Wine Tasting in Lille
Lille is one of the best places to visit and explore the vastness of the wine-making industry in France. Lille is located in the Hauts-de-France region of Northern France and is very close to the Belgium border.
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While you explore this historic city, which still has a strong Flemish influence from the French Flanders era, you will be charmed by the cobblestone streets. Many of the brick homes found inside the city date back to the 17th century.
After exploring this capital, plan to do a little wine tasting at some of the wineries and wine shops located in and near the city. You can even cross the border into Belgium and enjoy a few winery tours there.
Before making a stop for wine tastings in Lille, locate a luggage locker to drop your things for safekeeping. You do not want to drag bulky bags with you through the wineries. Leave them with a luggage service for the day and enjoy the experience hands-free!
Course Tasting Wine – Initiation Oenology Wines en Nord
Wine tasting is an art form and if you are not quite sure what is expected of you at a wine tasting, especially a tasting in France, you can sign up for a class to learn how to properly taste the various wines you will be offered.
It may sound a bit absurd to take part in a class to learn how to properly conduct yourself during a wine tasting, but you will be thankful you took the time to learn when you start visiting the different wineries and wine shops.
Sign up for a wine tasting course when you arrive in Lille so you are all set for your wine tasting tours. A wine tasting workshop is an excellent way to meet new friends, learn about different wines, and discover which types of wines you enjoy most.
Tableau des Millésimes
Sign up for a wine tasting at Tableau des Millésimes, where you will taste a variety of wines ranging from deep burgundy to fruity white. While you are enjoying the tasting you will learn about the different vintages of wine and the aging process.
While tasting the wines you will also learn which foods pair well with each wine. Light snacks will be available during the tasting. There are even wines available for purchase after you have completed the tasting.
Le Domaine
Le Domaine offers various wines from winemakers throughout the region and pairs each one with delicious foods. Tour some of the local vineyards before coming into Le Domaine and sampling the wines offered.
You can sign up for a short tasting or make a weekend of it and delve deeper into the intricate world of winemaking. Learn why it is important for a wine to properly breathe before tasting and listen as the winemakers weave fascinating tales. 
Champagne-Biologique
Visit Champagne-Biologique and discover the world of organic champagne. One of the few winemakers in Lille that offers organic wines, Champagne-Biologique makes its wine using grapes from organic viticulture.
You will be amazed at this environmentally-friendly winery’s approach to winemaking as you taste the fruits of their labor. Cultivating the vines and finding harmony with the climate and soil is just one aspect of organic winemaking.
Spend a few hours tasting the different wines created using organic grapes and discuss the impact of organic versus traditional vinification. It will be an interesting and educational afternoon at Champagne-Biologique.
Chateau de Bel Avenir
When you visit Chateau de Bel Avenir, you will learn the importance of chilling the wine to the correct temperature as well as how long a bottle of wine should breathe before sampling. One of their vintners helps with the wine tasting.
It is best to uncork a bottle of wine 15 minutes prior to tasting so the wine has enough time to oxygenate. Many wine experts prefer to taste wine using a tulip glass so their hand does not come in contact with the underneath of the glass, warming the wine.
When you sign up for a wine tasting at Chateau de Bel Avenir, you will get a tour of the vineyard and the castle, which was built during the 19th century, before sitting down to experience the wines created at their winery.
Vignoble Vedelago
Travel north of Lille to Lalande de Pomerol and Vignoble Vedelago, a former monastery built during the 12th century and converted into a unique and historic winery. With just under ten acres, the vineyard supports three traditional grape varieties.
Vignoble Vedelago has three specific wines they produce:
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Franc
During a wine tasting, you will get to sample each of these wines in different vintages to learn the difference between a young wine and an aged wine. Your tasting expert will teach you which wine pairs best with different cheeses and other foods.
Vins à La Carte
While Vins à La Carte is not a winery, it is a wine shop that offers a wide selection of wines from around the world. You can sign up for a wine tasting that focuses on regional wines or one that showcases international wines.
Plan to spend a few hours learning the difference between the wines of different regions in France or from different countries. Your wine expertise will grow even more as you taste several wines and learn which wines pair best with which dishes.
You can request a small group tasting or join a larger group that is less intimate. After your wine tasting, browse the selection of wines and choose a bottle or two of your favorite vintage to enjoy at home.
Wijndomein Entre-Deux-Monts
Cross the Belgium border and head over to a wine tasting at Wijndomein Entre-Deux-Monts and discover the delightfulness of Belgium wines. Vintner Martin Bacquaert is present at many of the wine tastings to answer questions.
Enjoy a walk through the vineyards and along the nature trails around the property before or after the tasting. You can also sign up for a large group tasting or a more personal small group with just family or friends.
While you are in Lille, take the opportunity to visit different wineries and wine shops and learn the ins and outs of proper wine tasting. There is nothing better than experiencing a tasting at the winery where that wine was created.
Resources:
https://www.degustation-vin-lille.fr/
https://www.vins-en-nord.com/event-location/hotel-royal-hainaut/
https://www.lesdomainesquimontent.com/lille-59000-caviste-epicerie-fine
http://www.champagne-biologique.com/
http://www.chateaubelavenir.fr/contacts.html
https://www.vignobles-vedelago.com/
https://www.entre-deux-monts.be/