Whilst maybe not as famous as its neighbour in Bordeaux, the Dordogne nonetheless has a number of world class wines and a visit to a local vineyard, including tour & tasting, is worth contemplating. Built in the middle of the XVIth century on top of the hill overlooking the pleasant valley of Bergerac, Château de Monbazillac harmoniously combines feudal military architecture and the elegant early Renaissance style. For wine buffs the vineyards of Saint-Émilion’s are an easy day trip away. Saint-Émilion’s history goes back to prehistoric times and is also a World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century. The town was named after the monk Émilion and it was the monks who followed him that started up the commercial wine production in the area.
Wine and Vineyards
