A sweet (white wine) visit to Monbazillac

I am determined that ma belle-mère visit at least one castle while she's here, and with just a few days before she returns to California, time is running out. We are still tuckered out from our trip to Madrid, so we opt to stay close to home, and the beautiful breezy afternoon brings Monbazillac to mind.

Le Château de Monbazillac

Each time I drive to Bergerac, I am delighted by the sight of le Château de Monbazillac, perched on a hill overlooking rolling hills full of vineyards. It's been more than three years since I first toured the château, although I've been back several times for art exhibitions on the grounds. 

View from the grounds of Château de Monbazillac

The Château de Monbazillac was built in the mid-16th century by the D'Aydie family, and the castle remains the same today, according to the visitors' guide. The château was a protestant stronghold and came through the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution pretty much unscathed.

For 400 years, the château was handed down from mother to child (or nephew) and has been sold six times, the guide tells me. Since 1960, the château and its 30 hectares of vines have been the property of Monbazillac Cooperative Winery, the entity that is now responsible for its upkeep.

A visit to Monbazillac is wine-centric. The château houses a wine museum and bottle room, and admission to the château includes a tasting of Monbazillac's sweet whites.

Our first stop is the Crafts Room, where the ancient craftsmen of Bergerac are represented: clog-maker, cooper, cartwright and cobbler.

A display in the Crafts Room at Château de Monbazillac shows
clog-making. Wooden shoes in this region usually were made of poplar.

A display in the Crafts Room at Château de Monbazillac

The château's ground floor also includes the Protestant Room, Grand (and Small) salons and the base of two towers.

The chandelier in the Protestant Room at Château de Monbazillac
is decorated with a dove — a protestant symbol.

Copper bottles are displayed at Château de Monbazillac.

Sun shines on 18th-century floor tiles in the first-floor hallway at
Château de Monbazillac.

Upstairs are rooms dedicated to a famous actor and a renowned cartoonist as well as a reconstitution of a lady's apartment and an art exhibition space.

Jean-Sully Mounet, known as Mounet-Sully, was an actor of the Comédie Française and close friend of actress Sarah Bernhardt. The furnishings and memorabilia in the Mounet-Sully Room and Tower were relocated from Château Garrigue, which once belonged to the tragedian.

A portrait of actor Mounet-Sully above a fireplace at
Château de Monbazillac

Across the hall, the Sem Room features dozens of original prints and drawings by Périgord cartoonist Georges Gousat, known as Sem, famous for his illustrations of Parisian society in the 1900s.

Caricature by the artist Sem at Château de Monbazillac

Now we head down to the cellars where we visit the Bottle Room, kitchens and wine museum at Château de Monbazillac.

This bread oven in the cellar kitchens at Château de Monbazillac is original.

The Wine Museum at Château de Monbazillac features displays and wall panels
that explain Bergerac and Monbazillac vine-growing and wine-making.
English translations are offered.

Château de Monbazillac is open every day from April 1 through Nov. 1; every day except Monday in November, December, February and March; closed January. October hours are 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m. For more information, visit chateau-monbazillac.com.