About us- My name's Quintin, born and raised in Somerset in the UK, and then found myself in Devon following University. Married with 3 children later, I now find myself living in Chinon. I've always cycled and loved my bikes, and for the best part of my adult life, had a passion for wine... this is me and this is why I set up this little entity. We now find ourselves living in what I honestly believe is one of the most beautiful towns in France and due to life, children, other projects, you'll either get to meet me or a good friend of mine out on a tour. The history, the culture, the food, the vineyards and general ambience, with wine producers creating something very special on our doorstep mean that it’s a special pole to spend some of your holiday. Chinon wine is also recognised as being very special across France, yet in the UK and America, it's lesser known and we're keen to spread the word a little about the local wine through these tours!
We spent years and years holidaying in France before moving here, never quite summoning up the courage to head in through the big barn doors of a wine producer, but now we've started we can't stop! This type of visit is so important to many independent producers, and we're now keen to share this experience with you. Since living in France, I've also done a good bit of back braking, knee crushing work in the vineyards as well. Every year I'll find myself in a vineyard helping with harvest, and I've also done my fair share of 'ebourgeonnage' (budding/ nipping of the vines) so I know my way around a vine- I'm also WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) level 2 qualified.
This tour though is not just about wine. It’s about our adopted hometown, Chinon, it’s about the history, the region, the culture, the food, the sunflowers, the sunshine! It’s a little glimpse and taste of what this region can offer, all washed down with a glass of wine- and we'd love to share it with you! In the past this tour started with a solid focus on wine. Following many tours, it’s now about wine as well as Chinon! So, if you want to stop for a coffee, let’s do that. If it’s a Thursday and you want to walk through the market, let’s do that. If you want to sit by the river and watch the world float by, we can do that. We’ll still visit 2 winemakers, but just have a bit longer for the picnic than we could offer at times in the past.
First and foremost our tours by bike are designed to be a fun experience, for you, family and friends to make the most of your time in France and whilst staying in the region. The bike tours are also about introducing you to some of the wine available in this region as well- the passion, the pride, and of course, the grapes! Basically though, life is too short to drink bad wine, so we're just hunting for a good wine, love riding through vineyards, beautiful architecture and meeting people from all around the world! If you want someone to guide you in cravat, we'd suggest you may want to look elsewhere! We want to remove some of the snobbery that can be associated at times with wine tasting and basically, want you to leave Chinon with a smile on your face.
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