Vignes Vins et Randos 2013

We discovered that this year was the tenth anniversary of Vignes Vins et Randos. There was a new poster, which is brilliant. The minor detail of the anniversary, we picked up later. Ten years is a real achievement. We first found out about the event in 2011 when the walk was around Cravant, with interesting variations and tastings for the second year. Each village hosts the walk for two consecutive years. This time it was Chinon's turn. We went with near neighbours who know Chinon 'like the back of their hand'. But even so, the walk we took introduced them to trails they've never seen before. That's why although the idea is really to attract outside visitors to your town/village there's always something new for locals to discover as well. Although when it comes to wine, our neighbours who have both been involved with the industry, know every wine producer as well as which parcelles of vines belong to which one. So as we walked along, they pointed out Allier grapes and Baudry-Dutour, Philippe Pion amongst others. For us this was fascinating. We know that producers have grapes all over the place but exactly where is something else. Yesterday we got to understand a little more.

The logistics behind the walks is quite something. Every individual for their 4€ (in advance/  5€ on the day) receives a  little back pack with a wine glass and neck sling, map, apple, pencils and a card to make wine notes. There's a guide with each individual group of walkers. Chinon had five groups on Sunday morning when we went. So five guides and also five wine producers, who stopped along the trail to explain more about the vines. Which by the way are now only two weeks behind. The spell of good weather has helped the grapes to catch up. Yeh!!!  

Back to the logistics. . . lots of free parking was available and very near to, if not next door to the starting and finishing point. Yesterday we tasted seven wines with 'eats'. On returning to base, we were each given a magnificent cep or vine to take away. You also had the choice to stay for a set lunch which we did, as tents, tables and cooking team were set up there. It's all very well organised. 

At Couly

Our group who started walking at 8.30am had about thirty five people in it. The wine producer was M. Herault from Panzoult and his wife was there as well. Really sweet people. We set off down a track and then through vines to arrive at the Couly chai. A big red circular building, that you can see for miles, which we know well and visit fairly often. It also hosts terrific exhibitions. If you're driving to or from Chinon you can't miss it. We see it every time we go to Leclerc as the chai is directly opposite. Yesterday however, on foot, we approached it from an entirely different direction and to begin with I wasn't sure where we were. Must admit it was a bit strange tasting wine early in the morning. So a sip was really enough of very nice white and rosé.   I'm not really a breakfast wine girl. Delicious though, as always with Couly. Then we headed off through the vines again stopping for a second tasting, somewhere North East of Chinon.

Les Belle de Mai

This time were amongst the vines, near a hamlet called Grand Bouqueteau. Members of the large wine producing family - Sourdais (there are at least four separate wine producers in Chinon from this one family) were there ready and waiting with a range of red wines, along with some light entertainment by Les Belles de Mai. They were great fun, sang a lovely selection of French chansons, which of course everyone knew, so joined in. We were able to hum along pretty quickly and were reminded that this type of music and song is deeply embedded in French culture. French chanson features in programming pretty regularly.

We then headed more to the South East of Chinon. There seemed something familiar about the surroundings. Then realisation -  the far side of the valley that we were all looking at and the little road running along, was in fact the back road that Mike and I always take if we're heading over in the Fontevraud direction. We were en route to Domaine Delalay at this point, which took us past what we think is an abandoned property. At least that's what we were told. At Domaine Delalay we tasted their wines and those of Noiré - Jean-Max is the President of the wine producers association in Chinon. Delalay we have visited once before - don't know much about the family. But it's one of those situations where the father who has literally built the estate, including carving the cave out of the tuffaut by hand, still wants to be the patron. It's what keeps him going. Whereas the moment arrived a few years ago, when his son needed to take over to move it on. This is how it was explained to us. In other domaines, the transfer has happened involving either a son or a daughter, with the knowledge of the father still sought after and appreciated. So a delicate subject.                                      
The final tasting destination was at the site of the Chinon Astronomy group. Higher up and slightly westward now towards Chinon, they have a fully equipment observatory in place. It's very compact, but looked the biz. A busy weekend for them. The previous afternoon they'd been at the Forum des Associations as well as at the same time, greeting afternoon randonneurs, and they were open again for all us Sunday morning walkers. Various telescopes were out on display. It was a good visit with some good wines from Marie-Pierre Raffault but for us, particularly Thierry Landry. His wines we know well. Delicious.

Final leg

After that we headed back to base and arrived bang on time. Midday. All the groups had a staggered set-off, about a ten minute break between each. So although the pace is nice and relaxed you have to keep moving along to avoid a bottle neck. Two groups coinciding at any one of the stop-offs wouldn't have worked. There was also for the first time a rider and horse trail - didn't meet any en route, but the walk back to base took us by their 'parking' area. There were about a dozen horse boxes. A ride through the vines was a lovely idea. Actually saw a lone rider late Saturday afternoon on our way home from Chinon. We were driving back on the lower road which we sometimes take as it's a really nice drive and he crossed over and just gently disappeared off into the vines. Looked an idyllic way to travel.

So as always a really good time. May be next year we can encourage a few more neighbours to go along. It's a thoroughly enjoyable thing to do. An 8k walk. Not too arduous even for anyone who is less than fit. We'll certainly be going. It will be interesting to see where the 2014 walk takes us.