France · 7 days · 6–8 people
Burgundy and Champagne: the classics, with grower eyes
Seven days from Paris with sommelier Dante Minutello: a wine tour of grower Champagne in Vertus and Avize, then Burgundy from Morey-Saint-Denis to Chablis.
countries
France
Tours
France · 7 days · 6–10 people
Jura and Beaujolais: the natural wine heartland
Seven days from Lyon with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group natural wine tour of the Jura and Beaujolais in France, six cellars, vin jaune and Morgon.
France · 6 days · 6–10 people
Loire: Chenin, Cabernet Franc and the natural Anjou
Six days from Paris with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group Loire wine tour in France, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc from Vouvray to the natural Anjou.
Regions
France · Region guide
France
My guide to French wine country: vin jaune in the Jura, Beaujolais Gamay, Burgundy climats, grower Champagne, Loire Chenin, and how I run a wine tour in each.
France
Loire: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, Vouvray to Chinon
Loire Valley, France: Chenin Blanc in Vouvray and Montlouis, Cabernet Franc in Chinon and Saumur, tuffeau cellars, La Dive Bouteille and how my wine tour runs.
France
Champagne: Vertus, Avize, Aÿ and the chalk beneath Reims
Champagne, France, from the chalk up: grower cellars in Vertus and Avize, the houses of Reims and Épernay, Pinot Noir in Aÿ, and how my wine tour runs.
France
Burgundy: Beaune, Gevrey, Meursault and Chablis
Burgundy's Côte d'Or and Chablis, France: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on 1,247 climats, négociants beside domaines, and how my wine tour from Beaune runs.
France
Beaujolais: Morgon, Fleurie and Gamay on granite
Beaujolais, France: Gamay on granite in Morgon, Fleurie and Côte de Brouilly, the natural pioneers of Villié-Morgon, and how my wine tour from Lyon runs.
France
Jura: Arbois, vin jaune and the two schools of Savagnin
Jura, France: Savagnin ouillé and sous voile, vin jaune from Château-Chalon, Poulsard, Trousseau around Arbois and Pupillin, Comté, and how my wine tour runs.
Winemaker stories
France · Loire Biodynamic
Domaine Huet and the whole of Chenin in Vouvray
Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Loire, France: Chenin Blanc from sec to moelleux, three vineyards, biodynamic since 1988, tuffeau cellars and a wine tour visit.
France · Champagne Biodynamic
Pierre Larmandier and the chalk of Vertus
Larmandier-Bernier in Vertus, Champagne, France: biodynamic grower champagne from Côte des Blancs chalk, wild yeasts, oak foudres and dosage close to zero.
France · Beaujolais Classic
Claude-Édouard Geoffray and the blue stone of Brouilly
Château Thivin in Odenas, Beaujolais, France: the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, Gamay on blue volcanic stone and a classic Côte de Brouilly built to age.
France · Beaujolais Natural
Mathieu and Camille Lapierre and the cold cellar of Morgon
Domaine Marcel Lapierre, Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France: Gamay from the Côte du Py in a cold cellar, no added sulfur, and the winemakers behind it.
France · Jura Natural
Jean-François Ganevat and the old vines of Rotalier
Domaine Ganevat in Rotalier, Jura, France: Chardonnay from vines planted in 1902, rescued old grapes, and a winemaker who brought Burgundy discipline home.
France · Jura Biodynamic
Stéphane Tissot and the parcels of Arbois
Domaine Tissot in Montigny-lès-Arsures, Jura, France: biodynamic single-parcel Chardonnay, vin jaune and Trousseau in amphora from a winemaker mapping Arbois.
Tell me where you want to drink
Write in any of my five languages. I answer personally, usually within a day.
Dante replies personally, usually within a day, in English, Russian, Czech, Armenian or Italian.