We visited Monbazillac for the first time in 2011 on a very hot August day, it is gorgeous and well worth a visit. Monbazillac has been a wine co-operative since the 1960’s and holds the Appellation d’Origine Controlee for sweet white wine produced in the area on the left bank of the Dordogne River just South from the town of Bergerac.
Paul and I are on the left of the picture
Chateau de Monbazillac was built in the mid-sixteenth century. You can go inside and see for example the museum of wine; evolution of the bottles; gallery of art; the sixteenth century period furniture and the wonderful tapestries that cover many of the rooms.
Just look at those turrets, awesome.
The old winery is now a restaurant and the Monbazillac wine can be tasted and bought at the visitors centre.
Vines dripping with grapes.
The vines cover 4,900 acres and are all worked by hand, no mechanical harvesting is allowed. I particularly love Monbazillac Chateau La Labature 2007, if you like white wine it is excellent. To get the sweetness the grapes are left to shrivel and form a crust with brown pouriture noble, or noble rot, which withers the grapes but adds a distinctive sweetness and fragrance that tastes so good.
Santé
Our French Dream 