We would like to take 2 or 3 days to explore the vineyards in France. We only like white sweet or dessert wines. Please recommend a tour company or vineyards that would appeal to our wine palates. We would like to taste wines and even pair them with chocolate. We also like to take wine cave tours and walk through the vines. Unique tours are the best! Is it possible for us to take the train from Paris and visit vineyards on day-trips? Cheers and thanks fellow travelers for your assistance! Kandy and Matt
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Dear Andrew, We thank you so much for these wonderful suggestions and the link was an OUTSTANDING resource for us. If you think of any other ideas please post them for us. With very kind appreciation for your thoughts! a votre sante....Kandy & Matt (sweet white wine lovers)
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
Among the best sweet wines in France are those made from Chenin Blanc in the western Loire, with Quarts du Chaume wines being the top, with Coteaux du Layon wines being just slightly below that. Here's a little bit of what I wrote on a visit there. https://mainelywinenews.blogspot.com/search?q=chaume
Jurancon wines are also outstanding. They're mostly made from Petit and Gros Manseng grapes. If the bottle just says "AOP Jurancon", it's sweet. If it's dry, it's "AOP Jurancon Sec." The same grapes are used for both. Here's a litle that I wrote during our visit to that area: https://mainelywinenews.blogspot.com/search?q=Jurancon
Together with Bordeaux-area sweet wines (Sauterne, Saint Croix du Mont, Cadillac, Monbazillac), those are probably the best sweet wines in France, although there are others made all over the country.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
When I think of sweet French wines, I think of Barscac, Sauternes and Muscat. I like Banyuls too. These better areas are further south, as the grapes need lots of sun to ripen, so are not possible as a day trip from Paris.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
Check Hugh Johnson's "World Atlas of Wine" page and map of Sauternes and Barsac to locate the famous chateaus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Atlas_of_Wine
During my Yuppie years I bought several 1/10th size bottles of Rieussec:
http://www.lafite.com/en/the-chateaus/chateau-rieussec/
Château Rieussec
33210 FARGUES FRANCE
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 98 14 14
[email protected]
TOURS
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Morning: 9.30am to 11.00am
Afternoon: 2pm to 3.30 pm
Visits by appointment only, please send a written request to [email protected]
The property is closed from August until the end of November.
CAPACITY
15 persons maximum
Posted by
Colorado
12 posts
My wife, son and I did a tour at Chateau Guiraud in Sauternes and it sounds like the kind of tour you like. It was in March, so that may have affected the tour, but it was very causal (just the 3 of us) and we were guided around the vineyard and the wine making facilities and finished with a tasting of several different years of their sauternes. I don't remember if they offered anything to pair with their wine, so it may be BYOC.
I don't think you could do a day trip to Sauternes from Paris by train, but you could probably combine it with a trip to Southern France if you were driving.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Many thanks for additional information about day-trips from Paris to vineyards that may offer a sweet or dessert wine for tasting. We appreciate your ideas. Cheers!