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Last week we had a wonderful Loire wine discovery day with 3 lovely people from Georgia. It was one of those days when everything just clicked into place and we all had a lovely, relaxed day. We shared our lives here in the Loire with them and we learnt about their lives too. We drank wine and shared lunch, visited a vineyard and tasted in a local winery.

Very different to the Loire but we absolutely love it. St Emilion is a truly delightful place to spend the day.

Nigel made this starter last night which was light and tasty and full of flavour. You will need (for 2 people):

My advice would be to do just one chateau a day – that way you can arrive in good time, relax and enjoy your visit in the knowledge you are not going to be herded around like cattle, go and find a nice spot for lunch, take your time over a delicious meal and then potter during the afternoon away from the crush.

Mathieu Vallée has 11 hectares in the Saumur region. 28 tiny parcels dotted around the Saumur Champigny villages keep him on his toes and it’s always difficult to pin him down for a tasting. He makes a small range of wines (3 reds and 2 whites) and we popped in to pick up some stock and catch up on his news.

It was such a beautiful morning that I popped down to the river early this morning to walk Sybil . Le Thoureil is one of the prettiest villages perched on the river Loire half way between Angers and Saumur and just a 15 minute walk from our home.

Out and about in the vineyards yesterday we stopped for lunch in Fontevraud at Le Comptoir des Vins which is just opposite the entrance to the abbey. This little restaurant is partner to La Promenade in Bourgueil and works along the same lines: you choose a bottle of wine from the rack and a supplement of 8€ is added as a ‘corkage’ charge.

Here’s a delightful recipe that is quick and easy to do. I posted a picture of it on Facebook this week and several of you asked for the recipe so here it is. Thanks to Nigel for providing the details as it was he who cooked this lovely dish for guests on Monday.

Yesterday was the annual Fête des Bateaux. The weather was pretty awful but this didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of the boatsmen and women who gathered in the pretty riverside village of Le Thoureil to celebrate life on the river.

Naturally produced sweet wines require lots of hard work in the vineyard. Chenin Blanc is so suited to sweet wine with its naturally high acidity and lovely grapefruity bitterness that comes from sinking its roots deep into the schistous slaty soils of Anjou (its great on limestone too!).

Fancy sleeping on a boat on the river, moored in one of the prettiest riverside villages in the Loire valley?

Many of our clients come down to the Loire for a day trip from Paris. Blessed with perfect sunny days, it’s been a pleasure to get out in the vineyards.