Gratien & Meyer is France's premier sparkling wine specialist! Located on the high hills above the…read moretown of Saumur, the Chateau is a friendly place to spend an afternoon. All staff are knowledgable about their sparkling wines, and the vast majority are thoroughly fruent in English. The chateau produce a wide selection of wines - sparkling and still (tranquille!), from the oaky Flamme D'or (Golden Flame) to the sweet fizzyness of Cardinale - a highly recommended sparkling red wine, especially enjoyed in a glass with strawberries on a hot summer day. The Chateau Gratien & Meyer invite people for wine tasting all year round, any time of the day (they do not close for lunch). The wine caves are currently being renovated, but when they re-open in June they will be available to tour. The chateau hosts a famous Jazz festival every June which is worth checking out - jazz and wine on the hill looking down at the river and town of Saumur is a perfect way to spend a summer Saturday! All in all, I highly recommend Gratien & Meyer, especially to those visitors to the region who are not fluent French speakers, or those who know very little about wine. The chateau is friendly and accessable, in gorgeous surroundings and the prices are very reasonable (6 euros for an award winning bottle of Cardinale or Saumur Dry, prices from 3 euros to 15 euros). Do note: the chateau is on a steep hill - there is parking both at the top and the bottom, but if you have difficulty walking make sure you park at the top, it's quite a climb!