An exceptional cognac, an unforgettable visit! The historic House of Remy Martin opens the doors of its oldest cellars and inner sanctums for an introduction to Louis XIII, a cognac with aromas of infinite subtlety.

The historic House at Cognac lies at the heart of the extensive Remy Martin domain. In its oldest cellars the most precious brandies, from Grande Champagne, mature and take final form in the hundred-year-old oak casks. You enter the Reference Room, a place reserved for only the most privileged guests. Here, the precious archives preserve the memory of Louis XIII, a legendary cognac presented in a crystal carafe.

You smell the aromas of flowers, the scent of cigars and dried fruit. Complex and subtle flavours.

Throughout this private visit, a Remy Martin ambassador shows you the cellars. You see each step in the production of different cognacs: the winemaking, the distillation, the maturing and the blending. 

Tasting an exceptional cognac

Then comes the ceremonial moment of the tasting. Time stands still. The first thing you notice is the rich mahogany colour. Then you smell the aromas of flowers, the scent of cigars and dried fruit. Complex and subtle flavours. Each carafe of Louis XIII is, in itself, a work of art: unique, numbered and mouth-blown by 11 master glass makers. An unparalleled opportunity to uncover the secrets of this most precious cognac.

Since the 1980s, in Pauillac, Jean-Michel Cazes has been considered a pioneer of wine tourism. In this interview, his son Jean-Charles, who took over the business in 2006, explains how he is continuing to enrich the visitor experience in this fascinating world of wine and it's culture.

Is hospitality a tradition at Lynch-Bages?

Some 30 years ago, my father created a range of activities and places to stay, hoping that visitors would retain an image of the Medoc as an open and welcoming wine region, with the people working in the vineyards, cellars and kitchens able to share their passion for their careers.

The Cazes family is a pioneer of wine tourism in the Bordeaux region. What sort of experiences are you offering?

In 1989, our family organized the Fête de la Fleur, in Bages. The impulse was given. My father opened Lynch-Bages to guided tours and used the 1850s vat as an exhibition space for contemporary artists. He then revamped the adjacent Cordeillan-Bages into a Relais & Chateaux hotel and gastronomic restaurant. Since 2003, he has transformed the hamlet into a gracious retreat. A bistro, gourmet deli, guided tours, wine-tasting courses, art exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, personal winemaking… managed by Lynch-Bages & Cie, open seven days a week to a diverse range of visitors of all ages.

How has wine tourism developed in the region?

Over the past few years, winemakers have opened their vineyards to the public and created guesthouses and dining facilities. In Bordeaux, the Cité du Vin cultural centre will open in 2016, supported by patrons from the wine industry. In 2009, VINIV was established in Bages to allow wine enthusiasts to participate in the winemaking process and produce their own wines from grapes grown in the best appellations of Bordeaux. Throughout the year, Cordeillan-Bages opens the doors to great wineries and organizes bespoke experiences in the region. All these activities have made the region even more attractive for visitors and earned us the Global Best of Wine Tourism 2016 award for France.

One of the best examples of Burgundy cooking, the Clos de Vougeot Chateau owes its reputation to a dedicated and talented team, led by chef Olivier Walch, who produces spectacular banquets.  

You run a very large and well-respected dining room which is not a restaurant. Can you explain what you do?

The Clos de Vougeot Chateau caters for private receptions, weddings, conferences and, in particular, the sixteen ‘chapters’ of the annual Brotherhood of the Knights of the Wine Tasting Cup! These traditional banquets have on average 600 guests and we open about 900 bottles of wine from the  Burgundy region (in French, Bourgogne), all of them selected by the brotherhood! A team of one hundred people – cooks, pastry chefs, waiters, wine stewards, the cadets of Burgundy (singers of traditional songs) and the hunting horn players – work on a chapter banquet.

What makes a banquet a success?

You need attention to detail, hard work, lots of imagination and a well-trained team, because I do a different menu for each chapter banquet! Only one dish, the fourth, stays the same: eggs in red-wine sauce, and it’s a real challenge to serve 1,200 perfectly cooked poached eggs …

Which other wine recipes do you like?

The ‘Rougetin’, which is a filled biscuit – one of many – with a wine and blackberry jelly; Culoiseau chicken, which I serve with a chardonnay sauce; and Burgundy white butter, which I prepare with white wine, cream, tarragon, and mustard … of course.

What should you absolutely taste before leaving Burgundy? 

Without doubt, poached eggs in red-wine sauce. But also Gaston Gérard chicken! It’s a roasted chicken and we use the juices from the pan to make a wine sauce. Add cream, some comté cheese, mustard, not forgetting the final touch … paprika. Glaze and roast until golden brown … We could continue with a parsleyed ham, or gingerbread. Two pillars of Burgundy’s gastronomy.

At the foot of Sainte-Victoire Mountain, symbol of Provence, the Chateau Gassier vineyard offers a wine trail which provides a fascinating insight into organic vineyards and biodiversity. 

Caressed by the Mediterranean winds, Chateau Gassier’s 40 hectares of vineyards benefit from a unique location, at the foot of Sainte-Victoire Mountain. A powerful symbol of the Provence region, this site was the inspiration for the famous Impressionist painter Cézanne. The vineyard is located in the wine region of Côtes-de-Provence Sainte-Victoire, an area established in the heart of the Grand Site of France Sainte-Victoire, considered to be one of the most natural and well protected sites in the country. Aware of the rich biodiversity of this area, the team at Chateau Gassier are committed to protecting their environment. 

The wine trail gives a 360° view of life on the vineyard

Visitors to the estate can now take a wine tour which not only explains the richness of the Chateau Gassier vineyard, but also raises awareness about the preservation of biodiversity. Open to the public, the 3-km trail has regular signs and information panels. It immerses the walker in a nature where humans are but one of the actors.

A family treasure hunt

In total, 12 information panels provide information on the plants, animals and geology of the Sainte-Victoire vineyard, as well as details on the vegetative cycle of the vines, the role of the vines in organic agriculture, the vines themselves, and how the wines are produced… This offers a 360° view of life on the vineyard. The walk could be the place for a family treasure hunt and other family games or just enjoyed among friends: it is an informative and entertaining experience.

This biodiversity preservation project, which started in 2010, also includes other aspects of organic agriculture including the reduction of water consumption and the certification of high-energy performance, as well as a partnership with the teams of the Grand Site Sainte-Victoire. This partnership, the first of its kind, aims to develop and improve the biodiversity protection programmes in Sainte-Victoire while ensuring a wine production which respects its environment. For the public, there is also the guarantee of a warm welcome!

Between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees, discover the wines of the Roussillon region and the historic and cultural sites among the magnificent vineyards of Cazes. Sun, wine tasting, organic produce: the ideal conditions for an unforgettable trip to the Catalan vineyards.

The Catalan city of Perpignan and the impressive fortress of Salses, emblematic sites of the the eastern Pyrenees, provide the backdrop for a weekend where you will be just as impressed by another story. This is the vineyard of Cazes, at Rivesaltes, which you can explore in the company of the winemaker.  Never short of anecdotes, he will reveal the techniques of biodynamic cultivation, the art of winemaking and the ageing of natural sweet wines, before proposing a tasting of the best wines of the older vintages.

A Catalan and Mediterranean cuisine

At dinner time, La Table d’Aime offers a set menu with a Catalan- and Mediterranean-style cuisine, made from local, organic, in-season produce, and accompanying wines.

Never short of anecdotes, the winemaker will reveal the techniques of biodynamic cultivation, the art of winemaking and the ageing of natural sweet wines.

In recognition of its quality and excellence, the restaurant has been awarded the prestigious title of Maître Restaurateur or Master Restaurant Owner. A bottle of natural sweet wine welcomes you to your room in the Mas Latour Lavail, in the heart of the vineyard. Perfectly restored, this sumptuous sixteenth-century Catalan farmhouse offers five exceptional rooms, decorated in a refined and contemporary style. Beautiful furniture, high-quality bed linen, an outside pool, private access to a spa and a Turkish steam bath in the former wine tanks … relaxation and pleasure await you!

Trips in Catalonia: The Mediterranean, the Pyrenees and the vineyards

The next day, the destination is the Côte Vermeille and the coastal vineyard of Les Clos de Paulilles. Walk through the vineyard (with an optional helicopter ride or boat trip along the coast), visit the winery and taste the Collioure and Banyuls wines, then lunch at the vineyard restaurant, where the menu changes daily depending on the local markets and inspiration of the chef. In the afternoon, you have a choice between lazing around or culture. The beach, or a walk through the picturesque lanes of Collioure?

A winemaker at Ackerman, near Saumur, Frederic Nouet tells us the secrets of his passion for the wines of the Loire Valley, the second largest producer of sparkling wines in France.

How long have you been involved in the wine industry?

I remember a coteaux-du-layon wine made in 1947 by my grandfather, matured in the cellar by my uncle and tasted by our family one day in spring. This was the first revelation of the flavours of wine and their complexity. This wine had matured for a long time and had to be drunk delicately and with appreciation. A visit to the vines often followed these unforgettable tastings of Loire wines.

Why are you so attached to the Loire vineyards?

My training allowed me to discover wine-producing countries and regions, but I was always drawn to the Loire. The colour of the river, the light which reflects the white Tuffeau limestone of the houses, the pure green of the countryside... all this makes for a contrasting landscape, just like the wines of the Loire: sparkling, red, rose, dry whites or liqueurs. I appreciate the discovery of a great wine just as much as the charm of a small village among the vines or an ornate chateau along the Loire, both of which add something special to this region. 

What does your work involve in the Ackerman cellars?

I make wines in collaboration with wine growers. Our winery tour, ‘Voyage to the centre of the bubble’, describes the land which has produced the wines. Each vintage offers a new experience. I invite you to taste our wines at the end of the tour, in particular the sparkling wines, which are made from a second fermentation in the bottle. Enjoy the magic of effervescence in each bottle! 

The oldest producer of sparkling wines in the Loire Valley, Ackerman, has established an artist in residency programme with Fontevraud Abbey. Underground historic sites are transformed by art, such as the work of Julien Salaud. House Ackerman won the gold medal in the 2019 Wine Tourism Awards in the "Art & culture" category. 

‘Bubbles are transient, emotions are eternal’, declared Jean-Baptiste Ackerman, who founded the oldest sparkling winery in the Loire Valley in 1811. In the pleasure and emotion of sparkling wines, Ackerman naturally associates with an art of living which is particular to the Loire Valley. That is why the famous Saumur brand has committed itself, since 2007, to supporting contemporary art. This can be seen, firstly, in L’eXplosition, an installation by the artist Yorga in the vast underground cellars, where an informative and entertaining scenographic display has been built for visitors.

A partnership that has led to the creation of an artwork which has transformed the vast underground cellars that are so characteristic of the Loire Valley, a region classified as a Unesco World Heritage site.

In 2015, Ackerman reached another stage in its artistic programme through a collaboration with the prestigious Fontevraud Abbey to jointly establish an artist in residency programme. This has led to the creation of an artwork which has transformed the vast underground cellars, that are so characteristic of the Loire Valley, a region classified as a Unesco World Heritage site.  

The labyrinthine underground cellars, a natural showcase for the display of monumental artworks

To inaugurate this concept, the selection panel of the artist in residency programme, gave the internationally acclaimed artist, Julien Salaud, the opportunity to create a massive artwork (60 m long, 5 m high!) built with 65,000 nails and 45 km of cotton thread. The Celestial River spreads out like a canopy of stars over the rocky walls of the Ackerman underground cellars. Light and fragile, it which merges with the whiteness of the sheer Tuffeau limestone walls. The effect is delicate, its lines boldly drawn and powerful. Overwhelmed by the immensity of the work, the eye gradually focuses on the patterns which appear. Then suddenly you are immersed in a river where wings, fins, froth and luminous beings mix together, hand in hand with the rock.

Vincent Mauger is the residence's second selected artist. Very active on the French art scene, he has decided to plunge into the history, light and atmosphere of this very unique monumental galleries of Maison Ackerman. When it comes to both art and wine alike, perfection is born from an alchemy between different elements. This is a temporary work of art, that will be on display for a duration of three years, starting on April 2016. He uses everyday material (glass, tiles, bricks, wood, PVC pipes…) to offer differ dimensions, and makes fun of the paradoxes between real life and virtual reality, landscape and architecture, drawings and huge works of art, traditional techniques and high tech, volume and lightness, materialization and dematerialization.He is both physically and mentally in tune with the exhibition areas, as he has established a genuine relationship with them. “I hardly intervene in the actual gallery. I don’t want to attack it full on, as I prefer a more strategic or tactical approach,” he explained. Vincent Mauger adds dimension to these creative places, with visibly assembled installations, boasting proliferating forms, inviting the spectator to continue to use his imagination.

In total, three different artists will exhibit at this historic site between 2015 and 2017, for a period of three years. Each new temporary artwork will be on show in the Ackerman cellars in the month of April each year.

Relive the saga of Jean-Baptiste Ackerman, a pioneer of the sparkling wines of the Loire Valley, at Saumur. Descend into the heart of the monumental white limestone wine cellars, and discover the secrets of the traditional method of producing effervescent wines.

Ackerman, 1811.  Writ large on the hillside, these letters and numbers reveal a saga set among historical sites, but most of all they reveal one individual’s soul. If the street, on the banks of the Thouet, a tributary of the Loire, is home to most of the sparkling wine producers of Saumur, the Ackerman winery is at the origin of the traditional method which allowed for its development in the Loire Valley, during the nineteenth century. The Loire Valley has thus become the second largest producer of sparkling wines in France, after the Champagne region.

A dynamic scenographic display takes the visitor on a unique and fascinating voyage into to the heart of the highest underground cellars in the Saumur region. Enchanting, fun and educational.

Since 2011, the bicentenary year, a dynamic scenographic display takes the visitor on a unique and fascinating voyage into the heart of the highest underground cellars in the Saumur region. Enchanting, fun and educational, this ‘Voyage to the centre of the bubble’ begins in the vast caves dug into the Tuffeau limestone, the characteristic white stone which was extracted to construct the chateaux of the Loire Valley. Dedicated to the blending and maturing of fine sparkling wines, this vast underground cellar enjoys natural light thanks to its huge glass roof. It is here, through the presentation of the vintages and the portraits of the wine growers, that we uncover the secrets of the traditional method of producing these sparkling wines.

The magic of art in a labyrinth of underground cellars

Enjoy an artistic experience among the art installations created specially for the galleries of this vaste underground maze. With this exhibition, the artist Yorga has created a colourful, aerial and original artwork within this monumental, 20 m-high space. Julien Salaud, the first laureate of the Ackerman Fontevraud La Scène residency, produced the artwork Fleuve celeste (Celestial River), a delicate, ephemeral work which spreads out in the underground gallery like a canopy of stars. The third part of the tour invites the wine tourist to take a voyage along the Loire River: projections allow the viewer to contemplate the World Heritage landscapes, taste the lifestyle of the Loire and enjoy its subtle light. Or learn how to play la boule de fort, a typical regional game similar to bowls, before the expert-led wine tasting commences!

Monumental sculptures amidst vine rows, what an idea! The “art and vine” tour offers you an innovative blend of contemporary art and fine wines at Château Smith Haut Lafitte.

You enjoy wine and art intrigues you; or the other way around. The Château Smith Haut Lafitte invites you to unveil the secrets of its sculptures at the heart of the vineyard. Walking through the rows of cabernet and other iconic grapes of the property, you will discover through interesting anecdotes the reasons behind the presence of these masterpieces in the vines.

You can activate a metallic sphere that spreads out like a vine flower transforming into a grape… guaranteed to impress.

If rabbits, which feast on young vine shoots, are no winemaker’s friend; the hare which doesn’t eat the vines and scares away the rabbits, is the protector of the vineyard. With this iconic animal begins the discovery of the sculptures of the Château: the bronze hare by Barry Flanagan protecting its plot of cabernet. Florence and Daniel year after year adorned their vineyard with magnificent sculptures for intimate reasons and through personal encounters. Caduto a Ragione by Mimmo Paladino was a coup de cœur revelation for Florence who saw in the multitude of birds perched on the slender body of this metallic man, the multitude of wine connoisseurs, merchants and other professionals who come to taste the wines of the Château during the frenetic en primeurs future week.

A tour full of surprises from contemporary art to great 'grand cru' wines

Daniel, on his side, a huge fan of U2, met the engineer, artist and creator of the scenography of the group, Chuck Hoberman, at a concert and asked him to symbolize the nouaison berry setting of the vine with an animated sculpture. You can now activate a metallic sphere that spreads out like a vine flower transforming into a grape… guaranteed to impress. Finally you will have to find out by yourselves some of the other secrets, such as the nickeled bronze crinkled paper by Wang Du in front of the Château cooperage, where they make the wine barrels. Will you discover from which magazine the page comes?

A dreamy and amusing promenade among vine rows becomes an initiation to the pleasure of art. And to pursue the reverie: a tasting of Château Smith Haut Lafitte white and red wines and the discovery of paradise - Florence and Daniel’s personal cellar, with bottles from the 19^th century, whose entrance you will have to find…