Rather than hesitating over which bottle of wine to choose, turn them into an apprentice winemaker. They'll follow the progress of their adopted vines and all of the work in the cellar until their wine is made and bottled, together with their own personalised wine labels.

And if they are the type that like to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in, why not send them to one of our partner wineries for one or more Wine Experience Days, where they will be able to meet the winemaker, see their adopted vines, and share a winemaker's meal with a tasting of the vineyard's wines?

All of the days are accessible to novices as well as those with a more in depth wine knowledge. Through hands on participation, the days are focused to give an insight into what it's actually like to be a winemaker, and to gain a better understanding of all the work and decisions necessary to make a quality wine. There are three types of Experience Days; the Discovery Experience Day to learn more about the work in the vineyard to produce the best quality grapes possible, the Harvest Experience Day to pick the grapes and follow their journey into the fermentation tanks, and the Vinification Experience Day to track the work in the cellar to ferment, age, blend and bottle the wine.

All of our partner winemakers are organically or biodynamically certified, and are passionate about sharing the love of their profession. They will welcome you with pleasure and will talk about their daily life, the methods they have chosen to adopt to make their wine, and their commitment to making their wine as environmentally friendly as possible.

To find out more about our unique and authentic approach to discovering the world of winemaking, take a look at our personalised Christmas wine experience gifts. Your recipient will be sure to remember this original and participative gift for a long time to come. And this year, it won't just be Father Christmas who'll need to get his boots on!

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For those who are headed to the warmer climes in the south of France, the Bordeaux region is famed the world over for its wine-making prowess. In between visiting the numerous château, take the time to meander along the routes des vins. If you pass Macau-en-Médoc, stop off at the Tonellerie Nadalié, the cooperage owned by the family of Christine Nadalié, our partner winemaker at Château Beau Rivage. Making barrels is a truly fascinating sight, and a real art form. Whilst you're there enjoy a meal at the excellent 1902 restaurant.

Further south again, and you'll find yourself in the Languedoc-Rousillon region, steeped in history with its medieval villages and monuments, and vast mountainous landscapes. Surprise yourself by the depth and variety of its cuisine and wine, and if you're passing Pézenas, stop off for some wine tasting at Domaine Allegria, and admire the chai, which is a striking example of contemporary and environmentally friendly architecture.

Coming back up the Rhone Valley on the east side of France, you'll be seduced by the Provencal specialties such as truffles, olive oil, walnuts, and chestnuts, which perfectly match the wines of the region. And if you're looking for a relaxing place in the middle of nature, then Eric and Marie-Pierre, the winemakers at Domaine la Cabotte, have mapped out some trails through their vineyards to take in views of the Dentelles de Montmirail ridge, the Mont Ventoux and to discover the terroir of the Massif d'Uchaux.

You can't talk about gastronomy without mentioning Burgundy! The region is a must for all food and wine aficionados. If you are in the Cote de Beaune wine region, don't hesitate to visit Domaine Chapelle, situated in the picturesque village of Santenay. Further north, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard will welcome you for a winemaker meal, wine tastings or can put you up in one of their gites.

For history buffs, the Loire Valley is the perfect destination, but it's also highly recommended for its cuisine. Stop off in Chinon, and visit the caves dug in the 12th century to extract the stone used to build the fortress above. One of these caves is now home to the cellar of Château de la Bonnelière, who will be delighted to let you taste their latest wines.

And lastly, for those you are looking for an early taster of the Christmas markets in Alsace, you won't be disappointed by the numerous local specialties. On the wine route from Eguisheim, one of France's prettiest villages, stop off at Domaine Stentz-Buecher in Wettolsheim, where Céline and Stéphane, the owners, will be sure to let you know of all the best local events happening and of course to taste their wines!

For all of the proposed activities or if you would like to visit one of our partner vineyards, don't forget to contact them in advance to make an appointment and to check on opening times.

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More information on the Christmas delivery date limits

Turn you loved ones into an apprentice winemaker for a winemaking year! A very original Christmas gift that sees them adopted their own vines in a French organic vineyard. They'll follow all the key stages in making their wine from the work in the vineyard and cellar up to choosing the name for their personalised bottles of wine.

And to complete you Christmas gift, you can also include one of the Wine Experience Days at the winery. The Discovery Experience Day will allow them to get behind the scenes and learn about caring for the vines to bring the grapes to optimum maturity. The Harvest Experience Day will see them get involved in picking the grapes and following their path into the fermentation tanks. Or why not include a Vinification Experience Day to learn more about the work in the cellar and blending the wines.

Each Experience Day is valid for two people and lasts a whole day. You'll spend the day with the winemakers, get involved in one or more practical tasks, taste the estate's wines and share a meal of other local delicacies.

All of our partner vineyards are organically certified and the winemakers have been chosen for the passion that they share for their profession. They'll welcome you warmly and let you in behind the scenes to discover what it's really like to be a winemaker.

To have something to open right away in front of the Christmas tree, your recipient will receive a welcome pack containing a sommelier's apron, DropStop, personalised certificate and details regarding their chosen Wine Experience. A truly unique and hand's on experience to learn more about wine.

More information on the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience

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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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With just a few weeks to go, the pressure is mounting to find that original Christmas present idea?

Don't worry - Gourmet Odyssey might have just the Christmas gift for a wine enthusiast that you've been looking for.  Not only is it an original gift experience, but it's also organic!

Adopt some vines and give an unusual wine experience gift.  Your recipient will become the adoptive owner of their plot of organic vines in France, and can also get involved in helping to make their wine at the vineyard, guided by one of our passionate winemakers during one of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience days.

During these hands-on wine courses, each valid for two people, you will discover what it takes to be a winemaker, and what secrets lie behind making a bottle of great wine.  It?s also a great excuse to visit some of France's most famous wine growing regions.

Throughout the Wine Experience, you are kept updated of the key steps in nurturing the vines, the harvest, and the work in the cellar via newsletters.

And at the end of the experience, you get to choose the name of your vintage and receive a bottle of personalised wine for each adopted vine!

So how's that for a Christmas gift that breaks the mould?

Follow this link for more information about the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience.

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Gourmet Odyssey will be one of the select exhibitors at the Rare Brand Christmas Market at the Goodwood Racecourse in West Sussex.

 

This event brings together a wide range of small, independent boutique brands that offer unique and original Christmas gift ideas.  So if you're looking for an original Christmas present, come to the Rare Brand Market, and make sure you visit us at the Gourmet Odyssey stand!

Opening Times of the Rare Brand Christmas Market:

Wednesday 17th November, 9am to 8pm

Thursday 18th November, 9am to 5pm

Goodwood Race Course, Goodwood, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0PS

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