The weekend of the 4th/5th October found a group of mixed Jags ranging from 1958 to around 2010, a 1970s Merc and a classic Triumph cruising around the St-Emilion and Monbazillac area, pausing here and there to learn about the wine-making methods and taste a few wines at the Grand Cru Classé St-Emilion Château La Marzelle and at Château Monbazillac itself, where we not only had an excellent tasting of sweet white wines, but were also free to roam around the beautiful château.  

A copious and delicious luncheon was had at the Café de la Paix in the old town of Duras on Saturday and in spite of a drizzly rain, we all enjoyed a guided tour of the ancient Château de Duras afterwards.  Some of us also profited from the proximity of the Maison des Vins and a wonderful chocolaterie, where some more tastings and surreptitious purchases may have taken place!  A comfortable night in Marmande was followed by the Monbazillac visit and then a superb lunch at Le Semillon restaurant, situated just below the Château.  A few of us were lucky enough to extend our weekend with a very jolly evening at the nearby home of one of our members and then it was off home again on Monday morning.

Our next trip in November will be a visit to the Bassins des Lumières in Bordeaux.