Chinon Wineries

Although local restaurants and bistros have yet to achieve their true potential, especially given the wealth of local bounty, the Loire Valley vineyards are some of France’s undiscovered gems. Especially around Chinon and Bourgueil (specifically, at Domaine de Noiré), younger vintners can afford to produce and develop their vision of mostly organic wines.

Chinon, in addition to being a center of Chinon wines (where the finicky cabernet franc red wine varietal reaches its truest expression) is also a lovely fortified burg that was a favorite royal seat for the Plantagenet family. Still, locals are more likely to tout the fact that Chinon is the home of France’s quintessential bon vivant, François Rabelais (1483-1553) of Gargantua and Pantagruel fame.