Grape Harvesting and Wine Making Weekend in the Langudoc in Southern France
This is not hard work!! This is a wonderful way to learn more about wine and how it’s made and to experience this first hand in the vineyards of Domaine Gayda.
Domaine Gayda is set in the heart of the Languedoc region of the South of France and is one of the most up and coming wine producers in the region. They combine New World and Old world techniques in order to produce outstanding wines made from many different grape varieties.
This weekend break is aimed at wine enthusiasts and no knowledge about wine or winemaking is needed. We will teach you all you need to know. You will join like-minded people of all ages and spend a few hours picking grapes before taking them to the winery where the wine maker will take you through the steps involved in fermenting grapes and making wine.
The Languedoc is a realm of history and enchantment … a region that stretches from the Pyrenees to the Rhone river, and from the foothills of the Cevennes to the Mediterranean Sea. The weekend will be led by one of The Wine Wise Company’s WSET (The Wine & Spirit Education Trust) qualified wine experts who have a passion for this wonderful wine region.
Day One - Friday
You will fly by Ryanair from either East Midlands or Stansted to Carcassonne airport where you will be met by one of The Wine Wise Company’s representatives. We will drive through the beautiful countryside and vineyard areas to arrive in Minerve for a mid morning stroll around the small streets of this historic village. The village has a wonderful history and is full of little shops and cafes and also an interesting museum. We leave Minerve and take a short drive to La Lavinière, which is a superior wine growing area within the Minervois appellation. Here we will be met by one of the Domaine Gayda team and enjoy a picnic lunch amongst the vines next to a recently discovered roman well. Following lunch, guests will be taken through the vineyards and enjoy some of the fascinating facts and interesting anecdotes the guide will have to tell them and will be able to see the vineyard and vines they will be picking the next day.
Guests now depart for their hotel in Carcassonne where after settling in they will be collected and taken to Domaine Gayda which is approximately 20 minutes away where they will enjoy a guided tour of this state-of-the-art winery, meet the wine making team and learn more about the fascinating process of wine making. Following the tour guests will be led through a tasting of at least 8 wines from Domaine Gayda following which they will have the opportunity to relax on one of the sun-baked terraces before enjoying dinner in Domaine Gayda’s excellent restaurant situated above the winery and overlooking the Pyrenees.
Day Two - Saturday
We will collect you from your hotel after breakfast and take you to the Domaine Gayda vineyards to pick grapes for an hour or so. The vines are situated amongst stunning scenery surrounded by the garrigue and herbs that help to flavour the fruit. Once you have collected the fruit we will take you to the winery at the Domaine. Here you will be shown how to sort the fruit and prepare them for the fermentation.
This full and enjoyable day at Domaine Gayda will provide you with an insight into wine making that very few people experience. The group will spend time designing the wine label for the ‘Harvest Wine’ and for those who wish to order some it will be delivered to you the following year.
Lunch will be at the winery and there will be time to relax on one of the terraces and at the end of the day we return to your hotel for you to enjoy dinner in a local restaurant and stroll around the medieval streets of Carcassonne.
Day Three - Sunday
We collect you from your hotel at 8.00 a.m. and transfer you to Carcassonne airport for your return flight home.
Available Dates
The harvest weekends take place during August, September and October and are available on the set dates below or we can arrange private visits for groups of 8 people or more.
| August | September | October |
|---|---|---|
| 24-25-26 | 7-8-9 | 5-6-7 |
| 21-22-23 | 12-13-14 | |
| 28-29-30 |
Cost per person
The cost for this holiday is £650 per person including flights.
This is a fully inclusive weekend break and includes: Flights arranged with Ryanair from East Midlands or Stansted airports into Carcassonne, hotel accommodation for two nights including breakfast, lunch on both days, dinner with wine at Domaine Gayda on Friday evening, dinner with wine at a local restaurant on Saturday evening, transport to all venues, wine making and tasting tuition and your expert Wine Wise Company escort.
For more information or to book your place, please contact us.