Starting next week we have a group of very fortunate travelers heading out for a river cruise on the Saône and Rhône rivers through the heart of Burgundy and Provence.

Here is just a bit of a sampling of the things they will be enjoying.

The scent of lavender fields.  Glowing sunflowers that inspired paintings by Van Gogh.  A Roman amphitheater still in use after millennia.  The 14th century Palace of the Popes.  A tri-level aqueduct bridge built in 19 BC.  Visit to a produce market and dinner making with a celebrated French chef.  Visit to a truffle farm and watch a truffle dog work amongst the oak trees.  Visit the Hospices de Beaune, begun as a charitable organization in 1443 where the tradition of an annual wine auction to support the monks work continues to this day.

Oh and we’re fairly certain there will also be some wine sampling along the way such as:  exclusive tour and private tastings at select Grand cru and premier cru wineries in Côte de Beaune. Visit to wine cellars in Tain l’Hermitage.  Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard visit and wine tasting.  

France is the source of many grape varieties now planted throughout the world and it also originated the notion of “terroir” that describes a wines sense of place.  What better way to get a sense of the place of the wine, then to journey where the wine is grown?  And what better way to journey than to go with a group of your friends?

This group was organized with the help of our wonderful friends at the areas best wine bar – Vino Etcetera –  in the town with the greatest “Wisconish” name ever – Oconomowoc.

If you are not going with the group this year, stay tuned we have grand plans for another wine trip in 2014!  Ciao!