Dear Wine aficionados,
Time flies: it is August 1st
today. This is the start of the 2nd half of the year 2024 - so: still 6
months to go and lots of time to do some travel to an iconic wine
region.
Fall 2024: October 13 - October 23: Wine Tour to the Rhône Valley.
This
is a great month to explore the wines of the Rhône: the really hot
summer heat is gone, temperatures are mild and very pleasant, and the
vicious Mistral wind season is still months away. (There is only 1
double room left)
The
Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France, and the second
largest after Bordeaux. The Greeks introduced viticulture in the 4th
century BC. Later the Romans came and brought viticulture to a different
level. Since then the world has discovered Rhône wines and some of the
most famous wines come from the Rhône Valley. The vineyards are located
on both sides of the river. The Rhône Valley is divided into two
distinctively different regions: the Northern Rhône and the Southern
Rhône. The Northern Rhône stretches for 60 miles from Vienne – south of
Lyon – to Valence, and produces just 5% of Rhône wines. The region has a
continental climate with pronounced seasons. Here we explore the right
bank: Côte Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, Condrieu, etc and the left bank:
Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage. As the Rhône river flows southward and
the valley widens the climate changes. It becomes more Mediterranean
with long, warm summers and mild winters. The landscape is much flatter
and a variety of soils can be found: alluvial soils, limestone subsoils,
sand, gravel, stones. We will taste the entire range of Rhône wines:
reds, whites, rosé, sweet, fortified wines. We discover Gigondas,
Vavqueyras, Tavel, etc. and of course we will have a special focus on
the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape region with its very special terroir of
the ‘galets': huge pepples that give the soil its distinctive
character.
A journey to the Rhône Valley would not be complete without visiting Avignon,
the city that was the seat of the papacy for the better part of the
14th century; Arles, where Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his most
iconic works; the Pont du Gard, the Roman aqueduct bridge built in the
first century AD that was part of a sophisticated system bringing water
to the Roman colony of Nîmes; and a stay in a Provençal resort to grasp
the southern Rhône spirit.
For the last tour, see: Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
2025: Tuesday, May 20 - Thursday, May 29: Wine Tour to Bordeaux
We
will spend 10 days in Bordeaux traveling through all the important
subregions of the Bordeaux appellation: MARGAUX, SAINT-JULIEN, PAUILLAC,
SAINT-ESTÈPHE, SAINT-ÉMILION, POMEROL, PESSAC-LÉOGNAN, SAUTERNE,
visiting world-famous classified Châteaux. ”Bordeaux” embodies more than
just wine. In France the interplay of wine and food is very important
and often we will have a wine pairing meal at a famous Château, hosted
by the owner, general manager or winemaker. We
will visit many of the hidden gems -such as a cooperage, an oyster
farm, some small, top “petit Châteaux” - that other tours pass by, but
which are essential to understand what Bordeaux is all about. In a
nutshell: this is a hands-on Bordeaux wine class on the ground. The tour
starts and ends in the city of Bordeaux.
For the last tour, see: Summary: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France
2025: Wednesday, August 27 - Saturday, September 06: Tour to Alsace and Southern Germany
Discover
the Alsace, France’s most germanic wine region and Germany’s southern
wine regions (Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Baden) where the Pinot grapes (Pinot
Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc) are kings. The Alsace and the southern
German wine regions also grow beautiful Rieslings, yet the wines have a
very different taste profile than the ones from the more northern wine
regions such as Mosel, Nahe, Rheingau. Explore the culinary region of
Germany and Alsace and enjoy 1-Michelin star meals at German and Alsatian restaurants. Indulge in the breathtakingly beautiful Alsatian wine region with its incredibly picturesque wine villages dotted with half-timbered century or even thousand year old buildings. We
step back and forth across the Rhine River to compare the very
different style of wines of the eastern (German) and western (French)
side of the Rhine valley. Enjoy the Pfalz, the second largest German
wine region by growing area that stretches to the French border in the
south and and where French and German culture truly entertwines. In this
region French and German vineyards melt into one another and some
wineries on the French side own vineyards in Germany and vice versa.
And: did you know that Germany is #3 producer of Pinot Noir, #2 producer
of Pinot Gris, and #1 Producer of Pinot Blanc world-wide? This trip
will be an eye opener!
For the last tour, see: Summary: Germany-South and Alsace Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, Germany, France
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2025: Sunday, October 05 - Thursday, October 16: Tour to the Loire Valley
The
Loire Valley is a huge wine region spanning from Muscadet in the west
to Sancerre in the east bordering the Burgundy region and then south to
the Auvergne mountains parallel to southern Beaujolais and the Côte
Rôtie. This vast region has about 185,000 acres of vineyards, most of
which are on the hillside banks of the Loire river and its many
tributaries. The Loire Valley is home to 87 appellations and produces
wines of a sheer diversity of styles and varietals, ranging from bone
dry to sticky sweet dessert wines, red, white, rosé, vinified in both
still and sparkling format. Signature grapes are Chenin Blanc and
Sauvignon Blanc for the whites and Cabernet Franc for the reds. The wines are simply delicious, the tannins in the Cabernet Franc are tamed and the fruit is just beguiling and the exceptional high quality of the wines across the board for little money is just amazing. The
Loire Valley’s viticulture is steeped in history and still today has a
cohesive artisan wine culture. It respects tradition but is at the same
time dynamic and experimental. It is the Loire wine region where
biodynamic wine production took off and subsequently this region has
become the spiritual home of natural winemaking. Currently three
quarters of wineries and about 80% of the vineyards have achieved some
sort of environmental accreditation. An added attraction of this wine region is the
stunning beauty of the châteaux which dot the landscape and the
fascinating history that has shaped France’s borders and French culture.
And of course we will visit some of the magnificent châteaux!
For the last tour, see: Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château d’Épiré, AOP Savennières, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Paul Bizard - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy
WineTours
Please
do not hesitate to get in touch with me via Email, WhatsApp, Telephone
for any questions you may have about the tours. Browse my website (ombiasaypr.com) for the itineraries of previous tours.
I am very happy to provide you with any information you would like to have.
Happy summer!
Cheers
Annette
Wine Tours - Wine Education - Wine Events
Annette Schiller, Diplom-Volkswirt
Washington DC - Frankfurt am Main
USA: Ph and WhatsApp +1 703 459 7513
GER: Ph and WhatsApp +49 -177 337 0281
Office:
6404 Woodsong Ct
McLean, VA 22101 - USA