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Icicle Ridge Winery

Burgundy and the - May 2016

Burgundy For centuries Burgundy’s powerful dukes extended their influence over a vast area, and their state was the best-organized and richest in . Burgundy finally fell to the French kings, but remained one of ’s most prosperous regions. In the Middle Ages the monks in the region studied the vineyards that they worked. Recognizing the importance of place, they parceled out the land based on the quality of wine it produced, a legacy that remains today. It’s peaceful way of life, celebrated wine, delicious food and numerous outdoor activities all combine to make this region the ideal place to discover and appreciate la vie Française. The Wine is, of course, the region’s most obvious attraction and devotees head straight for the great vineyards whose produce has played the key role in the local economy since Louis XIV’s doctor prescribed wine as a palliative for the royal dyspepsia.

Vaucluse Is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de- Vaucluse. Mountains occupy a significant proportion of the eastern half of the department, with (1,912 m), also known as "the Giant of ", dominating the landscape. Fruit and vegetables are cultivated in great quantities in the lower-lying parts of the department, on one of the most fertile plains in . Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a French wine Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) located around the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône wine

Into The Vineyard – www.IntoTheVineyard.com Email: [email protected] Tel: 1 604 629 1173 | Fax: 1 604 899 9401 Suite 520 - 1250 Homer St. Vancouver, Canada, V6B 1C6 2

region in southeastern France. It is one of the most renowned appellations of the southern part of the Rhône Valley. Châteauneuf-du-Pape roughly translates to "The 's new castle" and the history of this appellation is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1308, , former Archbishop of , relocated the papacy to the town of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent "Avignon " were said to be great lovers of Burgundy wines and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy until the See was moved to its current home at the Vatican.

This connection between these great wine growing regions and their remarkable history will be one of the themes that we will highlight over the course of this trip as well as amazing wines, great hotels and good company as in all Into the Vineyard trips.

The trip begins with your independent arrival in France

Sunday, May 15th 2016 – Cote des Nuit Meet your guide at Grand Hotel La Cloche in Dijon and departure your day of visits in the Cote de Nuits.

Guided tour and visit to Clos De Vougeout. Ever since the twelfth century, the monks of Cîteaux have cultivated the vines, selected the young vines, and constantly improved the pruning and growing methods. In order to do so, buildings were constructed on the domain. Built to house more than 2000 casks, the cellar dates from the middle of the twelfth century. Situated on ground level, but well protected from air and light, the cellar and the vat house are both models of architecture and form a with four enormous oak wine presses. We will continue our day with a lunch wine tasting in Corton Domaine Senard or Domaine Trapet in Gevrey, both are boutique producers of fine wine and are always happy to receive us. After lunch we will visit 1 or 2 wineries as well as make a stop and see the wold famous Romanee Conti vineyard.

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These are some of the other wineries we will consider for this day in the area all of them producers of premiere and grand cru wines. Domaine Rion, Dufouleur, Chapuis, Domaine d'Ardhuy, Domaine Bertagna we will include 1 domaine near Nuits St Georges and 1 in Aloxe Corton. These towns are the best examples of not only the finest wines in the region but also of traditional Burgundian town planning and architecture. They are a marvel unto themselves. At 6pm you will be delivered to the door of your hotel in time to freshen up for dinner. Dinner included

You hotel for the next 2 nights is: Hotel Le Cep The Le Cep Hotel provides a warm welcome, with services worthy of its exceptional heritage. A private home in the sixteenth century, an antiques collector richly furnished the hotel in 1966, for guests who appreciated fine things. He wanted to preserve the hotel’s heritage, but at the same time make his guests comfortable. The historical building was therefore transformed, enlarged and adapted. Ideally located in of the medieval town of Beaune, Wine Capital of Burgundy, just a couple of steps from the famous Hotel Dieu des Hospices and Notre-Dame Basilica, Le Cep is a veritable institution, affiliated to the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World. One of the most unique features of the hotel is its panoramic view, which can be seen by taking a glass elevator or a small staircase in the tower. Although modern comforts have not been neglected, the newest parts of the hotel have been designed to match the antique furniture, woodwork and coffered ceilings of the hotel’s original style.

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th Monday, May 16 2016 – Côte de Beaune This morning you will be picked up at 9am for a day in the Côte de Beaune 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Burgundian Chardonnay the soils in this part of Burgundy vary greatly and our mission is to show to you the difference between the grand pinot noir of the Cote de Nuits and how it contrasts the smooth and seductive reds from Pommard and Volnay and of course the finest whites will be presented from the appellations near the famous village of Meursault.

Le Côtes du Beaune

We begin with a visit in a very small organic winery near the remarkable 13th century castle. We will continue onto Chateau de Chassagne for a visit and pass through the Grand Cru Montrachet plots where your guide will enlighten you on some of the finer points of Viticulture and the importance of soil (terroir) the next stop would be a Winery tour at Oliver Leflaive and lunch in Puligny Montrachet.

The village of Pommard La Rochepot castle

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These are the wineries we willconsider for our day in the Cote de Beaune Domaine Lahaye, Domaine Lejeune, Domaine Ropiteau, Domaine Picard chateau de Chassagne, Chateau de Pommard.

Return to your hotel at the end of the day. Dinner at your leisure.

Tuesday, May 17th 2016 – Burgundy to Avignon After breakfast, you’ll have some time to relax a little and enjoy the wonderful town of Beaune – the true wine capital of Burgundy. We will embark on a short historic walk of the town centre, including the walls, the Collegial Church (with its collection of 15th century tapestries) and the medieval Ducal . L'Hôtel-Dieu – this astounding building, a 15th century charity hospital – is the site to see in Beaune and a very important part of the history of this region and especially the wine. Your visit will begin to impart a new understanding of one of the most interesting stories in the world of wine.

L’Eglise de Notre Dame Dijon L'Hôtel-Dieu

Late morning you will begin our journey to Avignon

Upon arrival in Avignon we will enjoy a concise walking visit of downtown Avignon. Avignon was already important by the 12th century, but with the arrival of the Popes in the 14th century, the city

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became a second . Going through any of the seven doors of the superbly preserved Medieval ramparts, you will discover the city of the Popes. The Palace of the Popes, a UNESCO Heritage site, as is the Avignon Pont St Benezet Bridge (Pont D’Avignon), is the largest Gothic palace in Europe. Nearby is also the Petit Palais Museum which houses an outstanding collection of Italian and Provencal paintings from the late 13th to the early 16th centuries.

Dinner will be in a local restaurant in Avignon

You hotel for the next 3 nights is: Hotel de l’Horloge A 19th century house built from dressed stone and opening directly onto the Place de l’Horloge, the hotel is ideally located in the heart of Avignon’s historic and tourist district, close to the Popes’ Palace, the International Conference Centre and the city centre’s shaded cafés and small shops.

Wednesday, May 18th 2016 – Châteauneuf-du-Pape This morning meet your guide at the hotel and depart your day of visits in Châteauneuf du Pape.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the vine has existed on the banks of the Rhone River for over 2000 years and the great variety of soils, grapes and microclimates has made this one of the greatest and most interesting wine areas of France, as well as one of the oldest. The wines of the Cotes de Rhone are classified in three groups. At the top level are the 13 “crus”, the Grandes Appellations Locales. In the northern Rhone, the region closest to , these are the Cote Rotie, Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St. Joseph, Cornas and St. Perey.

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These are a some of the wineries we will consider for this trip Domaine Colombo in Cornas, Chateau Fine Rocks, Domaine de Nalys, Clos St Michel, Domaine de Beaurenard, Chateau de la Nerthe. We will include 2 domaines and a 3rd if time allows it.

Lunch time in an excellent local restaurant such as "Le Verger des Papes", At 05:30PM return to your hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.

Thursday, May 19th 2016 – Southern Cote de Rhone Your day of touring takes you through the famous wine villages of the Southern Cote de Rhone. The “crus” villages of the southern Rhone are , , , , and Séguret.

In this part of the Rhone region, further south and a little hotter than the Cote Rotie, the vines lie baking in the sun on big, broad terraces or in small valleys with a rich mix of grape varieties. We will meander through the villages of Gigondas and Vaqueyras.

After refreshing ourselves with lunch in an excellent local restaurant, we will spend some time tasting in prestigious wineries from the region.

Our last stop is in Beaumes de Venise. In Beaumes, nestled again at the base of the Dentelles, as well as stopping for a tasting of its sweet wine appellation, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise with the

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owner of the winery, we will stop at an olive mill to learn about the production of the excellent oils from the region, and of course to taste some of their products.

Tonight’s dinner will be a special celebration of new found knowledge, great food, wine and most importantly friends.

Friday, May 20th 2016 – Departure We will be happy to assist you with a transfer to the train station or to your next destination.

Bon Voyage!

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Terms and Conditions

Inclusions:  2 nights accommodation with breakfast in Beaune.  3 nights accommodation with breakfast in Avignon.  Full day guided touring in the Côte de Nuit. Including visits and tastings  Full day guided touring in the Côte de Beaune. Including visits and tastings  Transportation by rail to Avignon  Walking visit of Avignon  Full day guided touring in Châteauneuf du Pape  Full day guided touring in the Southern Rhone  Included meals according to the itinerary  The service of an English speaking guide.  Private transportation during your transfers and visits

Exclusions:  International and domestic airfare  All meals and beverages if not mentioned in the itinerary  Gratuity (at your discretion)  Travel Protection  Items of a Personal Nature

Into The Vineyard – www.IntoTheVineyard.com Email: [email protected] Tel: 1 604 629 1173 | Fax: 1 604 899 9401 Suite 520 - 1250 Homer St. Vancouver, Canada, V6B 1C6 10

Rates

$4995.00 USD per person on double occupancy $900.00 USD Single supplement We are happy to accept payment by cheque or wire transfer. There is a 3% surcharge for credit card payments.

A deposit of 30% is required at time of booking. A second payment of 30% is required 180 days prior to travel. Balance due 90 days prior to travel. All payments are non-refundable.

This price is valid until Dec 31, 2015

Unless otherwise specified, no insurance is included in the prices we offer. Into the Vineyard suggests that you purchase travel insurance, against the following risks. Personal Injury, trip Cancellation, trip interruption, repatriation and loss of luggage.

No rooms or excursions have been held at the moment. Availability and price are guaranteed at time of booking.

Into The Vineyard – www.IntoTheVineyard.com Email: [email protected] Tel: 1 604 629 1173 | Fax: 1 604 899 9401 Suite 520 - 1250 Homer St. Vancouver, Canada, V6B 1C6 11

Trip Protection

*****If you purchased your certificate of insurance within 48hours of booking your trip and you cancel for any reason or decide not to travel 14 days or more prior to the trip Manulife will pay up to 50% of the prepaid portion of your trip.

Medical – Trip cancellation – Trip interruption

Departure Date: 13May2016 Return Date: 20May2016 (8 travel days)

All inclusive based on 2 insured $444.00 per person

Benefit Summary Trip Cancellation Sum Insured $4995.00 per person Trip Interruption Unlimited Emergency Medical Up to $50,000 plus up to $300,000 for ambulance transportation. Baggage Loss or Damage Up to $1,500 Baggage Delay Up to $500 Missed Connection Up to $2,000 for same class transportation to catch up with the trip if your client's flight schedule changes, causing a misconnection, and up to $350 per day for up to 2 days for hotel and meal expenses

Delayed Return Up to $350 per day (to maximum of $3,500) for hotel and meal expenses if a covered risk prevents a scheduled return

Flight Accident Up to $100,000 Travel Accident Up to $50,000

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In case of cancellation of a booking, the customer must inform Into the Vineyard by a recorded delivery letter with acknowledgement of receipt, as early as possible: the date of the acknowledgement of receipt will be considered as the cancellation date in order to calculate the cancellation fee.

Into the Vineyard reserves the right to adjust the trip price based on market currency fluctuations, any variation in the currency exchange between currency of payment and currency of country(s) of travel posted by the Federal Reserve of America that is in excess of 3% at time of final payment can be added to the cost of the trip at time of final payment. To guarantee the aforementioned quoted price you retain the option to pay the full amount at your discretion.

As far as possible, Into the Vineyard will satisfy amendment requests. If these requests concern an extension of the stay, an increased number of persons, or the purchase of additional services, these amendments will be charged in addition to the original price. For any other amendment, a fee per person will be charged.

Some international and in-country or regional airfares have advance purchase and ticketing requirements which will be communicated at time of reservation. Additional payment to cover the costs of the airline tickets will be requested in order to issue the tickets. Airline tickets carry penalties as per rules of the fare. Penalties are also imposed for any changes to the air reservations made after ticketing.

We reserve the right to request additional deposits if required by hotels and suppliers. This will be communicated at time of confirmation of booking.

Any complaint for non-fulfillment or poor fulfillment of the travel contract should be made on the spot, and referred either to the offending provider of service or to Into the Vineyard. The complaint must describe the grievance and be made within 24 hours.

If you have not obtained satisfaction, please send your complaint through registered mail, and join all written evidence within 15 days after the end of your trip. The length of our investigation will determine the delay in our response to your complaint. Into the Vineyard shall not be held liable for any inconvenience due to Loss/theft of plane tickets at the customs or check-in, non-presentation, or presentation of documents (ID card, passport, visa, vaccination certificate, etc.) which have expired or have an insufficient period of validity or do not conform to the indications on the back. In case of a failed check-in, there will be no refund of the package fare.

Unexpected incidents due to a third party: wars, political upheavals, strikes external to Into The Vineyard, technical hitches external to Into The Vineyard, congestions on the roads or in the air space, hijacking, bankrupt of a service provider, bad weather, delays, engine failures, thefts of luggage or other goods. No refund of any kind will be made because of delays and itinerary changes due to the incidents mentioned above – e.g. change in the length of the tour initially planned or of a connection. Possible additional expenses (taxes, hotel, parking) will be payable by the customer.

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Cancellations imposed by circumstances of the greatest importance and/or linked to the customer’s safety, and/or on the command of an enforcing authority. Into The Vineyard reserves the right to modify planned dates/times/itineraries if the customer’s safety cannot be ensured. The customer cannot claim any refund.

Services that will not be used (transfers and excursions) will not be refunded. Services that are voluntarily modified on the spot are subject to our service providers’ conditions: additional services that entail an extra cost will have to be paid directly by the customer and will not entail Into the Vineyard liability.

UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES Trip costs do not include items not specified in the itinerary. Although Into the Vineyard will make every effort to adhere to this itinerary, on rare occasions it may be necessary to make an adjustment to these arrangements. Should such adjustment be necessary, a substitute will be offered when and where possible. If war or terrorist activities threatened or actual, civil unrest, closures of airports or seaports, industrial action threatened or any other event outside the control of Into the Vineyard which causes either delays or extends the holiday or compels a change in the holiday arrangements.

Into the Vineyard reserves the right to substitute hotels or services of equal or greater quality Into the Vineyard cannot accept liability for any resulting loss, damage or expense and any refund will be subject to deduction of reasonable expenses.

ENTRY DOCUMENTS A valid Passport is required for your trip. A Visa may be required for your trip we recommend checking with the Consul General of the Country you intend to visit. Into the Vineyard is not responsible for assuring that people travelling on Into the Vineyard trips have the necessary entry documents.

We recommend you to visit the site http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html for updated requirements and information about the country you intend to visit.

Into The Vineyard – www.IntoTheVineyard.com Email: [email protected] Tel: 1 604 629 1173 | Fax: 1 604 899 9401 Suite 520 - 1250 Homer St. Vancouver, Canada, V6B 1C6 14