Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Oenophile's Guide For France Wine Tours

By Alta Alexander


Even professional oenophiles widely acknowledge that French wines are the best in the world. But that pleasure can't hold a candle to the absolute thrill of discovery that France wine tours offer. The French are simply unmatched when it comes to the vast scope of their producing regions and vineyards, their wineries and the sheer talent they have for uncorking superb new wines.

Visitors on these trips have a treasure trove of wines to discover. Drinking French champagne at home and tramping around the vineyards and tasting in the cellars of Champagne where it is made are two entirely different things. Paris day trips often end up as extensive culinary explorations of the Loire Valley or tastings in the cellars of Champagne-Ardenne.

It's hard to say whether a walk on the Avenue de Champagne is more thrilling for Francophiles or oenophiles. A bike trip into the heart of the Alsace region is just as enjoyable. Producers offer free tastings to anyone who cares to drop in, so the tours are able to wander around at will and hop around tasting everything that is good and famous in the region.

But the best option for vino lovers who want to head out of Paris for a day is without any doubt the Loire Valley. The lush green slopes and hillsides dotted with vineyards and castles looks like something from a bygone era. The tour guides on these trips are oenophiles and very familiar with every vineyard and all the wines each producer has to offer in the region.

People arriving by train from Paris will be picked up at the station and whisked away for a day of discovery and tastings. Commentary along the way in English helps people understand and learn the history of the region. Those who want to do this at their own pace may ask for individual guided trips custom-designed based on their likes and budget.

Of course, the intrepid winetripper in France has a lot more distance to cover above and beyond a day trip from Paris. A three-hour train from Paris will drop people off in Bordeaux. Once here, visitors can set out on a momentous culinary experience that includes many famed wine regions such as Medoc, Saint Emilion, etc.

A stay in Bordeaux is also a chance to pick some non-traditional tours. For example, some may prefer a culinary holiday that combines meals at Michelin-star restaurants, cheese shopping and visits to vineyards and tastings. Another possibility is a harvest tour where people get to learn about all the hard work required to make a bottle of bubbly, while enjoying the luxury of a chauffeur-driven guided tour.

These are just some of the possibilities. There are similar experiences and vineyards and wines waiting to be discovered in Burgundy, Provence, the Rhone Valley, Corsica and many more regions. Just decide whether the French wine tour should be a part of the overall tourist expedition or a complete trip in and by itself. It's possible to arrange for custom trips based on the choice of region, budget and time available.




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