Sablet is in the heart of the Cote du Rhone wine region with villages such as Gigondas, Chateauneuf du Pape, Vacqueras & Rasteau just minutes away.
Virtually all the caves in the Cote du Rhone area offer a free tasting service which means if you don’t like the wine then you don’t have to buy it. And, as you would expect, there are many wine related events & attractions in the area.
If you feel uncomfortable tasting the wine and not buying then why don’t you try the Cairanne Co-Operative. This is not a factory tour or a museum but more of a ‘5 senses experience’. Using videos, pictures and things to touch/hear/smell, they show you how the vines are grafted and how the grapes are grown, harvested and made into wine. At the end you are offered 4 red wines and 2 white wines to taste. It’s very relaxed and you won’t feel obliged to buy any of the wines.
Entry €6 for adults, children under 12 are free. Closed Sunday. Cairanne is about 15 minutes from Sablet. See www.cave-cairanne.fr
Wine-Uncovered.com
If you would like to do more than just a tasting then why not try one of the half-day guided visits from 'Wine-Uncovered'. These can be booked in advance or arranged locally.
Wine Uncovered – “Solving the Mysteries of Terroir”: Half-day guided visits (in English) to the vineyards and wineries of two different domaines, explaining the concept of terroir and demonstrating how different terroir, grape varieties, vine-growing and winemaking methods influence the wines tasted
Domaine de Mourchon - Séguret
The Domaine de Mourchon in Séguret, just 10 minutes from La Saugie, offers free tours around the vineyard and wine making facilities on a Wednesday evening between Easter and the end of September. The tours finish up with an informal tasting in the winery. And it's all in English conducted by the owner.
Sablet Wines
For a great selection of Sablet wines visit the Tourist Office/Wine Shop in the village square in Sablet. The Shop is open 7 days a week morning & afternoon - yes, they close for lunch. You can taste many of the wines here too. Of course you can visit the individual wine caves as well where most of the owners will be happy to show you around as well as provide a tasting..!
If you are looking for wine boxes of 5 or 10 litres then visit the Sablet Cave Co-Operative "Le Gravillas'.
See
www.cave-le-gravillas.com
Tasting & Picnic in the Vines
If you are looking for something a little different then how about wine tasting amongst the actual vines. One of the local wine producers will take you to one of his vineyards where he will tell you about the history of wine making in his family, about the different grape varieties grown in the area and about the terroir. He'll describe his wines and give you a full tasting. Finally, whilst you'll relax amongst the vines, a full home made provencal picnic made with local produce will be served. Please let us know if you are interested.
