I had visited Chateau Feely a few years ago as a study abroad student, and to this day, it is still…read moreone of my favorite memories from France! A friend and I were visiting Bordeaux for a weekend trip looking for wine tasting tours and were so happy to find this one off the web. We had signed up for The Essential Wine Tour adventure and Caroline was quick to respond to emails. Unfortunately, on the day of, the French train workers went on a strike, so we missed our original one-hour train from Bordeaux to Gardonne. A quick call to Caroline and no problem! She was able to adjust the tour when we came later and even helped come to meet us at the train station given the train fiasco. The wine tasting experience felt like I was in a National Geographic documentary examining vineyards! She pointed out everything from history of the nearby communities and walked us up and down the vineyard with an ambiance of a true expert and lover of wines as we felt more like friends than tourists. Her wine class and lunch were delicious and we even had an opportunity to meet her children; again, it felt like we were family and friends and it was a pleasure to be in her home. It was here that I feel in love with dessert wine! Originally, we had looked at the big Bordeaux-based companies that have tour buses, but glad to avoid the typical tourist route. The personal experience at Chateau Feely was the way to go. Highly recommended!

If staying at a winery in France is not on your bucket list, it should be! Chateau Feely is an…read moreorganic, biodynamic winery located in Southwest France. Honestly, I will never forget the absolutely wonderful three days/nights we spent here. Our host, Caro Feely, greeted us outside as soon as we drove up. We immediately were made to feel as if we had arrived at the home of a friend instead of the guest house where we stayed for the next three days. She also led our tour of the vineyard and winetasting lunch that next day. She is knowledgeable and passionate about their wines and organic/biodynamic wine making. It truly was an educational and fun experience. We opted for the half day wine tour with 'Revelation' Lunch for 50 Euro per person. Our small group of 6 began at 10:00 learning about the grapes, growing, the land/area, wine making all while strolling through the property. Towards noon, we were back to the lovely tasting room for our lunch. Caro opened a few wines, explained each one and then left us with tasting notes to explore and taste as she prepared our lunch. Lunch was a great mixture of pate, duck prosciutto, smoked trout, salads and different cheeses plus delicious, hearty breads and even chocolate to pair with all of the wines. She explained which wines paired best with the different foods, but also encouraged us to experiment with our tastings to see what appealed most to our individual palates. This was a great ending to our tour. The wines were delicious. It isn't often I like each one, but I did here. My favorites were the Sincerite, a dry sauvignon blanc and Grace, their barrel aged red wine. Sincerite is 100% sauvignon blanc, crisp and citrusy. Grace is 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot aged for 24 months in oak. The result is a rich red blend with dark fruits and depth. Delicious! Last, but not least, the accommodations. What a treat it was to stay on premises. Our wine cottage was comfortable with the most amazing views of beautiful scenery. Stress just melted away as we stared at the landscape sipping delicious wines we had purchased at Chateau Feely. There was a small kitchen and even a grill out on the patio if we wanted to stay in and cook for ourselves. There were a number of restaurants that Caro kindly recommended, one even within walking distance and more than one that were awarded a Michelin star. Needless to say we did not go without. I would absolutely visit this lovely winery again. What an unforgettable experience this was! Many thanks to Caro Feely for her wonderful and welcoming hospitality!