Blog
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Places to stay in and around Amboise
The Chateau de Nazelles is a wonderful 16th century manor set amongst beautiful tranquil gardens, perched on the limestone hillside in the countryside.
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Le Tasting Room gets in shape for the 2019 season
Things are really taking shape here at le tasting room in the Loire valley. Our new home is semi-troglodytic (partially built into the rock face).
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Technical wine and vineyard vocabulary demystified – clos
You’ll often see the word ‘clos’ mentioned on a wine label. A clos is a walled vineyard or a vineyard that used to be enclosed by walls (not always still standing).
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – saucisse de Morteau with flageolet beans
Saucesse de Morteau (a delicious smoked sausage) is a protected product which means it must meet the strict regulations that surround its production.
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Salon des vins de Loire – tasting with Mathieu Cosme
We were delighted to taste with Mathieu Cosme at the Salon. He’s based in our village and his vineyards are just a short stroll from our house in Noizay.
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What’s been going on in the vineyards in February?
Unprecedented temperatures in the Loire valley this past two weeks have had growers pruning in their shorts and dreading an early budburst. The older generation can’t remember a February when the temperatures have been this high for so long.
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Things to do in Amboise – visit the Clos de Lucé
Amboise is a delightful market town perched alongside the river Loire. Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 4 years of his life living at the Clos de Lucé.
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – spicy stir fried chicken with noodles
A super easy recipe for you that is really tasty and perfect for a mid-week supper. Light and low in calories, it’s healthy but there is heaps of flavour.
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Celebrating Nigel’s 50th
I wanted to make Nigel a special cake for his 50th birthday this week but with 10 people to feed this weekend I decided to have one made by Cake Passion.
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Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – spicy fish soup with potatoes and harissa
Inspired by a Rich Stein recipe Nigel cooked this for dinner last night but cut a few corners to make it more simple. It’s spicy and delicious.
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Making progress
3 weeks after moving in, we’re finally beginning to make some progress. The cardboard boxes are unpacked and the salon and tasting room are decorated.
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Salon des Vins de Loire – tasting with Peter and Juliette Hahn
Beautifully crafted artisanal wines made with practically zero intervention in the vineyard or winery. And what’s more, now we are practically neighbours!