Burgundy, Champagne & Côte du Rhône

Let’s meet in Paris! Why not? Paris is a favourite city and we love to visit it at least once a year (please visit the Vinfluence blog to read about my personal recommendations for enjoying this fabulous city). Our Monday morning meeting point will be the funky 25Hours hotel beside the Gard du Nord. Our bus will be ready and waiting to depart at 10:30 am, when the tour officially begins.
 
Champagne will be our first destination. We will check into the La Caserne Chanzy Hôtel & Spa, a unique luxury boutique hotel located straight across from the majestic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Reims. We will enjoy the beautiful rooms and the Michelin recommended La Grande Georgette restaurant with its amazing terrace. 

Our two-night stay will allow for visits and tastings of some of the most iconic Champagnes in the world, from the oldest Champagne House of Ruinart to the newest kid on the block, Brad Pitt’s Fleur de Miraval. While we may not meet Brad, we will get to chat with his winemaker Rudolph Péters, also owner of Pierre Péter’s Champagne, one of Peggy’s favourites. The newly renovated cellars of Taittinger will be a must and we will be stopping into see the folks at Moet & Chandon and take a look at the famous base of Dom Perignon in nearby Épernay. 
 
Our Champagne daze will be followed by a quick stop in Chablis to quench our thirst on its’ racy, mineral laced Chardonnay. And then onwards for 4 nights in Beaune, hosted by the legendary Drouhin Family. Laurent Drouhin, who looks after the Canadian market for the family, has graciously agreed to be our guide for our visit. We will stay at their newly opened boutique hotel, visit their ancient cellars and hear the fascinating stories that this family has to share. Stops at other Burgundy estates will round out our stay. Beaune itself is a beautiful village and we will enjoy a walking tour and a visit at the Hospice de Beaune, the town’s former hospital and one of the most beautiful buildings in the region. Another not-to-be-missed, is a quick visit at Moutarderie Edmond Fallot, the last mustard producer to still be making mustard in the traditional way. Market Day in Beaune is Saturday in the Place Carnot. Shop for heritage linens or antique silverware. Or just people watching, which is always a fun occupation in France.
 
Some of the finest wines in the world come from Burgundy. The region is unparalleled in the production of great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Consequently, tasting and touring carry a higher-than-average price point. This will make for a more expensive trip than is usual for VINfluence as we elected to maintain the quality of the tour rather lower our standards.  As is our practice, you can expect unique and exclusive experiences. 

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And for those who wish to linger on the wine trail, we have an optional, add-on, four-night tour of the Côtes-du-Rhône, separately priced and outlined below.
 
Sunday will be a rest day with the only activity a relaxing dinner in Beaune’s center. Departing Monday from Beaune, we will head to Hermitage where the most famous wines of the Northern Côtes-du-Rhône are made. For the hearty, we will climb the Hermitage Hill and experience the amazing views over these famous vineyards. We will visit with Jaboulet and enjoy a special lunch with their wines. The afternoon finds us back on the road heading to Châteauneuf-du-Pape where we will check into the hilltop hotel La Pergola. 

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This will be our base for the next three days as we explore the vineyards of the southern Côtes-du-Rhône. We will visit the famous estate of Beaucastel and a few others right in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We’ll venture farther afield to check out the town of Tavel and taste France’s most famous rosé. The food of this region is famous and we will enjoy it to the utmost. Our final parting will be in Avignon. We will deposit everyone at the train station to enjoy a few more days in romantic Provence or train onwards.