Caves Louis de Grenelle

Useful Information

Location:	Saumur
Open:	APR daily 10-12, 13:30-18. MAY to SEP daily 9:30-18:30. OCT to MAR Mon-Fri 10-12, 13:30-18. DEC Mon-Sat 10-12, 13:30-18. Last tour 1 h before closing. Closed 01-JAN, 01-MAY, 01-NOV, 25-DEC. [2010]
Fee:	Free. [2010]
Classification:	Cellar
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=12 °C, H=80%.
Guided tours:	D=80 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Caves Louis de Grenelle, 839 rue Marceau, 49415 Saumur, Tel. +33-241-501763, Fax: +33-241-508365. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1859	Louis de Grenelle winery opened.

Description

The winery Louis de Grenelle offers tours into its Medieval underground cellars. Above ground is a museum dedicated to the art of growing and making wine. The tour also visits the cellars from the 15th century 15 m below ground. The cellars are a fascinating labyrinth of 2.5 km galleries. The tour ends in the underground tasting cellar with a Bacchus throne carved into the stone.

The winery produces Saumur white wines and Crémant de Loire sparkling wines. About four million bottles of sparkling wine are produced per year. The sparkling wine is produced from wine with a second fermentation process in bottles. It is necessary to move them regularly and to remove the yeast at the end of the process. This method, which was developed in the Champagne, is today called methode traditionelle (traditional method) as the wineries of the Champagne sue everyone who uses their name in his product.