Experience
Private Tour
Tailored to your interests.
Private Loire Valley Chenin Blanc Wine Tour
Discover the many faces of Chenin Blanc
From crisp dry whites to sparkling and richly sweet wines, discover the remarkable range of Chenin Blanc on a private day among the vineyards and cellars of Vouvray, Montlouis-sur-Loire and the Amboise area.
€499 per personFull day · Minimum two guests
Plan Your Chenin Blanc TourPHOTO FOR COLINColin and guests tasting Chenin Blanc with a Vouvray or Montlouis winemaker
Price
€499 per person
Minimum two guests.
Duration
Full Day
Approximately eight hours.
Wine Areas
Vouvray & Montlouis
Including the Amboise area.
Food & Wine
Lunch & Tastings
Winery tastings and lunch are included. Drinks ordered with lunch are extra.
One grape, an extraordinary range of wines
Chenin Blanc can be fresh and bone-dry, gently off-dry, beautifully sweet or full of fine bubbles. Few grapes show such a range in one wine-growing area.
On this private day, Colin introduces you to the people and vineyards behind those styles. Compare wines from Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire, enjoy time in the cellar and countryside, and discover how the same grape can give such different results.
The exact tasting selection depends on the growers and the vintage. Not every wine style is available at every stop, but the aim is to explore Chenin Blanc's diversity rather than focus on just one type.
The Chenin Blanc Experience
Three ways to explore Chenin Blanc
Meet winegrowers, compare contrasting expressions of the grape and discover the landscape that gives the wines of Vouvray and Montlouis their character.
PHOTO FOR COLINGuests meeting a Chenin Blanc grower in a Loire wine cellar
Meet the people behind the wines
Visit selected producers, from small family domaines to larger cellars, and discover how vineyard and cellar decisions shape their Chenin Blanc.
PHOTO FOR COLINA guided tasting flight of dry, off-dry and sparkling Chenin Blanc
Taste Chenin Blanc in many styles
Compare dry, off-dry, sweet and, when available, sparkling examples. Find out why balance, acidity and ageing can make each bottle distinctive.
PHOTO FOR COLINChenin Blanc vineyards above the Loire near Vouvray or Montlouis
Discover Vouvray and Montlouis
Travel between vineyards along the Loire and Cher, with time for a relaxed lunch and a closer look at the region around Amboise.
A Typical Day
How your Chenin Blanc day could unfold
The route and winery choices vary with producer availability, the season and your interests. This is an example, not a fixed programme.
Meet Colin
Arrange pickup from a suitable hotel or railway station in the Tours or Amboise area, including Saint-Pierre-des-Corps where practical.
Explore a Chenin Blanc cellar
Meet a Vouvray or Montlouis producer, see how the wines are made and taste wines that introduce the grape’s range.
Enjoy a leisurely lunch
Pause at a local restaurant before exploring more vineyards, cellars or the riverside landscape.
Compare more wines
Visit another selected winery for contrasting Chenin Blanc styles, then return to the agreed pickup point.
The Wines in Your Glass
Why can Chenin Blanc taste so different?
Chenin Blanc is known locally as Pineau de la Loire. Its naturally lively acidity helps it work across a remarkable spectrum, from dry still whites to sweet, age-worthy wines and traditional-method sparkling bottles.
Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire lie on opposite sides of the Loire near Tours. Vineyards, harvest choices and cellar techniques all influence the resulting wine. A tasting can reveal differences in ripeness, sweetness, texture and how the wines develop over time.
Some years are better suited to richer late-harvest styles than others, and the wines available depend on the producers you visit. Colin can help you understand what you are tasting without turning the day into a classroom.
Discover Chenin Blanc and the white wines of the LoirePHOTO FOR COLINA Vouvray tuffeau cellar with Chenin Blanc bottles or a vineyard close-up
Practical Details
What's included in the €499 tour
The confirmed price is per person for a private tour of at least two guests. Colin agrees your date, pickup point and itinerary before booking.
Included
- Private English-speaking guide for approximately eight hours
- Transport during the day in a comfortable vehicle
- Pickup and return from an agreed local hotel or railway station
- Winery visits and guided Chenin Blanc tastings
- Restaurant lunch, excluding drinks
- Bottled water and Loire Valley Wine Tour welcome gift
Not included
- Drinks ordered with lunch
- Travel to or from the agreed local pickup point
- Accommodation, travel insurance and personal expenses
- Wine purchases, delivery charges and gratuities
- Optional extras agreed separately
You are welcome to purchase wine, but there is no obligation. Ask Colin about buying or shipping wines after your tasting.
Your Local Guide
Discover Chenin Blanc with someone who knows the Loire
The story of Chenin Blanc becomes much clearer when you taste the wines with the people who make them.
With over 15 years living in the Loire Valley, Colin brings local knowledge and producer relationships to the day. Whether you're discovering Chenin Blanc for the first time or already have favourite vintages, he helps connect each glass with the place and people behind it.
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
Chenin Blanc wine tour FAQs
The appellations sit on opposite banks of the Loire near Tours. Both specialise in Chenin Blanc, but vineyard sites, vintages and winemaking choices can produce different expressions of the grape. Comparing bottles from both areas, when available, is one of the pleasures of this tour.
The price includes an approximately eight-hour private tour, agreed local pickup and return, transport during the day, winery visits, guided tastings and lunch. Drinks with lunch, personal purchases and optional extras are excluded. The minimum group size is two guests.
The aim is to explore Chenin Blanc in several styles, from dry and off-dry to sweeter or sparkling wines. The selection depends on the wineries visited and the wines available, so every style cannot be guaranteed on a particular day.
The tour focuses on Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire, with time in the wider Amboise area when the itinerary allows. Colin confirms the route and wineries with you before the tour.
This tour follows Chenin Blanc across its dry, off-dry, sweet and sparkling expressions. The Sparkling Wine Tour focuses on how Loire sparkling wines are made and compares different sparkling styles and grapes.
Pickup can often be arranged from suitable hotels or stations around Tours, Amboise and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Confirm your collection point with Colin before booking train tickets.
Tours are generally easier to arrange during the main spring-to-autumn wine-touring season. Visits outside this period may be possible, depending on wineries and Colin's availability. Send Colin your preferred dates and he will confirm what can be arranged.
No. An enquiry starts the planning process, but it does not hold or confirm a date. Colin will check winery availability, agree the details with you and explain how to secure the booking.
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Discover this tourPlan Your Chenin Blanc Experience
Explore Chenin Blanc with Colin
The private Chenin Blanc tour costs €499 per person, minimum two guests, including local collection, winery visits, guided tastings and lunch. Tell Colin your preferred dates, pickup location and the wine styles that most interest you.
Plan Your Tour