Travel Dates: June 11 to 18, 2023

Sébastien Marquet, and Isabelle Truchon, Winemaker, and Certified Specialist of Wine, respectively, and Co-Founders of Wine Consulting Firm, SMIT & CO. LLC, and partners in Sébastien Marquet Wines, will accompany you on this fantastic 7 day excursion.  As wine industry professionals, as well as Burgundy natives, we enjoy nothing more than sharing the history, culture, and good wine of our homeland with like-minded people.  Be prepared for an adventure like no other! 

Sunday — Meeting Day

Our experience begins on Sunday June 13th.  Participants check into Hotel de La Poste after 3PM.  After you are comfortably settled in your room, please meet us at the Bar for cocktails at Hotel de la Poste starting at 6PM, followed by our first dinner together at 7:30PM at The Relais Restaurant at Hotel de la Poste.   

DAY 2 — Getting Serious in Cote De Nuits, Marsannay, Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin

We start our Burgundy Experience in style, and with a bang! Boarding our comfortable Daimler carrier, we head for the Cote de Nuits, home of the most Grand Cru produced in Burgundy.  This region is stunningly beautiful, and the wines among the best world wide. We will visit the lovely villages of Gevrey Chambertin, Fixin, and Marsannay.  As we admire the beautiful views, vineyards, and chateaux, we will experience some of the best Burgundy has to offer.  We will enjoy a bistro lunch in Fixin, and end our day in famous Gevrey-Chambertin.  An unforgettable day!

• Depart de Beaune a 9:00

• Marsannay 10:00

• Fixin 12:30-1:00

• Gevrey-Chambertin 3:30-4:00

DAY 3 — Still Serious, Cote De Nuits, Nuits St. Georges, Romanée- Conti, Vosne-Romanée, Close de Vougeot, Chateau Gilly-Les -Citeaux

Today we head for the lower Cote de Nuits.  In the morning we will be visiting Domaine Rion, and walk through the village of Nuits St. Georges.  For lunch, we enjoy an amazing out of this world experience at Chateau Gilly-Les-Citeaux. Once well fed, we visit the famous and must see Clos de Vougeot.  Our last stop on this most fantastic day is the village of Romanée-Conti, and the world famous vineyard, Romanée-Conti.

• Depart de Beaune a 8:30 to Cote de Nuits Domaine Rion

• Déjeuner Chateau de Gilly-Citeaux

• Clos Vougeot 14:00-15:00

• Vosne-Romanée and the Romanée-Conti Vineyard 16:00-17:00

DAY 4 — Abbaye de Fontenay, Casses Croute at Les Celliers, Chateau Bussy-Rabutin

Welcome to another dream day in Burgundy!  First we head to the 11th century Abbey de Fontenay.  Next, we head to Les Celliers.  Here you will meet Sébastien's mother, Christiane, and step-father, Jacques.  They live in an 11th century hamlet in the village of Alise-Ste-Reine, and the commune chapel is part of their home; They have prepared a typical Burgundy Casse-Croute for us, as we take in all the views and beauty of this historical community, built by monks as a half-way point from the monastery to the vineyards they tended.  (It's always about wine in Burgundy!)  The afternoon experience will conclude with a visit at the famous Chateau Bussy-Rabutin!

• Depart de Beaune 8:00

• Abbay de Fontenay 10:00

• Les Celliers 12:00

• Chateau Bussy Rabutin 2:30

DAY 5 — Learning, Seeing, and Tasting, Beaune

We start off our day with a short walk to the local wine school.  Not just any wine school, this is one of the most reputable wine schools globally; Sebastien's Alma Mater. We conclude our visit with a wonderful wine tasting in the school's wine cave.  Next we will head to the village of Volnay, by way of Pommard.  After a hearty lunch at a Bistro in town, we will walk to a close friend’s wine cellar.  Our time here is memorable and wonderful every year. 

• Lycee Viticole de Beaune 10:00-12:00

• Volnay Bistro midi-13:00

• Didier Rossignol 14:00-16:30

DAY 6 — Understanding The Importance of Wood in Wine, Cote de Beaune, St. Aubin, Santenay

A visit to the Cooperage enlightens us as never before as we discover how barrels are created in this age-old craft. Barrels are the most important tool used by winemakers, with this experience you will understand why.  Next we head to visit our dear friend Dominique's Domaine.  He is a Bio-dynamic winemaker, who is famous for his Joie de Vivre, and eccentricity.  Lastly, we will end our day in Chateau de Meursault, Yippie!

• Depart Beaune 8:30am

• Saint Aubain Tonnellerie Claude Gillet 9:30

• Domain Derain, 11:00-14:30

• Chateau de La Crée, 15:00-18:00

DAY 7 — Architecture, Food Market, and of Course Wine, Beaune.

Beaune is a hansdome village.  There is so much to do and see in this fabulous place.  Rich colorful, and perfumed, the Marché de Beaune is a must see on Saturday mornings.  You will find over 180 vendors offering fruits, vegetables, saucissons, fois gras, meats, and other French staples.  This is a great time to wander off, and look at the beautiful architecture, and floral embellishments about town. In the afternoon, you may opt to venture off to L'Hospice de Beaune, Caves Patriarche, La Moutarde Faillot, or where ever else you'd like to explore. The conclusion to our Burgundy Experience takes place at Le Relais Restaurant at Hotel de la Poste, where we will share our memories of a time to remember, and of course drink good wine! 

• Le Marche a Beaune 7:00-12:30

• Casse-Croute in the Park or Vineyard, weather permitting 14:00-16:00

We met the people, drank their wine, and lived the life... now we can take it all in... Good-bye to new friends and old friends alike.  Vive la Bourgogne, Vive la France!

THE TRIP INCLUDES:

-7 NIGHTS INCLUDING BREAKFASTS AT HOTEL DE LA POSTE, IN THE CAPITAL OF WINE COUNTRY, BEAUNE.

-4 BISTRO LUNCHES,1 aUthentic casse-croute, 2 DINNERS FEATURING TRADITIONAL BURGUNDY MENU.

-BUS TRAVEL IN PRIVATE AND SPACIOUS serta/daimler carrier DURING THE DAY.

-ENTRANCE FEES FOR WINERIES, CHATEAUX, and cooking class.

-ACCESS TO NON-TOURISTIC BURGUNDY ESTABLISHMENTS.

Offering: $4200/Per Person, Double Occupancy, $500 supplement/Single Occupancy