Experience
Private Tour
Tailored to your group.
Private Loire Valley Red Wine Tour
Discover the best reds of the Loire
Explore Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil through their Cabernet Franc wines, family-run domaines and historic villages. A private day shaped around the people and places behind the bottles.
€540 per personFull day · Minimum two guests
Plan Your Best Reds TourPHOTO FOR COLINColin with guests at a Cabernet Franc tasting in Chinon or Bourgueil
Price
€540 per person
Minimum two guests.
Duration
Full Day
Approximately eight hours.
Wine Regions
Chinon & Bourgueil
Including Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.
Food & Wine
Lunch & Tastings
Winery tastings and lunch are included. Drinks ordered with lunch are extra.
A day in Cabernet Franc country
West of Tours, the vineyards around Chinon and Bourgueil produce some of the Loire Valley's most compelling red wines.
Cabernet Franc is at the heart of the story, but there is no single Loire red style. Some wines are bright, fragrant and ready to enjoy young, while others have structure and the capacity to age. Colin introduces the differences through small producers, their vineyards and the wines in your glass.
The Best Reds Experience
Three sides of Loire red wine
Explore Cabernet Franc through the vineyards, producers and historic towns of the western Touraine wine country.
PHOTO FOR COLINA family-owned domaine or tasting with its winemaker
Meet independent winemakers
Visit carefully selected family wineries and hear how vineyard sites, cellar decisions and experience shape their wines. Visits depend on producer availability.
PHOTO FOR COLINCabernet Franc wines from Chinon and Bourgueil
Compare three appellations
Discover Cabernet Franc from Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, and see how wines made from the same grape can differ in style.
PHOTO FOR COLINMedieval streets of Chinon or a local restaurant
Explore medieval Chinon
Take time for the historic streets of Chinon and a relaxed local lunch. When the itinerary allows, there may also be opportunities to see nearby châteaux.
A Typical Day
How your Best Reds day could unfold
Your route is planned around your interests, the producers available and local conditions. This is a typical sequence, not a fixed timetable.
Meet Colin
Arrange collection from a suitable hotel or station within the agreed pickup area. The exact meeting place is confirmed before your tour.
Visit a family winery
Explore a domaine in Cabernet Franc country and begin tasting how the grape expresses itself in the region.
Explore Chinon and enjoy lunch
Pause in medieval Chinon for a walk through its historic streets and lunch at a local restaurant.
Compare more Loire reds
Continue to another carefully selected producer, perhaps in Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, before returning to your agreed pickup point.
The Wines in Your Glass
Why does Loire Cabernet Franc taste so different?
Cabernet Franc, sometimes called Breton locally, is the defining red grape of Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. It can produce fragrant, supple wines as well as more concentrated reds with real aging potential.
One reason is the variation in vineyard sites. Around Chinon, sandy and gravelly river terraces often produce lighter wines, while the clay and tuffeau limestone hillsides can give more structure. Bourgueil also spans gravel, sand and limestone-influenced soils, allowing producers to make very different expressions of Cabernet Franc.
Some estates have exceptionally old vines. Where a visit allows, tasting wines from older plots alongside younger-vine bottlings can reveal another layer of character. A conversation with the producer often explains these differences better than a label ever could.
Explore more Loire red wine stylesPHOTO FOR COLINCabernet Franc vines on a Loire hillside or bottles being tasted in a Chinon cellar
Practical Details
What's included in the €540 tour
The price is per person, with a minimum of two guests. The exact route, local collection point and availability are confirmed before booking.
Included
- Private English-speaking guide for approximately eight hours
- Comfortable transport throughout the day
- Local hotel or railway-station pickup and return within the agreed area
- Visits to selected family wineries and guided wine tastings
- Lunch at a local restaurant, excluding drinks
- Bottled water and a Loire Valley Wine Tour welcome gift
Not included
- Drinks ordered with lunch
- Travel to or from the agreed pickup location
- Accommodation and personal purchases
- Gratuities and travel insurance
- Optional château visits, admissions and other extras
- Wine purchases and shipping costs
There is no obligation to buy wine. Colin can explain the options for wine delivery if you find something you'd like to take home.
Your Local Guide
Discover Cabernet Franc with someone who knows the region
The most revealing tastings often happen when you can ask a winemaker why a particular bottle tastes the way it does.
With over 15 years living in the Loire Valley, Colin brings established relationships with local producers and an appreciation of the vineyards, villages and history that surround them. He can tailor the day whether you are new to Cabernet Franc or already have favorite Loire reds.
Meet ColinGuest Experiences
What guests say about touring the Loire with Colin
We got history and culture at the chateau in the morning ... local flavor with a great lunch ... wineries in the afternoon ... and great commentary from Colin along the way.
Colin was a fantastic host and guide throughout the Loire Valley for the day.
Planning Your Tour
Best Reds wine tour FAQs
Yes. You have a private guide and vehicle for your group. Colin plans the day around your interests, available producers and practical travel distances.
The full-day tour includes transport and guiding during the day, local pickup and return within the agreed area, winery visits, guided tastings and restaurant lunch. Drinks with lunch, wine purchases and optional extras are not included. The minimum booking is two people.
Cabernet Franc from Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil is the main focus. Individual estates and wines depend on availability, so particular bottles cannot be guaranteed.
Both styles exist. Some Cabernet Franc wines are light, fresh and fragrant, while others have more tannin and structure and can age for years. Comparing those styles is one of the pleasures of the tour.
The usual plan includes time in medieval Chinon, often with a short walk and lunch. The precise amount of time depends on winery appointments and the itinerary agreed with Colin.
A château visit may be possible as an optional addition, depending on your interests and the schedule. Any admission or other extra costs will be confirmed separately.
Collection may be possible from hotels or railway stations in the Tours, Amboise and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps area. Tell Colin where you will be staying so he can confirm whether a local pickup is practical.
Please ask Colin to confirm your preferred dates before booking travel. Availability depends on the season and producer schedules, and submitting an enquiry does not reserve a day.
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Explore this tourPlan Your Best Reds Visit
Explore Cabernet Franc country with Colin
The private Best Reds Tour is €540 per person, with a minimum of two guests. Winery visits, tastings, transport during the tour and lunch are included. Tell Colin your preferred dates and the wines you'd most like to discover.
Plan Your Tour