Wine in the Loire Vlley

Have you checked the website for Loire Valley tourism or the tourism site for whatever town you are staying in? If driving yourself, be aware that French laws re driving after drinking are VERY strict. The blood alcohol level is lower than in the states as well. If you drive yourself, have a designated driver or avail yourself of the tasting and spitting option. Also, there are way fewer drop-in tasting locations at wineries than in the US. Most require a reservation. Within the towns, though, there are tasting rooms that offer samples from many wineries. We went to one in Saumur that had a nice selection for tasting (plus we could walk back to our hotel!).

Of course, you can taste wine in the vineyards without a reservation although some have found a good business hosting tourists on organized tasting tour, but the main activity of winegrowers is producing and selling wine not to organize group tastings.

In Villandry, you'll be surrounded by the Bourgueil and Chinon AOCs.

So what should you do if you want to visit and taste on your own?

You do what the French people do in wine country: take the road and look for roadside signs indicating a winery and sometimes mentioning "Vente et Dégustation" (Sales and Tasting) You'll see plenty of them.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntFA57VxtvY4dsmU7

https://maps.app.goo.gl/E1PtsCaYzVbtKnLB7

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4TvjxcqebUvUqVWJA

There are also small road signs with a red background indicating the names of vineyards, like this one:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/uHHr37JQWMNCmVQa9

If you want to plan your day, go to Google Maps and search for "Vignoble. Or checkout this map:

https://divineloire.fr/carte/

But be careful, in France, the maximum limit is about two glasses of wine if you're driving.

So do it right: spit instead of drinking.