Savoie wineries invite visitors to tastings in the vineyards on July 23

Apremont – 23/07/2026: Wine producers in the Coeur de Savoie are focusing this summer on tastings held directly among the vines. The Apéro’Vignes series combines short tours of vineyards and cellars with tastings of regional wines and local products. Its aim is to give residents and visitors a firsthand introduction to the work of the estates, the grape varieties and the landscape-specific features of Savoie winegrowing.

On Thursday, July 23, 2026, events are scheduled at Domaine des Granges Longes in Porte-de-Savoie, Maison Philippe Grisard in Cruet, and Domaine de La Gerbelle in Chignin. Each event begins in the early evening. According to the Coeur de Savoie tourist office, the format is aimed at people who want not only to taste wine but also to understand the journey from vine to bottle.

The summer series has been running since July 2 and is scheduled to continue until August 27, 2026. Several estates in the area between Chambéry and the Combe de Savoie, recognized with the Vignobles et Decouvertes label, are taking part. The events are spread across different locations and wineries so that visitors can discover a range of sites, family-run estates and production methods. Further evenings are announced for July 30 in Freterive, Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny and Myans.

The concept also represents a more experience-oriented form of wine tourism. Rather than offering an anonymous tasting in a sales room, winemakers guide visitors through their plots, explain seasonal work and present their wines in the setting where they originate. A television report about the series was filmed at Domaine Dupraz in Apremont. Its offering also includes a cellar tour as well as regional charcuterie and cheese products; minors are offered local fruit juices.

For the estates, direct contact with the public is an additional sales channel and a way to make the distinctive features of small wine-growing areas more visible. The wine landscapes around Apremont, Chignin, Cruet and Myans shape the image of the region just as much as the Alpine terrain in the background. Organizers note that participation may be free depending on the estate, or may require a reservation and an admission fee.

The gatherings are explicitly not intended as an occasion for excessive alcohol consumption. The French Ministry of Health recommends that adults avoid alcohol whenever possible and, if they drink, consume no more than two standard drinks per day while also planning alcohol-free days. Anyone traveling to the evening events should therefore arrange a safe journey home. This ensures that the tasting remains above all an opportunity to discover regional craftsmanship responsibly.