A Visit to Two Great Bordeaux Chateaux Subject: Bordeaux Prestige Tour day 3 Pessac-Leognan and Sauterne. It is a pristine spring day in Bordeaux. There’s not a cloud in the sky. The grape vines are happy as they gather sunshine and nutrients to flower in early June, and so am I! Our ...

9 Reasons Why You Should Take a French Wine Tour I am inundated daily with offers for getaways, and most give me the same feeling: uninspired. I want to go somewhere and take a part of it back with me. I want to learn, expand my horizons, be surprised and feel fulfilled. Wine tours can […]

I am not one for air travel (or any travel) during the holidays.  But I was inspired this year to bite the bullet, and go with the family to the Champagne region for the Christmas holidays. This may be one of the best times to travel to Europe.  The Euro is at a respectable level […]

There is another side to the Champagne region which offers a different experience and deserves equal attention from visitors who are truly passionate about champagne. This is the world of artisanally-produced grower champagne. While the large champagne houses buy the majority of the grapes they ...

Hotels in Avignon France During my short stay in Avignon France for the wine and culinary tourism conference, I managed to see and/or experience six hotels in the region, most in Avignon, with a couple outside of Avignon. Here’s a brief recap of some hotels to help you get a feel for ...

The Popes Palace in Avignon, Private Experiences and Tours In Avignon, at the Popes Palace, we continue our wine and culinary tourism conference, and today is dedicated to meeting as many wine and culinary tour suppliers as physically possible in one day-under one roof. The trade show is ...

Chateauneuf du Pape, Chocolate, and Chateaux We heed the early morning call and start our day at a local chocolate factory.  The business has been around for several years; this is a new venture which combines a learning element to chocolate making. I start with wine and chocolate pairings ...

I’m spending a week with other travel professionals for a wine tourism conference in the Cotes du Rhone around Avignon.  We were a group of 25 or so professionals specializing in wine and culinary tours, many from Europe or the far East.  This gave for a very interesting mix of ...

Subject: Bordeaux Wine Tour Bordeaux Prestige Wine Tour: The Medoc, Pauillac and St. Julien appellations I feel like a princess. Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron is an exquisite property, and my petit group of 8 people has private use of the entire place during this week of wine touring. Each ...