L U X U R Y T O U R T O C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
JUNE 1ST – 5TH, 2020
— Hosted by James Lawther, MW —
US $3,995 per person
COME AND DISCOVER
THE ROMANCE OF CHAMPAGNE: Pickup in Paris, flirt with some Champagne over lunch at Lanson, fall in love at Charles Heidsieck and Bollinger, propose over lunch at Taittinger, celebrate at Moët & Chandon, and honeymoon at the 5-star La Briqueterie.
THE FINESSE OF CHABLIS: Enjoy a beautiful lunch at La Chablisienne and explore the region more with a tour and tasting at Domaine Long-Depaquit.
THE TERROIRS OF BURGUNDY: Learn all about Burgundy’s terroir during a Pinot and Chardonnay extravaganza. Sample wines from the finest vineyards of Bouchard Père et Fils, kick-back with a casual lunch at Olivier Leflaive, see inside the amazing Louis Jadot, enjoy a second Burgundian lunch paired with Grands Crus at Domaine Senard, and finish with Côte de Nuits star Domaine des Lambrays. Enjoy a free afternoon in Beaune, and dinners at Le Montrachet and at our 5-star hotel, Hostellerie le Cèdre.
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
YOUR HOST
JAMES LAWTHER MW
Your host is James Lawther MW, a prominent writer for Decanter, who lives in Bordeaux and is an expert on French wines. James is very easygoing and can explain all about the wines and the region. He will take you inside the great estates to taste their wines with the owners, winemakers and hosts. We welcome all wine lovers at all levels of knowledge. Everyone is coming to learn and have fun – our groups are great!
PRICE
US $3,995 (INCLUDING TAX)
This price includes accommodation, local transport, all tastings, all meals, and all applicable taxes and gratuities. Flights and travel arrangements to Paris and return journey from Dijon are not included.
There is a US $525 supplement if you are travelling by yourself. This cost is to cover the cost of single-room occupancy at each of our hotels.
Deposit at booking: $1,000 120 days from start: $2,000 90 days from start: $995 (plus single supplement if applicable)
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
ITINERARY | DAY 1
MONDAY, JUNE 1ST – PARIS TO CHAMPAGNE
9:45 AM - Depart for Champagne
Meet with James Lawther in the reception of the Hotel Regencia at 41 Avenue Marceau, 75016 Paris, and depart for Champagne. It is located just 5 minutes from the Champs-Elysées and 5 minutes from the river.
Meet at: Hotel Regencia 41 avenue Marceau, Paris Tel: + 33 (0)1 47 20 42 65 www.regencia.com
LANSON
With a history dating back to 1760, Lanson ranks among the most important grandes marques in Champagne. The Lanson Black Label is one of the best selling Champagne brands and is always reliable. Their House style is very clean, crisp, focused, and absolutely sublime. The vintage wines are one of the best kept secrets in Champagne, and have long been some of my favourites. Following a tour and tasting, we will have a beautiful lunch hosted by Lanson. This first welcome lunch, replete with a series of different Champagnes, promises to be a rather “jolly affair.” www.lanson.com
CHARLES HEIDSIECK
Charles Heidsieck is a darling of the wine trade. And there’s a revolution going on at this House with some brilliantly crafted wines, and a new image. Champagne Charlie just might hit a home run. I always admired this House because they made some of the best Champagnes I have ever tasted. We will hear first-hand about what is happening at Heidsieck as we sip away. www.charlesheidsieck.com
HOSTELLERIE LA BRIQUETERIE
Around 6:30 pm we check into our hotel just outside Épernay. La Briqueterie is a 5-star member of the luxurious Relais & Châteaux group with spa, gardens, pool, and bar. This beautiful estate will be our home for the first 2 nights. We celebrate the first day of our tour with a multi-course gourmet dinner paired with a range of Champagnes in their excellent restaurant. Life doesn’t get better! www.labriqueterie.fr
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
ITINERARY | DAY 2
TUESDAY, JUNE 2ND – CHAMPAGNE
9:30 am – Depart hotel
BOLLINGER
The favourite Champagne of James Bond, the gals on Absolutely Fabulous, and of course, Her Majesty the Queen. Bollinger is stately yet cool. The wines are fantastic, very rich and full, with a focus on Pinot Noir. The famous vineyard, Clos Vieilles Vignes Françaises, is just across the street. www.champagne- bollinger.com
TAITTINGER
Taittinger has been an important family-owned House since 1945, but the chalk caves of this beautiful property date all the way back to the 4th century. The finesse of Taittinger Champagnes derives from the dominance of Chardonnay in the blends. Their Comtes de Champagne ranks among the very best of the prestige brands and is a personal favorite. Here we will have a fantastic lunch paired with the exquisite champagnes of Taittinger. www.taittinger.fr
REIMS CATHEDRAL
A visit to Champagne would not be complete without visiting this gorgeous Cathedral where most of the Kings of France were crowned. It is a historic monument in the heart of the city of Reims, and not to be missed.
MOËT & CHANDON DINNER
We move on to our dinner hosted by Moët & Chandon. This is always a highlight of the trip. Drinking Dom in such a historic and beautiful setting will be a memory to last a lifetime. This is another extravagant affair starting with a tour of their cellars followed by cocktails and a decadent 4-course dinner. www.moet.com
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
ITINERARY | DAY 3
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD - CHABLIS
9:45 am – Check-out and depart hotel
LA CHABLISIENNE
We set off in search of some of the finest dry white wines in the world, in Chablis. Our visit to the region begins with one of the very top and largest producers, La Chablisienne, a famous co-op. This is one of the benchmark co-ops in France. We will be hosted with a welcome lunch before embarking on our tour. www.chablisienne.com
DOMAINE LONG-DEPAQUIT
A family estate that is owned by top Burgundy négociant Albert Bichot, Domaine Long-Depaquit is much smaller than La Chablisienne – but the wines are just as extraordinary. www.bourgogne-bichot.com/en/long- depaquit-chablis
HOSTELLERIE LE CÈDRE
We check in to one of the best hotels in Burgundy called le Cèdre. It is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of Beaune. After check-in at around 6:30 pm there is a 4-course dinner at their highly-regarded Clos du Cèdre. www.lecedre-beaune.com/en
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
ITINERARY | DAY 4
THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH – CÔTE DE BEAUNE
10:30 am – Depart Hotel
We will have a slightly later start to the day, giving you some time to explore the cobble-stoned streets of Beaune that are teaming with history and culture.
OLIVIER LEFLAIVE
Our visit to Burgundy begins with a morning drive through the Côte de Beaune to the iconic village of Puligny-Montrachet. Here we will visit with Olivier Leflaive, which is one of my favourite producers and has been an icon in Burgundy since 1717. We will head to their bistro for a leisurely 3-courses paired with 6 different wines. www.olivier-leflaive.com
BOUCHARD PÈRE ET FILS
Dating back to 1731, 9 generations of Bouchards have steered this House to be a leading producer in Burgundy. Set in a 14th century fortress, a tour of their cellars will be followed by a tasting of their top Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. www.bouchard-pereetfils.com
We will return to the hotel for a brief rest and some free time to meander through the streets of Beaune.
LE MONTRACHET
Set in the iconic village of Puligny-Montrachet, Le Montrachet is a luxurious restaurant where we will have our final dinner together. The meal will feature a 5-course dinner made from local and seasonal ingredients paired with delicious red and white Burgundy. www.le-montrachet.com
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L U X U R Y T O U R T O
C H A M PA G N E , C H A B L I S , & B U R G U N D Y ———
The Best Houses, Domaines, and Négociants
ITINERARY | DAY 5
FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH – CÔTE DE NUITS
9:45 am – Check-out and depart hotel
LOUIS JADOT
Jadot is one of the very best merchant-producers in Burgundy. Here we learn about the dozens of appellations, the terroirs, the grapes, the winemaking methods, the laws, the trade, and most importantly, what constitutes truly fine wine. www.louisjadot.com/en
DOMAINE COMTE SENARD
The Domaine Comte Senard in Aloxe-Corton is currently in its 5th generation of family ownership that includes exclusive control over the Grand Cru vineyard, Clos des Meix. We visit this revered vineyard, their 14th century cellars, and end with a 3-course lunch paired with 6 Grand Cru wines. These are serious wines. www.domainesenard.com/en
DOMAINE DES LAMBRAYS
The grand finale is a visit in the Côte de Nuits to the prestigious Domaine des Lambrays in Morey-St.- Denis. This is one of the most highly regarded Domaines in Burgundy. The origins date from 1365. Recently the domaine, with its 8.66-hectare Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru vineyard, hit the news when it was acquired by the LVMH group for a reported €280 million. The tour ends on a high note with a tasting of these exceptional wines. www.lambrays.com
6:30 PM – TOUR ENDS
From Domaine des Lambrays, we will bring you to Dijon by 6:30 pm for guests who wish to catch a TGV, which is the fastest way to get to Paris, or elsewhere.
Price: $3,995 US including tax per person based on double occupancy.
There is a $525 US per person single supplement.
Space is limited to 20.
It will be a great trip with lots of fine wine, great food, amazing estates, two luxury hotels, a nice amount of wine education and many, many laughs. Should you have any questions please contact David, your personal travel concierge, at [email protected]
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