The countryside around Château du Rayet has many vineyards, and most are happy to welcome visitors for tastings — just turn up or call ahead. The region produces a wide range of wines across 13 AOC designations, from crisp dry whites and rosés to rich reds and the world-famous sweet golden Monbazillac.

The closest vineyard to the château is Le Clos du Breil, a small family estate near Issigeac — practically on your doorstep and a wonderful place to start your exploration of the region's wines. The family are deeply passionate about what they produce, and a visit is as much about hearing their story and understanding their approach as it is about the tasting their fabulous wines. You can also find their wine stocked in Fromage et Plus.

Other nearby producers well worth visiting:

Château de Monbazillac— one of the most iconic estates in the whole region, and a must-visit. Overlooking the Dordogne valley just 10 minutes from Bergerac, the 16th-century château combines its presentation of the past with modern technologies — with videos, light shows, puzzles and animations — making the tour dynamic and fun for all ages. The visit ends with a free tasting of the estate's famous golden sweet wine. Well worth combining with a delicious lunch at the château's restaurant.

Château de la FayolleSaussignac — a beautiful medieval castle with its own organic vineyard. Guests are encouraged to stroll the grounds, see the 16th-century chapel, the 18th-century dovecote and the lake, and the team offers guided vineyard tours, tastings and sharing platters for lunch. A wonderful way to spend half a day.

Château Feely Saussignac — an award-winning certified organic and biodynamic vineyard with its own wine school. Activities range from guided vineyard tours and wine and food pairing lunches to full-day winemaker experiences and multi-day walking tours, available throughout the year. Caro is an expert in the field of organic and biodynamic farming and is a very engaging guide.

Maison Wessman(Vignoble des Verdots), Conne-de-Labarde — this is one of the most exciting estates in the region. The estate offers guided tours, wine tastings, a wine bar and the Bistrot Maison Wessman by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, in the heart of the Périgord Pourpre. A half-day here — vineyard walk, cellar tour, tasting and lunch — is superb. They also offer walks and picnics among the vines. Our guests also benefit from a discount.

Well worth the short drive towards Bergerac is Château Terre Vieille, a charming family estate in the prestigious Pécharmant appellation — one of the most celebrated red wine designations in the entire Bergerac region. Founded in 1989 by Gérôme and Dolores Morand-Monteil, the estate sits on land once owned by the 18th-century philosopher Maine de Biran, and that sense of history and place runs through everything here. The wines are blends of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in clay soils rich in flint — and it is this ancient flint, still unearthed during planting, that gives the wines their distinctive character and complexity.  The tasting room displays a remarkable collection of these prehistoric silex as a reminder of just how deep the roots go. Between May and September the estate offers particularly lovely experiences — from guided wine and food pairings with local Périgord produce, to tapas and pintxos in the park, to picnics among the vines for groups. 

Another estate well worth a visit is Château Les Monderys, run by David and Emmanuelle Fourtout in Conne-de-Labarde. David comes from one of the most celebrated winemaking families in the Bergerac region. This is a boutique estate producing wines of real character and ambition — with recent awards including a gold medal and a Coup de Coeur from the Guide Hachette, as well as a 16/20 in Le Point's special wine edition.  The estate has a bar lounge and tasting room open throughout the week, and with the charismatic Fourtout family at the helm, a visit is always entertaining as well as delicious.

If you'd like someone to do the organising (and the driving), Dordogne Vineyard Tours run bespoke private tours of the Bergerac wine country, taking small groups to several vineyards in a day with a locally sourced picnic lunch among the vines included. They are a locally run company who can tailor the day entirely to your tastes, whether you're drawn to organic producers, specific appellations or hidden gems. Vince is an extraordinarily knowledgeable guide who uses wine as a lens through which to explore the history, geography and culture of the region — making for a genuinely fascinating day out, not just a tasting. Vince can also come directly to the château for a private tasting at home, which is a lovely option if you'd rather not venture out. Vince can also come to Château du Rayet and host a tasting experience which includes a welcome glass of fizz, an overview of Bergerac wine country and its rich history, and a guided tasting of around 8 wines from across the different appellations — covering a wide range of styles, colours and winemaking techniques, including organic and natural wines. It is informative, relaxed and pitched to suit everyone from enthusiastic beginners to seasoned connoisseurs. Platters of local cheeses and charcuterie are included too.

If you'd like to orientate yourself before heading out to the vineyards, the Maison des Vins & Cloître des Récollets in the heart of Bergerac's old town is a wonderful place to start. Housed in a beautiful 17th-century monastic cloister right on the river, it serves as the region's wine centre and is staffed by knowledgeable professionals who can help you plan your vineyard visits, understand the different appellations and point you towards exactly what you're looking for. There is also a wine library where you can taste and buy from the full range of the wine route, a fascinating exhibition tracing the history of winemaking in the region, and — from mid-June to mid-September — a winemaker in residence each day who will talk you through their wines and passion first-hand. Well worth an hour of your time before you venture out into the vines.