When most people think of France one of the first things to pop into their heads is the taste of fantastic French wine. So with this in mind why not enjoy some fantastic wine tasting while staying on one of the many Villas in France.
France has been creating brilliant wines for many centuries now and by many is still considered the home, and birthplace, of the modern wine industry. The country produces over 7 billion bottles a year for export and sale all over the world and is littered all over with fantastic vineyards. This makes for a great selection of wines country wide and means that any trip to France should include at least one day out for wine tasting in this beautiful country.
To make the most of a wine tasting trip it's worth doing some prep at home, enrolling in a wine tasting course is a great way to meet people and learn the skills. There are also many great articles online and books in your local bookstore which will give you a run down of what to expect.
As for vineyards most book trips with the smaller locations having a limited number of places so booking in advance is advised. Usually there is a small tasting fee depending on where you visit although some of the larger vineyards will wave this fee in the expectation that you will buy a bottle of wine at the end of the trip instead.
The legal drinking age in France is only 16 but the law doesn't include wine tasting so any age can partake with parental guidance, so if you have children with you they may be offered the chance to join in the tasting. Remember to tell the guides if you want them to be excluded.
Price wise the larger vineyard tours can be expensive especially if one of the many Luxury villa rentals is included, as wine tasting is something of a luxury hobby, but you can do it on a budget by organizing it yourself and visiting one of the smaller locations.
The vineyards are very much an all year round activity too so there is no real 'best' time of year to come if you're just going for the tasting. However if you're looking for a slightly more exciting experience then it's a good idea to visit during one of the many festivals especially around September as that's the start of the yearly harvest.
France has been creating brilliant wines for many centuries now and by many is still considered the home, and birthplace, of the modern wine industry. The country produces over 7 billion bottles a year for export and sale all over the world and is littered all over with fantastic vineyards. This makes for a great selection of wines country wide and means that any trip to France should include at least one day out for wine tasting in this beautiful country.
To make the most of a wine tasting trip it's worth doing some prep at home, enrolling in a wine tasting course is a great way to meet people and learn the skills. There are also many great articles online and books in your local bookstore which will give you a run down of what to expect.
As for vineyards most book trips with the smaller locations having a limited number of places so booking in advance is advised. Usually there is a small tasting fee depending on where you visit although some of the larger vineyards will wave this fee in the expectation that you will buy a bottle of wine at the end of the trip instead.
The legal drinking age in France is only 16 but the law doesn't include wine tasting so any age can partake with parental guidance, so if you have children with you they may be offered the chance to join in the tasting. Remember to tell the guides if you want them to be excluded.
Price wise the larger vineyard tours can be expensive especially if one of the many Luxury villa rentals is included, as wine tasting is something of a luxury hobby, but you can do it on a budget by organizing it yourself and visiting one of the smaller locations.
The vineyards are very much an all year round activity too so there is no real 'best' time of year to come if you're just going for the tasting. However if you're looking for a slightly more exciting experience then it's a good idea to visit during one of the many festivals especially around September as that's the start of the yearly harvest.
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