Thursday 3rd August

Big feast in Saumur-Champigny

For the sixth year running, Saumur-Champigny producers will be inviting 5000 guests to take part in a Gargantuan meal in Saumur town centre: 3 tonnes of mushrooms, 5 tonnes of pork, 300 kilos of blueberries, 400 kilos of Chabichou goats’ cheese and 3 km of baguettes will be prepared and cooked for the occasion, and there’ll be 3500 bottles of Saumur Champigny to go with the meal!

This celebration of Saumur Champigny is a real blow-out with a rock, samba or flamenco music backdrop...

Meal 9 euros (full monty) – tasting glass: 4 euros - booking Saumur Tourist Office Tel: +33 (0)2 41 40 20 60

Saturday 5th August, Saturday and Sunday 26th and 27th August

Quincy celebrates its 70th

The oldest appellation area in the Loire Valley, Quincy’s vineyards celebrate their 70^th birthday on Saturday 5th August with a series of events in the village of Quincy: vineyard walks and sightseeing, exhibitions, book launch on Quincy’s history and of course tasting of all 2005 vintage Quincy wines. In the evening, the château will host a rustic meal in its park and a 1930s-themed ball, with the sweet scent of ‘paid holidays’ (a law making companies offer employees paid holiday was passed in the 30s).
On Saturday and Sunday 26th and 27th August, the wine region welcomes the island of Oléron’s fishermen for the “Journées de l’Océan” (Ocean Days).

Info +33 (0)2 48 51 34 98

Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August

Jazz ‘sur lie’ in le Pallet

For 3 days, le Pallet, Muscadet’s beacon town on the banks of the river Sèvre, will play host to aperitif-concerts: concerts and events bringing jazz and Muscadet-sur-lie together (Muscadet aged on its fine yeast lees).

With the charming setting of the small wine village Pé de Sèvre, smack in the middle of the vineyards, the 2006 edition of this modest, authentic, friendly and lively festival will welcome in particular Mina Agossi, rising jazz star.

http://www.jazzsurlie.com

Vallet Tourist Office: 02-40-36-35-87

Until 18th August 2006

10 evenings of wine and entertainment in the Tours area

Up until the 18th, winegrowers in the AOC Touraine area are organizing soirées in the vineyards; an open invitation to discover all about what they do in their vineyards and cellars and to get to know the region’s wines better.

The procedure is just as simple as effective: once you’ve signed up for free at the Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher tourist office, visitors are welcomed by the winegrower from 5.30pm onwards.

The evening kicks off with a stroll in the vineyard to discover the viticultural landscape, terrain and sites, grape varieties and how the growers tend their vines.

In the cellar, they’ll then talk about how to make white wine, rosé, red and elegant fizz.

And finally this get-together concludes with a tasting of Touraine wines along with local culinary highlights.

Info and free booking:

Val de Cher Saint-Aignan Tourist Office
60 rue Constant Ragot, 41110 Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher
Tel: 02 54 75 22 85 / Fax : 02 54 75 50 26

Evening programs:

* 1 August: Franck Janvier, Thésée

* 2 August: Domaine des Roy, Pontlevoy

* 3 August: Domaine du Chapitre, Maryline and François Desloges, Saint-Romain-sur-Cher

* 3 August: Château de l’Aulée, Azay-le-Rideau (Indre-et-Loire), Touraine and Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau appellation areas

* 4 August: Domaine de la Bergeonnière, Saint-Romain-sur-Cher

* 9 August: Domaine du Vieux Pressoir, Joël Lecoffre, Rilly-sur-Loire

* 11 August: Domaine de la Rablais, Antoine Simoneau, Saint-Georges-sur-Cher

* 12 August: Domaine de la Doltière, Alain Barras, Châteauvieux

* 14 August: Château des Couldraies, Saint-Georges-sur-Cher

* 18 August: Les Vignerons des Coteaux Romanais, Saint-Romain-sur-Cher

Wednesday 9th August 2006

"Loire goats’ cheeses": cheese, bread and wine

At the mouth of the Vienne and Loire rivers, in Candes-Saint-Martin, one of the “most beautiful villages in France”, the Amarante, a lovely Loire sailing ship, invites you onboard for a themed cruise: Loire valley wines and the region’s goats’ cheeses. Patrick Corbineau, a winegrower from Candes-Saint-Martin, will introduce his Touraine wines from the Seuilly area.

Wed 9th August from 7.30 to 10.30 pm
Info:
The boat AMARANTE
02 47 95 80 85 or 06 33 34 57 16
info@bateauamarante.com
Price: 25 Euros inc. VAT, must book in advance.