Around 1.5 hours from Bordeaux in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Domaine de Siorac and Muriel Landat Pradeaux offer visitors a chance to discover the winemaking traditions of AOC Bergerac and sample Périgord grape juice.

When was the Domaine de Siorac first established?

In 1818, when the estate was just a family operation here in the Périgord. My grandfather began direct sales under the “Domaine du Siorac” label in the 1970s. His three sons redeveloped the vineyard in 1981, combining the family’s expertise with the needs of the clay-limestone soil.

Were you always going to take over the family vineyard?

I’m a trained engineer and spent ten years working in manufacturing before becoming a young farmer in 2016. I was keen to see this estate, which has been in the family for six generations, maintain its values and continue to produce Bergerac wine!

Do you protect the environment in your wine growing?

This is our third year of converting to organic wine production and we are committed to achieving Haute Valeur Environnementale (High Environmental Value) certification.

You are the only winemakers in Dordogne to produce Verjus, can you tell us more?

We brought it back into fashion in the 1980s. The term “Verjus” comes from French slang and refers to a green grape made from a forgotten grape variety, the Périgord. It is widely used in the region's cuisine!

Apart from visits and wine tastings, what other activities do you offer?

Each year we organise an evening event at the farm, as well as picnics with winemakers and, as holders of the Tourism and Handicap certification label, we offer accessible cultural activities too. We also provide fun and educational activities for families, from geocaching – a vine and wine themed treasure hunt – to a trip through the vineyard on an all-terrain scooter.