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France

Wine Tasting activities in France

  1. A

    Patriarche Père et Fils

    The largest cellars in Burgundy, they are lined with about five million bottles of wine. The oldest is a Beaune Villages AOC from 1904. Visitors sample 13 wines and take the tastevin home.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Marché aux Vins

    Using a tastevin, sample an impressive 15 wines in the candle-lit former Église des Cordeliers and its cellars. Wandering among the vintages takes about an hour. The finest wines are at the end; look for the premier crus and the grand cru.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Cellier de la Vieille Grange

    This is where locals come to buy Burgundy wines en vrac (in bulk) for as little as €1.25 per litre (from €3.40 per litre for AOC). Tasting is done direct from barrels using a pipette. Bring your own jerry can or buy a cubitainer (5/20L for €2.75/7.60) or something memorably called a Vinibag.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Lycée Viticole

    One of about 20 French secondary schools (at least one in each wine-producing region) that trains young people in every aspect of winemaking. You can visit the cellars and taste the prize-winning wines made by the students, something they're officially not allowed to do till they're 18. (Decades ago wine used to be served with lunch in the school cafeteria!)

    reviewed