©Vendanges dans le vignoble de Chinon|ADT Touraine - JC Coutand

Vignobles & Découvertes Destination Chinon Bourgueil Azay

Treat yourself to a vineyard holiday!

Imagine strolling among the rows of vines, tasting the latest vintages in a cave troglodyte, or taking part in wine workshops to quench your curiosity. Not a bad programme, is it?! Especially as there are also heritage visits (the royal fortress of Chinon, the château of Azay-le-Rideau…), outdoor activities (cycling, hiking…) or restaurants… with, of course, wine maps giving pride of place to local nuggets.

Known AOCs and secret AOCs

5 Val de Loire AOCs make up the destination Vignobles & Découvertes Chinon Bourgueil Azay :

Chinon (2,400 hectares / red wines, rosé and white wines)
Bourgueil (1,400 hectares / red and rosé wines)
Saint-nicolas-de-bourgueil (1,050 hectares / red and rosé wines)
Touraine azay-le-rideau (50 hectares / white and rosé wines)
Touraine noble-joué (30 hectares / rosé wines)

On this territory located between Tours and Angers, so you can easily vary the pleasures, tasting in situ cuvées from France’s great appellations, while exploring terroirs little known to the general public. Bear in mind, too, that as well as wines from the main appellation, most wineries also produce other cuvées, including fine bubbles from the Touraine and Crémant de Loire appellations.

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Cellar visits and activities in the vineyard

Simple tasting or with food/wine pairings, a ride through the vines on an electric scooter or on horseback, an escape game, a workshop-discovery of vine pruning, a meal at the estate… in Touraine, the winegrowers offer a wide range of activities to give you memorable and authentic experiences. A word of advice: if you want to go beyond a simple tasting, it’s often necessary to book before you come, so that the professionals can welcome you in the best possible conditions.

Below is a list of all the tourist operators with the Vignobles et Découvertes label: wineries, restaurants, accommodation, leisure activities…

On foot or by bike in the vineyard

Les puys du ChinonaisChinon

Vineyards on stage See you this autumn!

A highlight of all the Vignobles & Découvertes destinations in France, le Fascinant Weekend becomes Vignobles en Scène, always offering a host of wine-related events in the heart of autumn. The Chinon Bourgueil Azay destination is concocting a most delightful programme, with perfect pairings (local food/wine pairings, in the presence of winemakers in restaurants), oenology in monuments, as well as a host of other initiatives. Find out more in the coming months!

The Vignobles et Découvertes label

“Vignobles & Découvertes” is a wine tourism label awarded by Atout France (the national tourism operator) to destinations that combine visits to wine estates with other tourist resources and services: sightseeing sites, accommodation, restaurants, bike hire, boat operators, etc. The backbone of a Vignobles & Découvertes area is obviously the tourist cellars. In the Loire Valley, they are regularly audited to ensure that they offer a high-quality welcome.