Wine Tours

Dedicated to providing the extraordinary "life experience" one finds tasting, discovering and adventuring with wine...and everything wine-related like dining at Michelin starred restaurants; experiencing the artisan mastery of world class olive oil, chocolate, cheese and sausage makers and more; the culinary forays into food pairing with cooking classes and demonstrations; and, the unique and comforting accommodations in above-the-ordinary castles, villas, chateaux, wineries and converted monasteries.

Customized and personalized wine country adventures in the world's most prestigious wine regions of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. And, our private driver - wine guide do all the driving as well as provide expert wine commentary and insider information and provide the colorful context for a most meaningful and personal experience.

France Tours
Bordeaux
Paris and Bordeaux for romance, dining, shopping & the arts and world’s greatest blends from Cabernet Sauvignon & Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot. Also, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. 

• Bordeaux is the world's wine capital! What to see...The incredible countryside, historical chateaux, quaint villages, the contemporary art museum and architectural masterpieces dating hundreds of years, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Accommodation - Chateau Franc-Mayne, a 9 room chateau-hotel about 1 km outside of St. Emilion. Upgrade properties available.
• Wineries -  you may visit will be a selection of "Classified" growths and small producers including at least one 1st Growth chateau such as Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Lafite, Margaux, Lynch- Bages, Pichon Comtesse, Cos d'Estournel, Montrose, Palmer, Leoville, Lascases, Leoville Barton, Ducru Beaucaillou, Maucaillou, Gazin, Beauregard, Figeac, Cheval Blanc, Clos Madeleine, d'Yquem and Guiraud.

Burgundy
Chablis for whites and Cote d’Nuits for single reds Pinot Noir (no blending) & Cotes de Beaune for whites: Volnay, Meursault, Montrachet.

• Burgundy is home to some of the greatest names in vineyard nomenclature: Chablis, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Montrachet, Cotes de Beaune and Cotes de Nuits. Your pilgrimage for pinot noir perfection begins and ends here! Imagine visiting Vezelay Basilica from where Crusaders set off on their journeys to Jerusalem and the Hospice de Beaune where prices for each vintage in Burgundy are set at the annual Wine Charity Auction.
• Wineries - Wineries will be a selection of large negociants and small producers such as Bouchard Pere & Fils, Jadot, Frederic Esmonin, Domaine des Marronniers, Brocard, Comte Senard, Gros Frere & Sæur, Jean Gros, La Pousse d'Or, Domaine Prieure, Perrot-Minot, Bernard Morey, Vincent Girardin and Vincent Jouard.
• Accommodation - Accommodation will be either at Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis where you’ll relax with a sauna, fitness room and an excellent Michelin-starred restaurant or at the Hotel le Cep located in Beaune and the top-rated hotel in the Cote d'Or.

Rhone Valley
Lyon & Chateauneuf de Pape for culinary arts: North offers Syrah for reds & Viognier for whites; while South is noted for blends of Grenache, Mourvedre & Cinsault reds and Marsanne & Rousanne for whites.

• Home to the often exquisite Chateauneuf de Pape wine, the Rhone Valley is the center of France's culinary arts and fine dining establishments made famous by the world's greatest chefs such as Bocuse and Triosgros. Lyon is also famous for its silk weaving, the trompe l'oeil found throughout the city, and the 300 authentically restored medieval and Renaissance homes in the Vieux Lyon district.
• Accommodation - Hotel Beau Rivages, a family-owned hotel 30 minutes south of Lyon boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant and superb service. Chateau des Fines Roches is an 8 room charming yet exclusive "faux" chateau in Chateauneuf du Pape's vineyards, built as a replica of a medieval castle. Upgrades are available.
• Wineries - Here are a few possible visits: Chapoutier, Marc Sorrel, Niero, Montez, Jaboulet, Vieux Donjon, Beaucastel, Janassse, Marcoux, Clos Pegau, Charvin, Clos du Papes, Monpertuis, Mordoree, Clos du Caillou, Domaine de la Citadelle and St Cosme .

Champagne
Paris, Reims, Troyes and Epernay for culture, history and "Wines of Celebration" which can only be made with three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir!

• Champagne was home to Dom Perignon, the 17th century monk and monastery cellar master who is credited with being the first to leave the second sugar to alcohol fermentation by- product carbon dioxide in the bottle. That’s where the bubbles come from! Champagne is a geographic region with appellation designation so only wine made in Champagne region can be called champagne!
• Champagne Houses - You may visit a mix of big names and superb small independent producers such as: Ruinart, Veuve Cliquot, Geoffroy, Drappier, Autreau de Champillon,Taittinger, Henriot, Moet & Chandon, Lanson, Demoiselle and Pommery.
• Accommodation - Hotel l’Assiette Champenoise, in Reims, offers “refined luxury and gourmet indulgence”. Or you may want to upgrade to Hotel Les Crayeres, the top-rated hotel in the region, and one of the best in France. Its Michelin-starred restaurant is famous worldwide. There is no better place to stay!​

Italy Tours

Tuscany
Florence, Siena & Chianti for the wonders of the Renaissance, food & artisans and world-class wines of Sangiovese, Sassacaia, & Brunello famed reds and Malvasia & Trebbiano for whites.

• The foundation for most Tuscan wines is the Sangiovese grape and the Malvasia and Trebbiano whites. When blended with other reds such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, the Chiantis take on an elegance, complexity and quality that are superb. The Supertuscans born of Sassacaia are among the most expensive and extraordinary Italian wines. With Brunello di Monbtalcino of southern Tuscany (Chianti Classico DOCG region) you have the fullest, richest and smoothest of the Italian reds.  Immerse yourself in Florence the birthplace and center of Renaissance art, architecture and sculpture. You can experience the Duomo, the incredible Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia where the statue of David is displayed. And, then, sit back and discover the incredible Tuscan food with origins dating to the Medicis.
• Wineries - You may visit Banfi, Petra, Ornellaia, Jacopo Banti, Volpaiole, San Michele, Biondi-Santi, Altesino, Dievole, Val di Suga, San Leonino, Poggio Antico, Frescobaldi, Ricasole, Coltibuono, Torciano, Tua Rita, Fontodi, and Casanova Di Neri.
• Accommodation - Il Chiostro is a restored monastery in the historic village of Suvereto. It’s quite unique. Hotel Casafrassi is a family property between Castellina and Siena, in the heart of Chianti Classico, The hotel's restaurant is excellent.

Piedmont
Milan for design, fashion, shopping and Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper". Barolo & Barbaresco from the Nebbiola grape; Barbera & Dolcetto for "daily" reds and Arneis & Cortese for whites and Moscato & Asti rule for "sparkling" and Lambrusca, your new “frizzy” red.

Portugal: Bairrada, Porto & Douro
You'll love hip city Lisbon with its 'Gothic fado', Porto’s art deco & Port wine but don't underestimate the excellent value reds and whites.

• To help wines travel better to the burgeoning English market, the English fortified the intense and tannic Portuguese reds with brandy resulting in the development of Port which is best known from Duoro which is now also producing fine red table wines. Lisbon is again on the lists of critics and sophisticated travelers as a hip destination. As stimulating as Lisbon is visually in daylight, the music of fado - the tragic and soulful acoustic gypsy-Afro-European genre of cultural storytelling - is the living example of Lisbon's after- hours culture. While Lisbon offers Gothic and traditional fado for cultural interaction, Porto does it with Art Deco and the contemporary relevance of the Museu Serralves, probably the most influential modern art museum in Portugal.

• The Wineries - Include Luís Pato, S. Lourenço, Carvalhinho, S. João, Graciosa, GrimpaCroft, Fonseca, Taylor, Warre, Noval, Sandeman and Graham among others.

• Accommodation - Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas, surrounded by a magnificent 12-hectare garden, is an 18th century palace that is beautifully decorated in traditional Portuguese style - frescos, inlaid work and art de vivre. It offers a spa, golf and a rural flair in the heart of a historic town. Upgrade? Vintage House Hotel is a restored historic building in the heart of It Port country - one of the finest hotels in Portugal.

• Suggested Tours - 5 Star Deluxe Bairrada, Porto & Douro - 7 Nights 8 Days.  Price Per Person $6,095.00 double occupancy but you can upgrade to the Four Seasons Ritz in Lisbon for only $700.00. Can be as low as $3,949.00 per person with 6 like-minded food, wine and cultural arts lovers (e.g. 3 couples) traveling together.
• Suggested Tours - Bairrada, Porto & Douro - 5 Nights 6 Days.  Price Per Person $4,899.00 double occupancy Can be as low as $2,819.00 per person with 6 like-minded food, wine and cultural arts lovers (e.g. 3 couples) traveling together.
  

Germany: Frankfurt, Franconia Wine Country & Heidelberg 

Viticulture in Franken dates back to at least 777AD with a Deed of Gift from Charlemagne. The oldest winery “Wurzburger Stein" is today Germany’s largest vineyard site! In the sheltered valleys of the Main River and its tributaries on the slopes of the Steigerwald, the microclimate is Mediterranean with perfect conditions for grape growing. The terroir equation is complete with soils that are rich in nutrients and the resulting produce an earthy, mineral character. The most widely grown grape is the Muller-Thurgau, followed by Silvaner, the flagship wine of Franconia. The Reislings here (and some are the best in Germany), are like the Sylvaner and offer a perfect combination of fruitiness and mineral content.

One of the highly recognizable features of Franconian wine is the “Bocksbeutel”, the fat- bellied, short-necked, round bottle that since 1726, when the Wurzburg city council declared that the Bocksbeutel “Certified pure genuine wine”, symbolizes the superiority and quality of Franken wines.

For area must–see, must-do activities, we have researched a fantastic range of Franken’s iconic cultural, historical, artistic and religious sights and experiences, many of which are listed below in your Inclusions.

• Wineries - You will visit Stractlicher Hofkeller, Weingut Zur Schwane, Weingut am Stein, Winzerhof Stahl and Winzer Sommerach, voted Germany’s “Up and Coming Winery of the Year” in 2013.
• Accommodation - This is your perfectly located 5* Hotel in Frankfurt. The 19th Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof offers a Michelin-starred restaurant, a Spa with Turkish bath and elegant rooms with traditional and modern décor; the centrally located 4 Star Romantic Zur Schwane in Volkach, one of the prettiest medieval towns in all of Germany, dates back to the 15th Century. Its rooms are individually decorated with antique details; and Villa Marstall This is an elegant 4-star hotel in a stylish 19th-century villa in the heart of Heidelberg, overlooking the Neckar River and a brief walk to Heidelberg castle, the Alte Brücke (old bridge) and one of the longest shopping streets in Europe.

Contact us to create your wine tour at 800-882-9000!