Looking for something more inspiring than the usual good bottle of wine to give your Dad? Why not give him the chance to make his own wine this Christmas! Your father will be transformed into an apprentice winemaker for a year with the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience! Adopt some vines for him, allow him to follow all of the key steps in making his wine, and he'll even be able to personalise the labels on the bottles of his wine that will be produced at the end of his Wine Experience.

Your father-in-law is hyperactive? With his Christmas gift pack, send him off to France for a Harvest Experience Day to pick his grapes and follow their journey into the fermentation tank. He'll learn from the winemaker about the work in the chai, and will end up with his own personalised bottles of wine at the end of his Wine Experience. He'll also get to share the harvesters' meal and taste the wine from the estate. What's more, each Experience Day is valid for two people, so your mother-in-law can make the most of exploring one of France's beautiful wine regions too!

Your sister loves wine but doesn't understand anything about it? The ideal Christmas gift for her is a Wine Experience gift pack including a Discovery Experience Day. She'll roll up her sleeves and get involved in the work carried out in the vineyard to produce the best quality grapes come harvest time. She'll learn all about the fascinating profession of being a winemaker, and will get to taste the wines and enjoy other local delicacies during the winemaker's meal.

Your brother is a fan of all things organic? All of our partner winemakers are organically certified and passionate about the sustainability of their vineyards. He'll discover the challenges or producing organic wine, and will learn about the organic treatments used to care for the vines. An original organic Christmas Gift!

Here are a just few ideas of unusual Christmas gifts for wine enthusiasts. Thanks to the unique and down to earth approach to wine of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience, your recipient will appreciate one of the personalised Christmas gift packs.

And to have something to open on Christmas Day in front of the tree, the welcome gift pack includes some goodies such as a wine waiter's apron, a DropStop, a personalised certificate and details of the chosen Wine Experience. Who said that Father Christmas wasn't a wine lover?

More information on the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience

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The tour of Harvest Experience Days for the 2013 season came to an end last weekend in Chinon, in the magnificent settings of Château de la Bonnelière.  Bright sunshine and a beautiful blue sky were also on the menu for Sunday!

Marc Plouzeau, the estate's winemaker, had reserved the "Clos de la Bonnelière" vineyard for us to harvest, as it is here that the Gourmet Odyssey clients adopted vines are to be found.

We started each day with the handing out of the essential tools needed for harvesting; a bucket and a pair of secateurs each!  After the initial instructions of how to harvest, we spread out in two among the vine rows to start the harvest.

Every ten metres a crate had been placed under the row of vines.  Once the bucket was full of grapes, we emptied it into one of the crates.  The group was very enthusiastic and the grapes in abundance, so the crates started to quickly fill up!  So much so that we had to fetch some more to keep up with the efficiency of our harvesters!

Once we had finished the first few rows, a few brave volunteers helped to load the full crates, first onto the small tractor that went up and down the rows, and then to transfer them onto the flat bed truck.  Harvesting isn't just about picking bunches of grapes!

We then took it in turns to follow the grapes journey to the chai to get involved in the sorting.  We emptied the grapes from the crates onto the sorting table, and then removed the grapes that weren't ripe enough or those affected by mould.  Given the dampness of the preceding couple of weeks, there was remarkably little mould this year.

At the end of the sorting table, the grape bunches fell into the de-stemming machine to separate the stalks from the berries.  The berries then fell into the trolley below.

We put the harvest from the two days into two separate containers.   With the help of a forklift truck, the first part was put into one of the stainless steel vats, as is normal for the Clos de la Bonnelière wine.

This year, Marc is also testing using some demi-muids, large barrels that can contain 600 litres.  We put some of the harvest into one of these barrels, the idea being to give a little more structure to the wine.  But we'll have to wait a few months before seeing the results!

After these two work-filled mornings, the aperitif was just reward!  In the hanger next to the vineyard we tasted the "Perle Sauvage", a delicious natural sparkling wine made on the estate.

We took the harvesters lunch in the barn and continued the wine tasting with the "Touraine Chenin", a white wine made from Chenin Blanc, and two Chinon reds, the "Clos de la Bonnelière" 2011 and the "Chapelle" 2010.

In the afternoon we returned to the vineyard to find our adopted vines, a perfect excuse to take a few more pictures!

The day ended back in the chai.  Marc explained to us how the wines are worked during the fermentation period, and we finished with a tasting of some grape juices.  The first juice was before fermentation has set in, and the second one that had started to ferment, and so was slightly fizzy.

Many thanks to all of our clients for their hard work and good humour, and of course to Marc and his mother, Marie- Rose, for their warm welcome and hospitality!

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Last weekend, we were at Château Beau Rivage in Macau-en-Médoc for the Gourmet Odyssey Harvest Experience Days.  They were the last two days of the 2013 harvest at the winery, so we had to make sure that we got all the grapes safely into the chai!

As soon as everyone was equipped with a pair of secateurs, we ventured out into the vineyard to receive our instruction on how to harvest, which grapes to pick, and which to leave behind.

On Saturday we started with a plot of Cabernet Franc vines to be used for making rosé wine.  We picked the bunches of grapes in cases, and once filled, we loaded them onto a trailer.

For the rest of the morning and for our Sunday team of harvesters, we harvested some plots of Cabernet Sauvignon.  On Sunday, we used a different harvesting technique, using porters to transfer the grapes from the harvesters to the trailer.

Once we had finished harvesting, we followed the grapes journey to the chai.  For the rosé, we emptied the crates directly into a small press to extract the juice.

On Sunday, for the red wine, we first put the grapes into a de-stemming machine to separate the berries from the stalks.  Then, around the sorting table, we removed any unripe berries, leaves and even a few insects, keeping only the best grapes.

After all that work, the rosé wine was most welcome for the aperitif!  We continued the tasting of the estate's wines during the harvesters meal which we ate in the shelter of one of the barns.

In the afternoon, we visited the chai to understand more about the fermentation process and the work in the chai during harvest time. Christine took out her mustimetre to show us how the sugar level in the grapes is measured.

We finished the day in the barrel room to see where the wine will rest and age once the first stage of fermentation has finished.

Many thanks to Christine, Guillaume and the team at Château Beau Rivage, as well as our clients for making it such a good weekend, and also for having worked so hard despite the odd drop of rain!

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in Alsace, the last of the 7 organic wineries to have partnered with Gourmet Odyssey. The sky was grey, but that didn't dampen the spirits of our apprentice harvesters!

Once the adoptive vine owners had arrived, Céline who manages the winery with her brother Stéphane, told us about history of this family estate. We then headed out to the vineyard where the adopted vines are located. For those who were returning after one of the Discovery Experience Days, they could see how their vines had been pampered, and for the others, it was the chance to meet them and take a few photos!

We then moved on to a vineyard lower down the village to harvest a plot of Riesling grapes. On the way we picked some Chasselas grapes to take home and eat. The goal for the day was to fill two containers, so each armed with a pair of secateurs and a bucket, we started to harvest the grapes.

After the morning spent in the vineyard, we returned to the winery, where Stéphane explained how the grapes are put into the vats and how the juice ferments to produce wine. We tasted some grape juice which had been put into the vat 3 days beforehand, before tasting some of the wines, Rielsing Tradition 2010, Pinot Gris Rosenberg 2010, Gewurztraminer Hengst 2008 and Pinot Noir 2011.

We finished the day with a harvesters buffet of local charcuterie, accompanied by the domaine's wines, ending with a Crémant d'Alsace sparkling wine with the dessert.

We'll know leave the wine to slowly ferment before our next visit for one of the Vinification Experience Days.

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We spent two excellent days last weekend at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard for the Harvest Experience days.  The grapes took their time to ripen this year, but with the rain at the start of October, everyone is now in the vines to gather the harvest in as quickly as possible.  Luckily we had some very motivated clients to help get stuck in!

After the introductions to the winery, we headed off to the vineyard to join Micheline, the head of the team of harvesters.  Equipped with a bucket and pair of secateurs each, we spread out among the rows to start picking the grapes.

As soon as we filled the buckets, we called for one of our apprentice porters to come so we could empty the grapes into the baskets they were carrying on their backs.  Our brave porters then had to empty the baskets over their heads into the awaiting trailer, something that isn't as easy as it looks!

We then followed the grapes journey to the fermentation hall to look at the wine presses that receive the harvest.  Here, we listened to the explanations of how the presses work and learnt about the first stages of fermentation that will transform the grape juice into wine.

After all of the morning's works, the tasting of the wines produced by the winery was most welcome!  We started with a tasting of some of the biodynamic wines: the Petit Chablis "Les Plantes" and the  Chablis "La Boissonneuse", followed by the Chablis Premier Cru "Les Vaudevey" and "Vaulorent", before finishing with the Chablis Grand Cru "Les Preuses".

Once we had enjoyed the harvesters' meal, we went to see our adopted vines in the Boissonneuse vineyard.  As usual, out came the cameras to take a few souvenir pictures!

Many thanks to all of our enthusiastic harvesters, and to Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard for having welcomed us.

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All week, the Gourmet Odyssey team anxiously monitored the weather forecast as Jean-Franois, the winemaker at Domaine Chapelle, was predicting rain for the weekend. In the end, the wet conditions didn't dampen the spirits, and we had a great group who were fully motivated to participate in the harvest. Those lucky enough to have chosen the Monday even saw some sunshine!

Each morning we welcomed the adoptive owners of vines in the "Clos des Cornires" vineyard. After a coffee and a short introduction to the winery, we set off to the vineyard. With a few explanations from Jean-Franois and plenty of good humour, we set about harvesting the grapes.

We then followed the grapes to the reception hall to sort the grapes and track their journey into the vats.

Whilst some got stuck in around the sorting table, secateurs in hand, under the instruction of Yannick, the Technical Director, others watched the grapes climb the conveyor belt and fall into the vat. Jean-Franois talked us through the first stages of fermentation and how the grape juice will gradually transform into wine.

After a busy morning, it was time to taste some of the estate's wines, accompanied by one of the local specialties, gougres, before sitting down to lunch in the harvesters' refectory. The conversation, food and wine flowed, and it was difficult to get going again afterwards!

The days finished with a visit of the cellar, an impressive labyrinth of barrels and bottles.

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09:30 For this first Harvest Experience Day at Domaine la Cabotte, the day was forecast to be cloudy, but thankfully there shouldn't be any rain before tomorrow. Ideal conditions for harvesting without getting too hot. Everybody looked motivated, we'd find out once we're in the vineyard !

Marie-Pierre, the owner of the winery along with her husband Eric, introduced us to the region and the history of Domaine la Cabotte, and explained why the harvest this year is 2-3 weeks later than in a normal year.

10:00 We started the day in the plot where the adopted vines are located to see and take a few pictures of our vines. Eric explained that the grapes are not as abundant as usual, and that they are not quite mature enough to be picked, so we headed off to another plot of white Grenache grapes lower down in the vineyard.

10:30 The buckets and secateurs were awaiting us, and after Eric explained how to harvest the bunches, we spread out amongst the rows in pairs to get down to work! In the middle of the first row, the sun came out and it started to heat up. Would we get to the end?! Marie-Pierre kept our spirits up by making us think of the wine tasting and meal to come! After the first row and a quick refreshment stop, we set off to harvest a second row each - uphill this time! We must have started to get the hang of it, because we were getting much quicker, or was it in anticipation of the wine tasting?!

13:00 Mission accomplished in filling the two trailers with grapes. We followed them back to the chai where we emptied our harvest into the press and set it going for 2 hours of pressing. Eric reckoned that it would give about 1000 litres of juice. Whilst waiting for the press to do its thing, we quenched our thirst by tasting some of the estate's wines. We started with the Colline Ctes du Rhne white wine, made from the same plot that we had just harvested, but last year in 2012. We then tasted the Colline red and the Gabriel 2011.

13:30 Under the shade of the trees, we continued the tasting with the Garance 2011, accompanied by the delicious home-made meal prepared by Marie-Pierre. We ended the meal with cheese and desert accompanied by the Sauvageonne 2012 white wine.
15h00 After the coffee and the meal, it was difficult to get going again, but the hard work was now behind us. As the press finished the last part of its cycle, Eric explained the differences between working with the harvest for white and red wines, and talked us through the first stages of fermentation. We then finished the day by tasting the juice from the grapes that we had harvested and that from another lot which had been picked a few days earlier. Having finished being pressed, the juice from our harvest was then put into a refrigerated vat. The discarded stems, skin and pips will then be taken to the distillery. Finally we had harvested enough to produce some 1500 litres of juice! 

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We had to delay the Harvest Experience Day this year by 8 days due to the cold spring that slowed the growth of the vines. At the beginning of September, we were 15 days behind last year. In 2012, we harvested our Roussanne vines on the 29th August. This year, we had to wait until 10 am on the 14th September for the first snip of secateurs on this plot.

The grapes had started to have a nice brown and golden colour, a sign that they were now ripe. The grape bunches are carefully cut and transported in 15kg crates to be stocked next to the press. The temperature remained fairly mild, not going over 23°C. So much the better because it is preferential to press the grapes when it is relatively cool to avoid the risk of oxidation.

Once the entire plot had been harvested, we headed back to the winery for a well deserved lunch prepared by Delphine. Accompanied of course with a tasting of all the wines produced by Domaine Allegria!

During this time, the crates of Roussanne waited patiently in the shade next to the press. In the afternoon each of the participants carried the crates and emptied them into the press, and by mid afternoon, it was filled with our day's harvest.

One hour and fifteen minutes later of pressing gave birth to 2000 litres of Roussanne which will be fermented in oak barrels.

Many thanks to Ghislain and Delphine for their very hospitable welcome, and to our apprentice winemakers for their enthusiasm!

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How to get the holidays off to a good start?  By passing a day at Domaine Chapelle in Santenay and getting involved in working in the vineyard of course!  At least that's how the latest participants of the Discovery Experience Day at Domaine Chapelle chose to do so.

The first contact with their adopted vines, the first encounter with Jean-François and Yannick, the first questions, and the first work in the vineyard.  To celebrate the month of July, the weather was out in its fullest glory, and the sun radiated around us as we listened to Jean-François explain the secrets of the terroir and the Appellations d'Origines Contrôlées.  In the winery's garden, looking out over the Clos des Cornières vineyard, where our adopted vines grow, we could have stayed there all morning.  But we had some work waiting for us!

We first went to meet our adopted vines and to take a few minutes to take some photos.  We then met back up with Jean-François and Yannick to learn more about the work that has already been carried out in the vineyard this year.

The flowers on the vines had just finished a few days earlier, and we could start to see the tiny grapes start to form under the canopy of leaves.  After the pruning and de-budding earlier in the year, the summer months are kept busy with the final tasks in the vineyard before the harvest, raising the training wires, trimming and treating the vines.  Vines are from the creeper family of plants, and as such, grow incredibly quickly now that the hot and sunny days are finally with us.  It is therefore necessary to raise the training wires to better support the vines, and to separate branches from different vines, and to keep the rows clear for the passing tractors.  It's also the opportunity to remove any superfluous branches that drain energy from the plant.  This work enables the organic treatments used to be sprayed more efficiently on the leaves and grapes.  It might seem like a simple job, but it enables the vines to breath more easily and to concentrate their force on producing sugar in the grapes.  The trimming of the vines then follows to limit the height of the vines.

So it was under beautiful sunshine that we spread out among the rows to put what we had just learnt into practice, and to earn the aperitif which would follow!  Luckily, a steady northerly wind made the task easier by taking off some of the heat.  This ideal weather was also perfect for the vines, because it helps to neutralise some of the illness such as mildew by drying this fungus directly on the leaves before it has a chance to spread further.  Another occasion for Jean-François and Yannick to teach us a thing or two!

A few of us had been worried about the climate, given the lack of sun, the low temperatures and the high rainfall in the preceding months.  However, at Domaine Chapelle, the vines haven't really suffered from this, and apart from being a few weeks behind schedule, there is nothing so far that should impact the quality of the grapes now that the good weather has arrived.

After a few hours in the vineyard, we returned to the winery to enjoy the aperitif in the garden and to taste the Santenay Saint Jean and Meursault white wines from Domaine Chapelle.  We also made the most of the time to ask a few more questions to Jean-François and Yannick, always very generous in their responses.  We ate in the Harvester's refectory and continued the wine tasting with the Santenay Clos des Cornières, Aloxe-Corton, et Santenay La Comme Premier Cru.

We then followed Yannick to the cuverie, where amongst the stainless steel, concrete and wooden vats, we saw the route that the grapes will take at harvest time.

We finished the day with a visit to the cellar, where fortunately no one was lost!

Many thanks to Jean-François, Yannick and Yvette for having shared their knowledge and these beautiful days with us!

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Above is a photo of our apprentice winemakers in front of the Rosenberg vineyard, where their adopted pinot gris vines are located.

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Following the coffee and introductions, we headed to the area of the vineyard where the Gourmet Odyssey vines are located.  A small personalised blackboard identified the micro-plot of adopted vines for each client, and we took a few minutes to get to know them!

The vineyard at Domaine la Cabotte is organically and biodynamically certified, which means paying special attention to the vines and their environment.  Eric explained the difference between the conventional, organic, and biodynamic approaches to tending to the vines.

We then walked to the lower part of the vineyard where Eric and Marie-Pierre had set aside some work for us to do.  On the way, Eric showed us the different grape varietals planted in the vineyard and brought us up to date with the work that has been already done during the winter and spring.

Our task for the day was training the vines, which involves raising the training wires and ensuring that each of the branches grow inside the wires.  This helps the vines by supporting the weight of the foliage and future grapes, and also helps to keep a clear passage for the tractors.
Eric & Marie-Pierre showed us how to pull the wires apart, raise them and then attach them together using a small clip.  We then spread out in the vineyard to get stuck in!

Working in the vineyard is good for opening up the taste buds!  Back at the winery, we started the tasting with a fresh white wine from the estate, which was most welcome after the heat in the vineyard.  We then tasted the Côtes du Rhône Massif d'Uchaux Garance, which is the red wine chosen for the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience, followed by the winery's Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

We continued the wine tasting in the chai over lunch.

In the afternoon, we went for a short walk, following the path through the wood and vines.  This enabled us to discover the different terroirs and Eric also showed us a plot that he had recently replanted.

The day finished back in the chai.  Here Eric introduced us to the vinification side of winemaking and talked more about biodynamic winemaking.

Many thanks to Eric and Marie-Pierre, and to all those who came to share the day with us.  See you soon for the harvest!

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We started the day in the Clos de la Bonnelière, the vineyard where the adopted vines of the Gourmet Odyssey clients are located. We took a few minutes to find our vines before getting down to more serious matters!

Marc brought us up to date with all of the work that has already been carried out in the vineyard during the winter to protect them from the cold, and to prune them in time for this year's campaign.

The vines are presently about three weeks behind a normal year, so we are still in the process of de-budding and raising the training wires. Marc explained the importance of de-budding to ensure better quality grapes come harvest time by removing the canes that won't produce any fruit or those that will just sap energy from the plant. Then it was time for us to get stuck in!

Marc also showed us how to raise the training wires to better support the vine branches and the weight of the grapes to come. We raised the wires and attached them together using clips.

And for the more courageous, we also used some hoes to remove the weeds from around the feet of the vines that the plough blade couldn't get to. It's a physical job, but helps to open up the taste buds for the wine tasting!

As an aperitif, Marc opened his delicious "Perle Sauvage" sparkling white wine. It's a natural wine with nothing added to it... 100% pure fruit!

During the meal, we continued the tasting with a range of the organic white and red wines that the winery produces, including the "Clos de la Bonnelière", which is the wine selected by Gourmet Odyssey and which won gold medal at the Millésime Bio organic wine fair this year.

After lunch, we headed to the vinification hall, where Marc showed us the fermentation tanks, and introduced us to the work in the chai.

The day finished in the winery's cellar which is located directly underneath the Chinon Fortress. In this magical place, we discovered the barrels used to age the wines, the thousands of bottles that are resting, and the machine used to turn the bottles of sparkling wine.

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Following the introductions to the winery and the Chablis region, we headed straight out to the Boissonneuse vineyard, which was the winery's first plot to be converted to organic and biodynamic culture.  Each client had adopted some vines, and it is here that they are to be found.

We took a few moments to take some pictures and so that each person could acquaint themselves with their vines!

Arnauld, who is a member of the vine team, accompanied us to explain the detailed work that is carried out in the vineyard throughout the year.

The vines are currently two to three weeks behind a normal year.  We are still therefore at the stage of de-budding.  Arnauld showed us how to reduce the number of branches on each vine to encourage better quality grapes for the coming harvest.  It was then down to us to roll up our sleeves and start de-budding!

De-budding is almost as complex as pruning, because you always have to keep in mind how to rejuvenate the plant and to think of which branches will be best for the following year.  But the best way to learn, or at least appreciate the complexity of the task, is to get stuck in!

Arnauld also showed us how to raise the training wires to better support the weight of the vine foliage and grapes to come, and to better space the growth.
A large proportion of the winery's vines are treated biodynamically.  This approach to working means that the winemaker has to be very attentive to the health of the vines, and to treat them in harmony with the surrounding terroir and environment.  Arnauld explained the different preparations that are administered using cow dung, and plants such as stinging nettles.  They are used as preventative treatments for the vines against diseases, and to give them more strength.

back at the winery, we tasted the range of biodynamic wines.  To start, the Petit Chablis "Les Plantes", followed by the wine chosen by Gourmet Odyssey, the Chablis "Boissonneuse".  We then moved on to the Chablis Premier Cru "Vaulorent" and the Chablis Grand Cru "Les Preuses" before sitting down to lunch with a few other Chablis and Irancy wines.

The afternoon started in the cellar where Pierre presented us the exposed cut of earth that shows the uniqueness of the Kimmeridgian stone that Chablis wines gain much of their characteristics from.

We then headed to the cuverie.  Here, we saw the different types of vats that used to vinify and age the wines.  Pierre introduced us to some of the choices the winemaker must take to age the wines, something that we will go into much more detail during the Vinification Experience Days.

Very many thanks to all our clients who participated in the days.  We hope that you left appreciating a little more about the fascinating and passionate profession of winemaking!

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Last weekend, we spent two thoroughly enjoyable Discovery Experience Days at Château Beau Rivage in Macau-en-Médoc.  The rain that was forecast on Saturday never materialised and we had deep blue skies all day Sunday.  Perfect for passing some time working in the vineyard!

During the Discovery Experience days, we learn more about what needs to be done in the vineyard to produce the best possible grapes come harvest time.  Christine Nadalié, the winemaker at Château Beau Rivage, spent all day with us to explain her profession and to answer our many and varied questions.

After the introductions, we headed straight out into the vineyard.  On the way to the plot where the adopted vines of Gourmet Odyssey's clients are located, Christine explained to us the different grape varieties planted in the vineyard, and she started to talk about the many manual tasks that are necessary to produce the best quality grapes.

Once we had arrived at the Merlot plot at the far end of the vineyard, we dispersed among the rows of vines, chalkboard in hand, to find our adopted vines! 

Due to the cold and wet spring, the vines are a few weeks behind where they would be in a normal year.  Usually, we would have had lots of shoots to remove from the vine trunks, but they proved surprisingly hard to find.  It's important to get rid of the lower shoots because they won't produce any fruit, and will just drain energy from the plant.  Later, they can also act as a bridge to bring disease from the ground to the grapes if not removed.

There is much wildlife in the vineyard at Château Beau Rivage.  In the sky, some buzzards circled above and we even saw the odd stork, and on the ground rabbits were seen hopping and running between the vine rows.  But the rabbits are a little too fond of the shoots on the young vines, and as a result, the plot that has recently been replanted is taking longer to establish itself than wanted.  But that gave us another job to do!  To protect them from the rabbits, we removed the weeds from around the vines, and then placed a protective cover around them.

After all that hard work, the wine tasting was just reward!  We started with the clairet, a type of Bordeaux rosé wine, followed by the Raphaël 2007.

We then sat down to eat lunch in the barn and to continue the wine tasting, including the "Château Beau Rivage" wine chosen for the Gourmet Odyssey Experience, Christine's "Clos la Bohème" Haut-Médoc , and "Le Phare".

In the afternoon, we went into the cellar where Christine continued to answer our questions.  She explained how the grapes are received during the harvest and what happens during the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation stages.

In the barrel room, we discovered Christine's other fascinating universe, that of a cooper. She enlightened us on the interaction between the oak and wine that takes place in the barrels and its importance in ageing Bordeaux wines.

Very many thanks to Christine and Guillaume for sharing their passion for winemaking with us, and of course, to all our clients who, we hope, left appreciating a little more the vast and varied profession of being a winemaker!

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Over a cup of coffee and a few croissants, Jean-François enlightened us about the notion of Appellations and the importance that the different terroirs in Burgundy play, the roots from which date back to the monks in the nearby village of Citeaux! After an introduction to the winery, and the evolution of the wine making over the past few generations, we made the most of the sun to learn more about the geology and its impact on the wine.

From the garden in front of the chateau, you have a splendid view of the surrounding hills, and Jean-François pointed out the vineyards that are classified as Premier Cru, Village or for general Burgundy wine. The differences can seem rather theoretical and abstract, but when you can see the different plots in front of you, all is much clearer! After some additional explanations on the principal grape varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, that are grown in Burgundy, we headed to the winery building, accompanied by Yannick, the winery's Technical Director.

We followed the route that the grapes and then the wine take from the time of harvest, through the fermentation and ageing stages in making wine. A little teaser for those who are coming back for the Harvest and Vinification Experience Days!

Following the explanations of how the reception hall functions, we turned our attention to the barrels. Where do they come from? What wood is used to make them? What work is done before the bottling takes place? ...

We then ventured outside for the aperitif, and started to taste some of the white wines produced by Domaine Chapelle, the Santenay Saint-Jean and the Meursault. During the meal, we continued the tasting with some of the reds, including the Santenay Clos des Cornières and an Aloxe Corton. Some fine wines to accompany the Burgundy specialities that we savoured during the meal.

We spent the afternoon in the vineyard, first to visit our plot of adopted vines. Pruned and the soil recently tilled, the Clos des Cornières vineyard saw some of us take up some unusual positions and grimaces for those who were tempted to try and win a magnum of wine in the photo competition!

The neighbouring vineyard is planted with Chardonnay, and we crossed the road to take a look. Surprise! The vines were not pruned in the same way. Each grape varietal has its own specificities, and as the ethos at Domaine Chapelle is to concentrate on the work in the vineyard and then to let the wine express itself as naturally as possibly in the cellar, each vineyard plot is worked individually to maximise the potential of the coming harvest.

Yannick showed us how to tidy up the branches and attach them to the training wires. Even at this stage, we are working to control the number of grapes that each vine will produce, and to try and help the future grapes to reach maturity at the same time. We were then each given the chance to have a go ourselves!

Domaine Chapelle is organically certified, so we also took the time to discover what exactly that entails. What products are used? In what doses? What is the difference from conventional farming methods? Yannick answered our questions, and told us about some of the difficulties that they have had to overcome.

Back at the winery, the day finally drew to a close. We loaded the cars up with wine, and said our goodbyes, at least, until the next time!

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Last weekend, we were welcomed by Marc Plouzeau, the winemaker at Château de la Bonnelière, for two Wine Experience Days covering the vinification, ageing and blending aspects of wine making.

The day started at the winery with a hot drink and some croissants to get to know each other.  Marc Plouzeau then introduced us to the winery and its history, the different terroirs of the region and his vision of organic wine.  It was then time to start the practical side of proceedings!

The first workshop concentrated on our senses.  One of the most difficult things to do when tasting wine is to find the words to describe it and to explain why we like it or don't like it.   To help us, we had to identify the aromas contained in small flasks.  Some were easy to name, whilst other proved more subtle and difficult to pinpoint.  We identified the aromas in wine that are the result of the fruit and terroir, and those that are obtained when the wine is aged in oak barrels.

We then headed to the chai to see the vats and some of the barrels.  Marc explained the choices he takes to produce the wine to the high standards he expects, and we learnt that it's a very detailed process where a small error can have a large impact on the quality of the wine.  He talked us through the fermentation process, when the sugar in the grapes is transformed into alcohol, and the malo lactic fermentation, when the wine becomes rounder by decreasing some of the acidity.  He also explained the difference between a wine aged in the vats and that which is aged in oak barrels.

Then off to the vineyard to get some fresh air.  We stopped off to say hello to our adopted vines and to take some photos!

The morning now finished, we set off for the cellar to begin the wine tasting and to enjoy our meal.  The cellar, located under the Fortress of Chinon, is a very special place and was dug out by hand a couple of hundred years ago.  We started the tasting with a sparkling wine that has no added sulphur, the 'Perles Sauvages' 2011, and is perfect for an aperitif.  We then sat down to eat amongst the barrels in the cellar.  During the meal we tasted some of the different red wines, including the 'Clos de la Bonnelière 2011', which is the wine chosen for the Gourmet Odyssey clients.

A short tour of the cellar to digest the meal and wines, and then it was time to start the final workshop of the day to learn how to blend wine.
We split into groups and tasted 5 different wines from the 2012 vintage that are still in the process of ageing.  The wines were chosen to show the specificity between different Chinon terroirs and the choice of ageing in a barrel or vat.  There was also a press wine to bring more structure.  We then started to blend our own wines.  The aim was to find the best harmony by mixing different wines together.  Not as easy as it sounds, but when done right, the blend can make something much more interesting than any one of the wines on its own.

Many thanks to Marc Plouzeau for letting us in on his fascinating profession, one that is rich, varied and very interesting.  Thanks also to our apprentice winemakers for getting stuck in and we hope that you has as enjoyable day as we did!

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Last Saturday we were at Domaine Stentz-Buecher in the Alsacien village of Wettolsheim for the very first Wine Experience Day at the winery.  And if they all go as well, then we're well set!  A passionate winemaking family, a group of very interested clients, a most enjoyable time spent together, and even some sunshine!

We were welcomed by Céline and Stéphane Stentz who introduced us to the region and the winery.  Their father Jean-Jacques, officially retired but who continues to work each day, also spent the morning with us.

We then headed off to the Rosenberg vineyard, home to our adopted vines that will produce the grapes for the 2013 vintage.

It's the end of the pruning period at the moment, all of the vines needing to be pruned before the sap rises up in the plants with the arrival of the warmer spring days.  We walked through the vineyards until we reached a plot of Grand Cru vines that still had to be pruned.

Jean-Jacques and Stéphane explained why we prune and how to do so, and then we each had a go at pruning for ourselves.  Something that's not as easy as you would imagine!

We also learnt more about working the soil, and Jean-Jacques even prepared a couple of vine cuttings to be planted back at home.  You'll have to keep us posted if they take or not!

Back at the winery, we tasted several of the wines produced by the Stentz family, starting with the Pinot Gris Rosenberg, which is the wine chosen by Gourmet Odyssey.  Stéphane explained the differences between the Rieslings, Gewürztraminers and other wines that we tasted.  The tasting continued over the lunch of choucroute and other regional specialties.

In the afternoon, Stéphane took us through the rest of the work that will be accomplished in the vineyard between now and the harvest, and explained how he will choose the optimum time to harvest.   We took a tour of the cellar to see the wine press, the barrels, vats and casks, the oldest of which dates from 1899!  He introduced us to the vinification side of winemaking, and we could even hear the gurgles of the wine that is currently still fermenting.

Many thanks to our clients who shared this first day at the winery with us with such enthusiasm and good humour, and of course to the Stentz family for welcoming us with such passion.  We look forward to coming back for the next day soon!

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We spent last Saturday in the Rhône Valley with Marie-Pierre and Eric Plumet, the owners and winemakers at Domaine la Cabotte.  It was the very first Wine Experience Day at the winery, and this long awaited moment went very well.  But with such passionate winemakers in such a splendid setting, it would be difficult not to have a good time!

The aim of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience is to discover more, not only about wine, but also about the multi-faceted profession of being a winemaker.  During the Discovery Experience Day, we spend most of the time in the vineyard, learning about the work involved in nurturing the vines to produce the best grapes possible come harvest time.

So off we headed to the vineyard, to start the day in the plot where the adopted vines of our clients are located.  We took a few minutes to take some photos with the vines, and to whisper sweet nothings to them.  Some people even started naming them!

Eric spoke to us about the different grape varietals that are planted in the vineyard, and showed us the various pruning methods used.  We're approaching the end of the pruning period at the winery, but Eric and Marie-Pierre had set aside a few rows for us to prune.After a few demonstrations on how to prune, we spread out, a large pair of clippers in hand, to give it a go ourselves.  It's not easy at first, but once we each had a few vines under our belt, we gained in confidence.

We pruned two rows of vines.  We weren't necessarily as quick as the professionals, but it's nevertheless very satisfying.  We had well earned our wine tasting!

The wine tasting began with the two Côtes du Rhône white wines made at the winery, before tasting the red wines.  First up, the AOC Massif D'Uchaux Gabriel, followed by the Chateauneud-du-Pape.

Only local products were on the menu for lunch.  Marie-Pierre had prepared small pieces of toast with truffles found by her dog the day before and drizzled olive oil from the winery's olive trees!  We tasted the wine chosen for Gourmet Odyssey, the Massif d'Uchaux Garance 2011, with the main course, and after some local goat's cheese, we were treated to a lemon desert served with biscuits made using almonds gathered from the tree outside.  Some even left with the recipes!

A digestive walk amongst the vines was most welcome afterwards.  Eric described the work throughout the different seasons, and showed us the difference in vines in the different plots.

Back at the winery, we finished the day in the cellar.  We saw the vats used to ferment and age the wines, something that will be covered in more detail during the Harvest and Vinification Experience Days..

The winery is biodynamically certified by Demeter, and so Eric explained the philosophy behind this environmentally friendly way of working.  We were even treated to smelling some of the fertilizer made using organic cow dung, which will help give more energy and strength to the vines!

Many thanks to our clients who participated in the day and to Marie-Pierre for sharing their passion for what they do with such authenticity and simplicity!

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During the first weekend of March, Domaine Chapelle in Santenay welcomed two groups of apprentice winemakers for two different wine experience days.  For one group it was the last in the 2012 series, and for the other the first of the 2013 vintage.  In the warmth of the reception hall, Jean François and Yvette introduced us to the distinctiveness of the Burgundy terroir and working organically.

 

Saturday 2nd March : Vinification Experience Day

On Saturday we concentrated on the ageing and blending of the wine. With Yannick and Yvette we learnt some wine tasting techniques with a series of workshops to develop the sense of smell and taste, and found out how the wine interacts and evolves in the oak barrels.

Far from just be contained in the barrels, the wine is very active, exchanging with the wood and the air, and the winemaker must remain attentive at all times.  With the large part of the work having been done in the vineyard, the room to manoeuver is limited.
A first series of tasting enabled us to discover the different influences that new and old oak can have on the same wine.

We headed out into the vineyard after lunch to visit the adopted vines, and gave us the opportunity to see the work that had been carried out since our last visit.  The pruning has now been done, and the contrast with the luxurious green from September is striking. 

Back at the winery, we tasted a few glasses of the 2012 vintage.  It's still in the process of ageing, and will soften considerably by the time it is bottled later in the year.  We concluded the day by comparing wines from the different areas of the Clos des Cornières vineyard, which are from three different ages of vines.

Sunday 3 March: Discovery Experience Day

On Sunday morning, our new winemakers launched the new cycle of the Wine Experience for the 2013 vintage.  Delighted to reveal the secrets of his profession (or at least some of them!), Jean-François welcomed us to Domaine Chapelle, happily noting that at the start of the 4th year working with Gourmet Odyssey, he still had as much to say and to teach his guests.

Jean-François recounted the history of the winery, from the beginnings with the great great uncle, the local history of the Côte de Beaune region and the influence of the Cîteaux monks, the relationship between the commercial and agricultural sides of the business, the choice of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy, and the introduction of the appellation Contrôlée in 1935...  This overview enabled us to become acquainted with the region, and to learn that winemakers don't necessarily work in the same way from Bordeaux, Mondragon or Santenay!

We started to discuss the issues and choices that a winemaker is faced with.  The decision to work organically, the fruit of a personal decision concerning the wine and its impact on the surrounding environment, has consequences that you can immediately see in the vineyard.

The rest of the morning was spent in the vineyard.  We visited several plots of vines to see the difference in pruning methods.   Which branches to cut and leave?  We don't necessarily prune the same way in all the vineyards or for Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

We then headed to meet our adopted vines.  Once again out came the cameras!

Then back to the winery to taste the wines from Domaine Chapelle and for lunch.

In the afternoon, we visited the fermentation hall and the cellars.  It was an introduction to the winemaking side of things, quiet now, but frenetic at harvest time!  Reception of the grapes, following of the fermentation, blending before bottling...  Despite appearances, this room is rarely truly quiet.

We then descended into the labyrinth of cellars under the winery buildings to discover the hidden treasures.  A nice way to end the day before returning for the harvest!

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On the list of essential equipment for winemakers are a thick woolly hat, a good pair of gloves and some warm boots.  And last weekend we need all of these for the Discovery Experience day at Château de la Bonnelière!

We started the day in the Clos de la Bonnelière vineyard, where the adopted vines are located.  Once we had taken a few minutes for everyone to find their vines and takes a few photos, we followed Marc Plouzeau, the winemaker at the winery to the other side of the vineyard.

At this time of year, it's pruning season.  It's a very important step in controlling the growth of the wines and in assuring the quality of the harvest to come.  Marc showed us which branches to cut and which to keep.  In theory it's fairly simple, but you quickly understand that each vine isn't necessarily identical, and that there are many exceptions to the rule!

Once we had had a go at pruning ourselves, Marc then explained the rest of the work that will be done in the vineyard between now and the harvest.  We also visited the shed where he keeps all of the machinery and tools used in working the vines and the soil.

After a visit to the fermentation hall, we headed off to the winery's magnificent cellar, located directly underneath the Chinon Fortress.

The wine tasting had been well earnt!  The Perle Sauvage naturally sparkling wine to start with, followed by the winery's Chenin Blanc.

In the middle of the cellar and surrounded by the oak barrels, we continued the tasting of the red wines over lunch, including the Clos de la Bonnelière and the Chapelle wines that have both recently won medals at the Millésime Bio organic wine fair.

 

In the afternoon, Marc took us on a tour of the cellar, explaining its history and how the stone was extracted from the galleries to build the fortress overhead.

Marc introduced us to the ageing side of wine making by showing us the oak casks and barrels, and also demonstrated the rotating machine used in making the sparkling wine.

Many thanks to all who participated in this jovial and interesting day.

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