Everything I wanted a day trip to wine country from Paris to be. I was traveling alone and looking to get out of the city for a bit and this small group became my second home for the day. Brice was extremely welcoming and taught us a lot about how to understand French wine from a small family estate perspective. He was friends with all the winemakers we stopped to visit and you can tell they trust him to bring a few American tourists by every once in a while, which gave us a very special experience.
We first stopped for breakfast and had a little intro lesson in French wine basics and what to expect for the day, then to the goat farm where we tried incredible chèvre frais as well as different aged versions of the Crottin de Chavignol. The two small family estate winemakers we met were both 13th generation+ and very knowledgeable and happy to share about the culture of their villages, as well as their very good wines. Everyone on the tour was fascinated with learning about the impact of the terroir and exposures in Sancerre on the range of flavors you can achieve with just a few grape varieties (Sauvignon blanc, Pinot noir, and a little Chardonnay and Gamay in special plots in alignment with the appellation). Lunch was also incredible at a local inn. Best duck confit of my entire life.
It would have be an impossible trip to replicate without Brice and the relationships he has built along the way. Not your typical tourist experience, in fact I don’t think I saw a single other English speaking tourist all day. I will, and have already, recommend this tour to everyone I know visiting Paris.
Date of experience: April 2024
Wine Enthusiast Tour
