Le Château de Ranton Wine and Restaurants

Wine Ranton lies in the wine-producing region of Saumur en Loudunais. Seven villages have a classification of appellation d'origine controlé, the nearest being Curçay-sur-Dive. White, rosé and red wines are produced. The red, known as Breton, has a taste of raspberries, such as Bourgueuil on the north bank of the Loire. The area is, however, more suited to white wines. The better-known wines in the area are, of course, those of Saumur, Chinon, Bourgeuil and Nicholas de Bourgueuil. There are numerous wine cellars (called caves in French) of all these wines, which are within 30 kilometers of Ranton, can be visited. The villages to the south of Saumur are the centre for the production of sparkling white wines made by the Champenoise method. It is well worth visiting the wine cellars to see the millions of bottles that need turning every few days and to taste the wines. In September each year, the village fête in Ranton provides the occasion to taste the new wine after its first fermentation. At this stage, the wine, known as "Bernache", still contains some natural yeast in suspension. It is slightly cloudy and effervescent, and only mildly alcoholic, but gives a good indication of the quality of the harvest. Cottage Industries The area around Ranton Castle is also famous for its goat cheese. Several herds of goats are kept in Ranton. Excellent cheeses are made in the neighbouring villages and in the village of Ranton itself. The extensive cellars and caves of the area are also now the major source of mushrooms in France. Over 75% of production is in the Touraine. Some of the more important caves can be visited. The numerous rivers in the area provide a wide variety of fish and seafood is readily available. You may want to visit the town of LaRochelle, on the Atlantic Ocean, which is just about an hour and a half drive away. Restaurants There are many fine restaurants, serving everything from local dishes to the highest quality gourmet cooking in the region. It would be best if you had a car to drive to the local restaurants for your lunch or dinner in the area and then return to the château for the afternoon or evening.

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Email the Château: paola.butler@gmail.com Phone from outside of France: +33 1 47.52.19.04 Phone from France: 01.47.52.19.04 WebFrance International Home | Paris In Sites Newsletter | Paris Insider Guides | Castles, Bed & Breakfast, Manors | Hotels & Apartments | Books & Multimedia | Education & Culture | Health & Beauty | Language Learning | Paris | Professional Services - B to B | Travel & Leisure in Paris and France | Awards for WFI Sites | List of All WFI Sites |

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