A tourist cellar on the banks of the Loire
When they come to Touraine, wine lovers regularly plan to visit the cellars of Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Chinon, Vouvray. Less well known, other wine-producing territories nevertheless reserve beautiful surprises. Such is the case of the Amboise vineyard, whose wines were able to please the palate of King Louis XI: in 1463, he ordered it to be sold on the Tours market before any other wine!
A great wine estate
A handful of centuries later, the vine is still present around Amboise. But it is not obvious: to discover it, you have to climb the hillsides. At the Plou et Fils estate, to the left of the cellar, a small path goes through the trees before leading to the vineyard. Over the generations, the vineyard has grown to 75 hectares. A vast playground on which Mathieu and Guillaume Plou watch over.
Guillaume Plou
The wine trail in the vineyard
This family heritage is accompanied by the experience of those who preceded them: vintage after vintage, the balance between the soils, the grape varieties and the growing methods has been refined. Côt, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Chenin, Sauvignon and Chardonnay produce a beautiful diversity of wines. And we can’t wait to go and taste them, after a pleasant walk through the vineyards, punctuated by several panels revealing the different facets of the winegrower’s profession.
In the heart of the vineyard !
Tasting of the wines of the Plou et Fils winery
In the Loire Valley, about 350 wineries are involved in the “Caves touristiques” program, including about 100 in Touraine. The aim is to offer visitors a quality welcome; in addition to a set of specifications, an independent firm regularly conducts audits on some sixty criteria. This should not scare Mathieu and Guillaume: the Plou & Fils estate was recently awarded the “Welcoming Excellence” label!
A large counter allows to welcome many visitors at the same time. Some of them opt for the fine bubbles (a crémant de Loire from chardonnay, a natural sparkling wine 100% chenin…). A little further on, glasses are tinted with a candy pink color: the sweetness of the Milady semi-dry rosé seems to delight the taste buds.
Tasting of the wines of the domain
For the reds, the Touraine Amboise appellation is awarded to wines made from 100% côt grapes, also known as malbec. You will taste them in the company of Touraine PDO wines, 100% Gamay, 100% Cabernet, or in a blend for the François 1er cuvée. The same principle applies to the whites (dry, semi-dry or sweet): only the 100% chenin wines benefit from the AOP touraine amboise. To make your nostrils quiver with the aromatic notes of sauvignon, you will have to plunge your nose into a glass of the cuvée La croix du pin (AOP touraine). And don’t think that children are forgotten. A sparkling grape juice is specially designed for them!
What next? To visit the cellar, just ask! It takes about 15 minutes to explore this troglodytic space, a trademark of the Loire Valley vineyards. Interaction is easy with the hosts of the place: an enriching visit, and even refreshing during the summer!
Plou and son on Tiktok!
Second cellar master of the domain, Emile Coddens has more than 500 000 subscribers on the social network Tiktok! His educational videos on the winegrower’s job seduce a large audience, and earn him many interviews in the national media. Maybe that’s why the name “Plou et Fils” was telling you something!
Near the Plou et Fils winery
Domaine des Thomeaux (hotel, restaurant, spa)
Sauvage (guinguette), the castle of Pray (1 star in the Michelin Guide).
The royal castle of Amboise, the Clos Lucé, Château Gaillard
The Royal Way cycling loop, between Amboise and Chenonceau.
Canoeing with Loire Aventure