Greetings friends & world travelers!
I am so excited to announce and invite you to the VGS Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip experience to Bordeaux. Due to the popularity of this special annual trip, we are adding a second trip in 2020. Having grown up in Bordeaux, and lived in the Napa Valley for over 30 years, words alone cannot express to you what an amazing and exclusively curated "insiders" trip this is. With me as your host, you will gain access to some of the world finest chateaux normally not open to the public, enjoy incredible cuisine, the accommodations pure sublime luxury and the wines, world-class!
I hope you will join me!
Cheers,
Jean-Noel
Day 1
Arrive to the 5* Hotel Les Sources de Caudalie, your home for the next three nights at your leisure. We will meet at 4:45 PM in the lobby of the hotel to go visit Chateau Smith Haut Lafitt e.
https://www.smith-haut-lafitte.com/en/
Following the winery tour, Florence and Daniel Cathiard, my friends who own the Chateau, will welcome us in their house “La Chartreuse” for an aperitif!
Dinner will follow at La Table du Lavoir at Les Sources de Caudalie.
Day 2
Ready…Set…GO! We will start our week off with a real experience! A very rare and unique in depth vertical tasting of one of Bordeaux’s most celebrated chateaux, Angelus followed by lunch! From Angelus, we will walk to Chateau Canon another celebrated estate in St. Emilion: supreme elegance! From Canon, we will drive to Pomerol, the land of Merlot and visit the boutique Chateau Le Gay.
Following our tasting at Le Gay, we will stroll through the ancient village of St. Emilion and fi nish our day at Clos Fourtet or Chateau de Pressac (trip 2) and their underground 30 acres of caves, and complete the day with a delicious dinner at the chateau.
Day 3
SPA TIME! We begin the day (8:30-12:30) by relaxation. Each of you will enjoy a “Ritual Initiation” at the world-renowned Caudalie Spa famous for their use of grape seeds in all their beauty products!
https://www.sources-caudalie.com/en/vinotherapie-spa/
A fter a morning of pampering, it’s back to business as we’re off to visit Eric Perrin’s beautiful Chateau Carbonnieux for a vintner lunch where the owners of Chateau Malartic Lagraviere and Chateau Guiraud will also join us.
Dinner tonight will at the venerable Chateau Haut Bailly, for a superb dinner or Chateau Guiraud (trip 2).
Day 4
Moving day…have your luggage ready as we head to the Left Bank where we will move into Chateau Beychevelle, our private chateau for the next 2 nights.
Our first stop, the negociant house Ulysse Cazabonne for an unforget able tasting of very special vintage wines!
Lunch today will be at the esteemed Chateau Leoville Poyferre where Didier Cuvelier, the owner and my favorite cousin will host us!
Following lunch, we will head to Pauillac and visit Chateau Pontet Canet and learn about their amazing organic and biodynamic farming.
Dinner tonight is with the acclaimed Chef Claude Brossard at his Restaurant Le Saint Julien.
Day 5
Prepare yourselves for a wine lovers dream day!
Our first visit, the famed 1st growth-Chateau Mouton Rothschild where we will enjoy a tasting of their three family estates to remember. Mouton, Clerc Milon & d’Armailhac.
Lunch today, Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande or Chateau Phelan Segur (tbd).
We will continue this tough day with our next visit, another 1st growth, none other than Chateau Margaux!
Tonight, a spectacular dinner at your very “own” Chateau Beychevelle in their grand dining room!
Day 6
Today we will discover the “magic” of French Oak barrels with an in depth educational visit to Tonnellerie Radoux. This fascinating visit will be followed with a blind tasting of various wood aged wines at lunch.
A fter lunch, we drive to the city of Bordeaux to check into the Grand Hotel for our last night.
https://bordeaux.intercontinental.com/en/
Our farewell dinner tonight, we take over the entire Michelin starred Garopapilles Restaurant. With champagne, great wines and delicious food many have called “too beautiful to eat” we will celebrate the end of our trip together!
The Details
This memorable insider’s trip includes:
Six (6) nights in luxury accommodations. All meals (I plan every dish so we do not ever have the same meal twice), the wine (the wines we are going to taste and enjoy cost more than the food on this trip!), ground transportation with luxury van, tips etc. all is included.
You are responsible only for your airfare and personal expenses. Fun, memories, unique experiences and…hangovers for 16,500 EUROS for two.
The trip is limited to 10 couples.
VGS Chateau Potelle Club Members have a special discount: Club VGS: 450 euros discount, Connoisseurs, Red and Collectors Club: 650 euros discount
If you've been a wine club member for 5 or more years. you will receive an extra 300 euros discount!!!
Club Member discount will be applied to the payment of the balance.
To request a reservation, please contact Jean-Noel Fourmeaux directly BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW