Amboise: Caves Ambacia Wine Tasting & Cellar Tour

Loire Valley’s troglodyte caves reveal wine secrets with every glass

You’ll wander beneath Amboise in centuries-old caves, taste three Loire Valley wines led by a sommelier, and explore 150 years of local winemaking history with stories from those who live it every day. Try your senses in a playful aroma game, sample cheeses if you want, and catch glimpses of the river outside. It’s an experience that lingers long after you leave.

Step-by-step itinerary

Caves Ambacia wine tour and tasting

• Experience 5 senses stimulation
• Discover 150 years wine history
• Taste 3 exceptional wines

The experience

Jean-Pierre greeted us at the entrance to Caves Ambacia with that kind of quiet pride you only see in people who’ve spent their lives around something special. He handed me a little corkscrew as a joke (“for emergencies,” he said), and then we ducked inside the cool, limestone tunnels just as the rain started outside. The air changed instantly. It smelled like old stone and a bit like apples left in a cellar too long. I kept brushing my hand along the rough wall, half expecting some ancient story to rub off.

Our guide (I think her name was Elise?) led us through these echoey corridors lined with bottles, some so dusty you could barely read the labels: apparently, the Duhard collection goes back over 150 years. She let us peek at a bottle from 1874. “Still drinkable,” she claimed, grinning when someone gasped. The best part was this little sensorial thing they did. We closed our eyes and tried to guess different scents swirling up from glasses: honey, wet grass, something floral I couldn’t place. I got maybe one right. Li laughed when I tried to say “chenin blanc” in French, probably butchered it.

The tasting itself felt almost like a class but not stuffy at all. Three wines, each poured by Elise (who really knew her stuff), and she’d nudge us to notice things: how the Vouvray clung to the glass or how the red left your mouth feeling sort of chalky. We shared a cheese platter (optional but honestly don’t skip it) and watched barges drift by on the Loire through this tiny bistrot window. It’s weird how wine can make you feel both light and thoughtful at once. I still think about that view sometimes.

What’s included

Your day includes entry to Caves Ambacia’s historic cellars in Amboise, a guided sensorial experience awakening your five senses, discovery of rare vintages from 150 years of Loire Valley winemaking, plus a relaxed tasting class with three selected wines led by an expert sommelier. Optional cheese or charcuterie platters are available if you want to pair local flavors with your glass before heading out again.

Options for this experience

9 options

Ambacia visit conducted in English12:00 and 16:00Shared tour lasting 1 hour 30 minutes, with a cellar tour, a tasting of six wines, and cheese and charcuterie pairings.

Ambacia visit conducted in French11:00, 15:00 and 17:00Shared tour lasting 1 hour 30 minutes, with a cellar tour, a tasting of six wines, and cheese and charcuterie pairings.

Private tourGuide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45 and 16:30Private tour with a dedicated sommelier, eight wines and pairings, lasting 2 hours.

See 6 more options

Private "Chocolate" visitGuide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45 and 16:30Two-hour private visit with a private tour, a tasting of eight wines, and chocolate pairings.

Private "Gourmet" visitGuide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45, 16:00 and 16:30Two-hour private visit with a private tour, a tasting of eight wines, and pairings with cheese, charcuterie, truffle, foie gras and caviar.

Barrel tastingGuide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45 and 16:30Two-hour private visit with a private tour, barrel tasting, a tasting of eight wines, and cheese and charcuterie pairings.

Private visit "1959"Guide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45, 16:00 and 16:30Two-hour private visit with a private tour and a tasting of eight wines, including a glass of Vouvray 1959, with cheese and charcuterie pairings.

Private visit "Signature"Guide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45 and 16:30"Signature" includes a private tour, barrel tasting, a tasting of eight wines, and pairings with truffle, foie gras, caviar, cheese and meat.

Private visit "1947"Guide in English or French · 11:30, 12:45, 16:00 and 16:30Two-hour private visit with a private tour and a tasting of eight wines, including a glass of Vouvray 1947, with cheese and charcuterie pairings.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 1h 30m, runs every day, 8 start times, from € 32 per person, with a live guide in English and French and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Friday: 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:45, 16:00, 16:30 and 17:00Saturday and Sunday: 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:45, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30 and 17:00

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (5 to 17 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendly

Operated by Caves Ambacia

Traveler reviews

4.66★★★★★★★★★★

275 verified traveler reviews

5 ★218

4 ★35

3 ★12

2 ★5

1 ★5

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

In English, with 5 departure times. In French, with 7 departure times.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 17 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Is this wine tour in Amboise wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible including transportation options.

How many wines do you taste during the Caves Ambacia tour?

You’ll taste three exceptional Loire Valley wines during the guided class.

Is there food included on this wine tasting tour?

A cheese or charcuterie platter is optional. You can add it when booking or onsite.

Does the tour include exploring historic wine cellars?

Yes, you’ll visit 16th-century troglodyte caves and see parts of the Duhard wine collection spanning 150 years.

Can I bring infants or use a stroller on this tour?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller throughout the visit.