Experience
Private Tour
A seasonal day with Colin.
Private Loire Valley Grape Harvest Tour
Discover the Loire at harvest time
Experience the Loire when vineyards and wineries are alive with the excitement of the vendanges. Meet local winemakers, explore the journey from ripe grapes to wine and enjoy guided tastings amid the colours of autumn.
€499 per personFull day · Minimum two guests · September–October
Enquire About Harvest DatesPHOTO FOR COLINColin with guests among Loire vines during the grape harvest
Price
€499 per person
Minimum two guests.
Duration
Full Day
Approximately eight hours.
Season
Autumn Harvest
September and October; dates vary.
Food & Wine
Lunch & Tastings
Winery tastings and lunch are included. Drinks ordered with lunch are extra.
A special season in the Loire vineyards
The grape harvest brings the wine year to its most exciting moment: months of work in the vineyard becoming the next vintage.
Explore the changing colours of the countryside and discover what goes into deciding when to pick. Hear from the growers, visit wineries and taste Loire wines with Colin, who brings the vineyard story and its people together.
Your private day will focus on either the Chinon and Bourgueil area or Touraine, according to the harvest, your pickup location and which producers can welcome visitors. The timing of picking changes each year, so Colin chooses the most rewarding visits available for your date.
The Harvest Experience
Three ways to discover the Loire harvest
See how growers bring their grapes from the vine to the cellar, with a private itinerary built around the season's activity.
PHOTO FOR COLINGrape picking or ripe bunches of grapes in a Loire vineyard
Explore the vineyards in autumn
Discover how growers judge ripeness, balance sugar and acidity, and decide which parcels are ready. Where work is underway and access permits, you may see hand or mechanical picking.
PHOTO FOR COLINFreshly picked grapes arriving at a Loire cellar, or a winemaker at work
Follow the grapes into the winery
Learn what happens after the grapes arrive, from sorting and pressing to the first stages of fermentation. Every estate works differently, especially during this busy period.
PHOTO FOR COLINColin and guests tasting finished Loire wines with a local producer
Taste the wines behind the vintage
Meet producers and enjoy guided tastings of their wines. The conversations and flavours help connect this year’s harvest with the wines already in the bottle.
A Typical Day
How your grape harvest day could unfold
An illustrative itinerary. The route and activities depend on when grapes are being harvested and which working wineries can welcome guests.
Meet Colin and explore the vineyards
Begin with collection from your agreed hotel or railway station and travel through autumn wine country.
Visit a harvest-season producer
Meet a winemaker and learn about the work taking place. There may be an opportunity to observe picking, grape deliveries or early cellar activity.
Relax over lunch
Enjoy an included restaurant lunch and time to appreciate the villages and landscapes of the Loire.
Discover the cellar and taste
Continue with winery visits and guided tastings, then return to your agreed collection point.
Wine Knowledge
From ripe grapes to the first wine of the vintage
Harvest begins when a grower believes the grapes are ready for the wine they want to make. Ripeness is more than sweetness: acidity, grape health, flavour and the conditions in each vineyard all help determine the moment to pick.
Some Loire vineyards are harvested by hand and others by machine. When timing and access permit, you may see grapes being gathered or delivered to a working winery, followed by sorting, pressing or fermentation. Each producer's priorities come first during this demanding season.
You may hear about Bernache, partly fermented grape juice traditionally enjoyed locally during harvest. It can be available at this time of year, but it is not a promised tasting. The tour also includes guided tastings of finished Loire wines.
Ask Colin about this year's harvest activityPHOTO FOR COLINA winemaker receiving freshly picked grapes, checking a press or working with fermenting wine in the cellar
Practical Details
What's included in the €499 tour
The price is per person, with a minimum of two guests. Colin confirms the date, route, working winery access and local pickup arrangements before booking.
Included
- Private English-speaking guide for approximately eight hours
- Comfortable transport during the tour
- Pickup and return at an agreed local hotel or railway station
- Planned visits to Loire wineries during harvest season
- Guided wine tastings and restaurant lunch
- Bottled water and a Loire Valley Wine Tour welcome gift
Specific harvest activities, such as observing picking or pressing, depend on the season and access at working wineries.
Not included
- Drinks ordered with lunch
- Travel to and from the agreed pickup location
- Accommodation and travel insurance
- Wine purchases, delivery charges and personal expenses
- Gratuities and separately agreed optional extras
- Hands-on grape picking, unless specifically arranged
Wine purchases are optional. Contact Colin if you have a particular harvest activity in mind.
Your Local Guide
Experience harvest season with someone who knows the Loire
During the vendanges, the best experiences depend on knowing the people and the rhythm of the working vineyards.
Having lived in the Loire Valley for over 15 years, Colin can help you discover the character of this special season. He brings together local knowledge, conversations with producers, wine tastings and the landscapes that make a harvest visit memorable.
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
Grape harvest tour FAQs
The tour is offered in September and October, with mid-September to mid-October often the best planning window. Exact picking dates change with the weather, grape ripeness and producer. Tell Colin when you are visiting so he can advise what may be happening.
Colin plans visits around local activity, and you may see hand picking or mechanical harvesting when it is underway. However, picking dates can shift and not every vineyard can admit visitors while the team is working, so no particular harvest operation can be guaranteed.
This is a guided wine and harvest-season experience, not a grape-picking workday. Hands-on picking is not included as standard. If that is important to you, ask Colin before booking whether any special arrangement is possible.
Freshly picked grapes may be sorted, destemmed, pressed or transferred into tanks as the winemaking begins. The sequence varies according to the grape variety and wine style. Where access permits, Colin can explain the processes you see at the estates visited.
Bernache is partly fermented grape juice traditionally enjoyed in parts of the Loire during harvest time. It may be available locally, but that depends on the winery and the stage of fermentation. It is not included as a guaranteed tasting.
The day normally focuses on either Chinon and Bourgueil or the Touraine area, rather than trying to cover all of them. Colin chooses the route according to harvest activity, winery access and your pickup point. If you particularly enjoy Cabernet Franc, the Best Reds Tour is another good option.
The price covers an approximately eight-hour private day, agreed local pickup and return, transport, guided winery visits, tastings and lunch, with a minimum of two guests. Drinks with lunch, accommodation, wine purchases and optional extras are not included.
There is plenty to discover at other times of year. The Organic Wine Tour explores the growers and their vineyard practices, while the Chenin Blanc Tour focuses on one of the Loire’s most versatile grapes. You can also compare all private tours.
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Explore all toursPlan Your Grape Harvest Experience
Discover harvest season with Colin
The Grape Harvest Tour costs €499 per person, minimum two guests, including agreed local collection, guided winery tastings and lunch. Tell Colin your dates and where you are staying so he can advise which parts of the harvest you might experience.
Ask About Harvest Dates