.

Since 2004, this has been the love story of an oenologist from Champagne and her husband from the Tours area, set in an outstanding vineyard. Built in 1856, this exceptional place invites you to discover the original nature of their wines. Their respect for the natural balance of the vines and environment sets them apart. A cheese tasting is also available to pair local wines with cheeses.

Château Long-Depaquit is located at the heart of the village of Chablis in Burgundy’s Yonne department. A stroll through the estate’s grounds, featuring centuries-old trees and a rose garden, offers a unique, timeless experience. This 65-hectare estate benefits from a sustainable approach to viticulture, limiting yields and minimizing interventions during vinification to create authentic, mineral, elegant wines.

Château de Béru is a family-owned wine domain spanning around fifteen hectares in the heart of the Chablis vineyards. Their biodynamic viticulture and low-intervention approach imbue their wines with a true sense of their original terroirs and the evolving character of the vintages.

At Château Smith Haut Lafitte, there is a strong commitment to respecting nature and biodiversity, both in the vineyard and the cellar. Wine tastings and underground cellar tours are offered at this scenic estate, which dates back to the 14th century. The estate plants vines propagated from their own vineyards, thanks to their vine nursery on Ile de Lalande. This island's protected ecosystem helps maintain vine genetic diversity and the complexity of their wines.

Château Cos d'Estournel, a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux, features Indian-inspired architecture and a glass bridge above the barrel cellar. This winery, established in 1791, produces wine classified as one of the Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

Graced by the likes of Coco Chanel in the 1920s, Château de Crémat has been a wine-growing site since Roman times, located in an idyllic setting between the sea and the mountains. It has been owned by visionary individuals who transformed it into an architectural jewel. The Bellet vineyard is developed on the silico-chalky soils of the heights of Nice, known as Poudingue, which is a soil favoring the slow ripening of grapes.

Château de Bellet is a unique site surrounded by mountains and the sea, situated at the peak of the AOP Bellet in the hills of Nice. In the eighteenth century, the Barons of Bellet started planting vines on these hills, giving their name to both the estate and the appellation. The property’s chapel, built in honor of Agnès Roissard de Bellet in 1873, is a major landmark recalling the heritage of this illustrious family.

For a truly magical experience, let us craft your ideal wine itinerary with passionate guide lecturers, transportation, and boutique properties tailored to you.