wine from the vineyards

[beastmonkey]

I am doing a drive round france in the summer and wondered, do the vineyards sell bottles direct to people who turn up, or is it bought up by merchants when they release it at the start of the year?

[pbeach]

Many vineyards do sell wine directly, either in bottles, or bibis (bag in box), or even in large plastic barrels (bring your own).. Look for signs at the vineyard that offer "degustation" - french for tasting, as these are the ones that are inviting you to come and taste the wine. Try not to drop in between 12.00 and 14.00 as this is lunchtime :-)