{"id":26588,"title":"Wine Tasting On the Loire","description":"It\u2019s a sultry late June afternoon in the Loire Valley with temperatures cruising past 30 degrees. The sun is beginning to show signs of setting and so the normally pale stone of the village of Chaumont-sur-Loire is honey-tinged and warm. Looking up, the horizon is dominated by the Chateau de Chaumont, one of only a few in the region that is located close to the river itself.","content":"

It\u2019s a sultry late June afternoon in the Loire Valley with temperatures cruising past 30 degrees. The sun is beginning to show signs of setting and so the normally pale stone of the village of Chaumont-sur-Loire is honey-tinged and warm. Looking up, the horizon is dominated by the Chateau de Chaumont, one of only a few in the region that is located close to the river itself.<\/span><\/p>

\"65r08z3sdhexebgyiit2etbuucbxswbyluypleb1xmf3wkmz.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"I\u2019m waiting to meet Aur\u00e9lien and Daniel, two passionate and proud locals who have come together to offer an unforgettable experience for anyone visiting the region.<\/span><\/p>

\"oiqsvrs8hnpvwjgrgk9yuh7bhjyxna3clepuyveteelenlqs.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"Aur\u00e9lien is the skipper of our small wooden sailboat. He explains that the Loire is wide but very shallow with strong currents. The boat has a quiet motor that he uses only sporadically to navigate his way past the sand banks, small island nature reserves and occasional reeds.<\/span><\/p>

\"k9o0e1aqmqq0bzx8vplbysx3ubs76ouskth5j0zdzlane59u.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"Daniel is our sommelier. He tells us to remember that wine is for pleasure and so we shouldn\u2019t get too hung up about some of the dos and don\u2019ts that we may have heard.<\/p>

This helps us relax along with the gentle, fresh breeze and silent calm. The currents of the Loire prevent swimming and so we have the place to ourselves. Aur\u00e9lien kicks us away from the bank and we float downstream and sink further into the surroundings and atmosphere.<\/p>

\"zjhbtb0vfq901urcw2u6lmg2dzgzyyyjktcehnbjgkrhidhc.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"After Aur\u00e9lien skilfully locates us near a welcome shady bank, Daniel begins the wine lesson (look at it, smell it, give it some air, smell it again and then taste it) and then introduces us to five different local wines and some local specialities (rillettes, rillons, chevre and saucisson).<\/p>

The aim of the game is to work out what the wines smell of, and which ones go best with the different flavours. There are no right answers \u2013 everyone\u2019s palette is different \u2013 the point is to help us choose what we might like in the future and learn a little along the way.<\/p>

\"cgegfzyvconwj2e8lawmvoosjbn6r8ff8kuxhz0sndyp4zdf.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"The two hours have passed quickly, our two guides are great company, and we make our way back past herons, gulls and warblers.<\/span><\/p>","urlTitle":"wine-tasting-on-the-loire","url":"\/blog\/wine-tasting-on-the-loire\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/wine-tasting-on-the-loire\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/francophilia.co.uk\/blog\/wine-tasting-on-the-loire\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1681491021,"updatedAt":1771791622,"publishedAt":1771791621,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":278188,"name":"Francophilia"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/xyh6hbbjtetfyqfnptufci4eecy2161fn7lkjpgpyasyzmcs.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/xyh6hbbjtetfyqfnptufci4eecy2161fn7lkjpgpyasyzmcs.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/xyh6hbbjtetfyqfnptufci4eecy2161fn7lkjpgpyasyzmcs.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":26545,"title":"The Essential Autoroute Playlist","url":"\/blog\/the-essential-autoroute-playlist\/","urlTitle":"the-essential-autoroute-playlist","division":278188,"description":"10 classic songs from the Francophilia car stereo.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/vkogm8pzrm4y5uraqyyshmbije73jkcvteegctc9yf7cangs.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/vkogm8pzrm4y5uraqyyshmbije73jkcvteegctc9yf7cangs.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":55211,"title":"The joy of Caf\u00e9 Gourmand","url":"\/blog\/what-to-choose-for-dessert\/","urlTitle":"what-to-choose-for-dessert","division":278188,"description":"Why choose just one dessert when, with a caf\u00e9 gourmand, you can have small portions of several?If a caf\u00e9 gourmand is on the menu of your chosen brasserie, bistro or restaurant (and more and more likely it will be) then there really shouldn\u2019t be any need for a second thought. If it\u2019s not on the menu then ask anyway - it seems almost as common as asking to finish with a straight caf\u00e9.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rnnkyvlp4ictkadxek3iyagg02wudmeitub4zhqvivv8mdpt.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rnnkyvlp4ictkadxek3iyagg02wudmeitub4zhqvivv8mdpt.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":29041,"title":"In the footsteps of C\u00e9zanne","url":"\/blog\/in-the-footsteps-of-cezanne\/","urlTitle":"in-the-footsteps-of-cezanne","division":278188,"description":"Whilst I had heard of Paul C\u00e9zanne, I can\u2019t say I knew much about his life or work. I followed in some of his footsteps whilst wandering around his hometown of Aix-en-Provence before visiting his atelier (workshop), a one-room and lovingly restored visitor attraction.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8az7ld7dsmwkthlnkw18ttvdgw9fkedx0mjqz0kg5xjtin0k.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/8az7ld7dsmwkthlnkw18ttvdgw9fkedx0mjqz0kg5xjtin0k.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}