With just two full days left at Constant, there are still some boxes unticked and I have to be selective. With so much to do in the Perigord, systematically working through the options won't work now. I must be content with a great effort so far.
It's another morning off but at 2.00 pm we're ready for something different as we head towards Bergerac. Approaching the city, I take the southern bypass and continue west into the wine growing region. The area contains many small chateau wineries and after a little research I'd selected one. We drive along a narrow road and down to Chateau Lestevenie, hardly a massive enterprise, but one of great charm.
The Discover Perigord website says this from the chateau: At Chateau Lestevenie, we create an experience of fine wine , the beauty of nature and the French countryside to share with your friends and family. Learn more about how we cultivate our vines as you stroll through the vineyard before sitting and relaxing in the shade to taste our award-winning wines. For the more adventurous , you can wander through the fields, forest and pastures to appreciate the many species of wild orchids and other flowers.'
We enter the garden, beautifully laid out for a relaxing experience with views across the vineyards. It's such a lovely day too, ideal for ripening the grapes. The wine tasting is just 5 Euro, but of course you get a price list as well. The selection is not huge but there are whites, including a Brut, rose and reds. You won't find supermarket prices here but for a specialty vineyard the wine is still good value.
When we arrive, there are a few other guests but they soon depart and we get the host's undivided attention. From the list you can select 4 or 5 wines to taste and then it's decision time. The list gives the grape variety and blend. While each chateau wine is unique, there are strict controls over the qualification for using the Bergerac wine classification. The grape varieties farmed here are Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadel, Uni Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Our host is quite happy to answer my questions and inevitably I order wine paying more than I intended. Still, what a great result to end up paying for an attraction and still see something in the shopping bag.
Arriving around 3.00 pm we spend over an hour and a half here. That's exactly as was planned and now it's just 45 minutes back to Constant and an early return for a change, Tomorrow is our last full day here and there are just a couple more things I'd like to do.

Source: Visit