Last weekend I was on tour in Russian language with a group of 9 amazing people who live in Belgium. We spent a great time together! They are all colleagues, and decided to come over for the weekend, because it’s only a 4 hour drive.

On Saturday, we visited the Chateaux of Villandry, known for its beautiful gardens, as well as Azay le Rideau, the “gem” of the Loire Valley according to 19th century writer Honoré de Balzac.
Wineries included a morning stroll in the vineyards of Domaine Fabrice Gasnier who operates in biodynamic farming, whose wines are lovely (he certainly masters the Cabernet Franc grape variety), and a tour in the famous Couly-Dutheil, a powerhouse of the Loire. We had loads of fun in #Chinon during an all-inclusive lunch, as well as a nice dinner on a terrace in Blois. The guests were enchanted with the comfort of our guest house’s 5 bedrooms!

On Sunday, we started with the number 1 Loire Valley chateau: Chenonceau, which was everyone’s favourite. By noon we were attending the most consistent in quality of all wineries, which is the Domaine Merieau. He plays with various grape varieties, winemaking techniques, and labels , and people were unanimous saying that all the wines were well done, there is not a single one that you would think lesser of than the rest. Gamay, Cab Franc, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and other more rare varieties are championed in this estate.
After a gastronomic lunch, we finished with a tour of the Chateau Royal de Blois and its 4 unique architectural designs.

The group was sad to leave back to Belgium but thrilled to have spent these moments together. I personally had a great time showing them around, they were certainly a fun bunch to talk to and share views with!