Dates: October 20-26, 2013
5 days, 6 nights
Limited to 18 participants
Instructor: Jean-Pierre Renard

Burgundy Trip Itinerary*

Sunday, October 20

Participants will arrive independently by train to the city of Beaune and transfer on your own by taxi to the charming, historic Hotel le Clos in nearby Montagny-les-Beaune (just a 5 minute drive from Beaune). You may want to arrive a bit early and see some of the historic sites of Beaune, like the Hospices de Beaune (Hotel Dieu). Enjoy dinner on your own in Montagny (we suggest Le Berger du Temps) or in Beaune.

Monday, Ocotber 21: Côte de Beaune (B, L, D)

Transfer to the Burgundy Wine School this morning, where you’ll begin your exploration of this fascinating region with instructor Jean-Pierre Renard. He’ll start with an overview of the region’s AOCs, followed by a tutored tasting of four wines illustrating the hierarchy of the Burgundy appellations. Then visit the legendary Côte de Beaune where you’ll enjoy a gourmet lunch at the Bistrot of L’Ermitage de Corton. Visit the vineyards of Corton and Corton-Charlemagne where Jean-Pierre will discuss the unique characteristics of these renowned terroirs. Return to Beaune and the famed négociant Bouchard Père et Fils, where you’ll see their ancient cellars, taste a selection of their fine wines, and find out more about the current state of the négociant system in Burgundy.  Move on to the Côte de Beaune for a vineyard walk and discussion of the vegetative cycle of the vine and methods of culture in this area. Your welcome dinner is themed “Hidden Treasures: Good value for your money in the village appellations,” at gastronomic restaurant Le Cheval Noir in Beaune. Transfer back to your hotel late evening.

Tuesday, October 22: Mâconnais & Côte Chalonnaise (B, L)

Your destination today is the Mâconnais and the Côte Chalonnaise, where you’ll begin the day in the vineyards of Pouilly-Fuissé, followed by a tour and tasting at Domaine Thibert.  Another tour and tasting awaits you at a top producer in Saint Véran before lunch in a fine local bistrot.  The afternoon holds a visit and tasting at Domaine du Meix Foulot in Mercurey before returning to your hotel. The evening is yours to dine in Montagny or venture into Beaune to explore the city and its great restaurants.

Wednesday, October 23: Côte de Beaune (B, L, D)

This morning Jean-Pierre will talk about the rich history of winemaking in Burgundy. Then he’ll review the Côte de Beaune appellations and key statistics, followed by a tutored tasting of wines from this area. To understand red wine-making traditions in the Côte de Beaune, you’ll visit a top producer of Pommard or Volnay this morning before a gourmet lunch at Le Montrachet restaurant in Puligny-Montrachet. White wine vinification techniques will be discussed at two producer visits and tastings this afternoon, at Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine in Pernand-Vergelesses and a fine producer in one of the famed white wine appellations of Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet or Meursault.  At dinner tonight you will explore the climats of Burgundy in the impressive cellars of restaurant Le Conty in Beaune.

Thursday, October 24: Chablis & Grand Auxerrois (B, L, D)

Travel north today to the vineyards of Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois. You’ll be welcomed at the Maison des Vins de Bourgogne in Chablis where Jean-Pierre will discuss these appellations in detail and lead a tasting of wines from some of the area’s top producers.  You’ll learn about Chablis vinification techniques at one of the best cooperatives in France, La Chablisienne, and enjoy a tasting of their highly-rated wines. After a delicious lunch of local specialties at the Bistrot des Grands Crus in Chablis, you’ll visit Chablis’ Grand Cru vineyards to learn more about their unique terroirs. Then discover the appellations of the Auxerrois at Domaine Jean-François & Pierre-Louis Bersan before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon.  Enjoy a discussion of older vintages tonight at dinner at the Bistrot du Bord de l’Eau, a charming gourmet restaurant in a historic 18th century home in nearby Levernois.

Friday, October 25: Côte de Nuits & Haute-Côtes de Nuits (B, L, D)

Back to the Côte de Nuits today for more in-depth study of this renowned part of the Côte d’Or. Begin with a tutored tasting of Côtes de Nuits and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits wines and a discussion of the appellations and key statistics of the area.  A visit and tasting at Domaine Taupenot-Merme awaits you in the Grand Cru village of Morey-St. Denis.  Enjoy lunch in the elegant atmosphere of Chez Guy in Gevrey-Chambertin. Then Jean-Pierre will accompany you to the Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits to discuss these renowned terroirs. A visit to Domaine des Perdrix in Premeaux Prissey rounds out the afternoon.  Your gala farewell dinner will be at the gastronomic restaurant Le Clos du Cèdre in Beaune.

Saturday, October 26 (B)

Your study trip in Burgundy comes to an end today after breakfast.  Transfer on your own to Beaune train station for your return trip, or spend the morning at Beaune’s large and colorful outdoor market, or perhaps add a day or two to your trip to explore Beaune and its historic sites.

Legend for meals included in your tour: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

* Itinerary subject to change: every effort will be made to keep the itinerary as close as possible to what appears here; however, the final itinerary and estates/winemakers included may vary due to wine producer schedules, availability and factors beyond our control.  The wine estates visited during this trip will all be of the highest quality.

Hotel rooms: we are staying in a small, charming hotel on this trip. As a result, the rooms will not all be exactly the same, and they may also be in different categories.  We will assign hotel rooms in the order of sign-ups for the trip. ALL rooms will be very comfortable and have the same services (en-suite bathrooms, A/C, WiFi, etc.).

Your 5 Day, 6 Night Burgundy Immersion Study Trip includes:

• Instruction throughout by Jean-Pierre Renard, renowned Burgundy expert and resident of the area
• The complete Burgundy Master Level French Wine Society online course, including the written manual, online webinars and online exam
• Deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach transportation throughout, with bottled water on-board
• 6 nights at 3-star Hotel Le Clos in Montagny-les-Beaune, double occupancy
• 4 gourmet dinners with fine wines
• 5 gourmet lunches with fine wines, including one at a wine estate
• 6 delicious breakfasts
• All professional-level tours and extensive tastings at top-quality wine producers
• All hotel and other taxes, and gratuities for included restaurants

Price per person, double occupancy: US$ 3,895.00

Enrolled Student Price per person, double occupancy: US $ 3,695.00

(Enrolled Student Price is for registrants already fully or partially enrolled in the Bordeaux Master-Level program**)

Single Supplement: US$ 365.00

Deposit upon reservation: US$ 750.00 per person, per trip

Take a second trip, get 5% off!***

NOTE: There are a limited number of twin rooms available (2 single beds). Please let us know if you’d like to share a twin room with another participant to avoid the single supplement and pay the double occupancy price instead.

**The Enrolled Study Price applies to those currently studying in the Bordeaux Master-Level program or who have completed it. Full registration in the Bordeaux Master-Level program means students who have previously ordered the Bordeaux Master-Level study manual, exam registration and online study program. Registrants only partially enrolled in the region’s Master-Level program with the FWS (eg.: Only have Bordeaux manual and exam, or only Bordeaux online study program…) will get the Enrolled Trip Price and will be invoiced directly by FWS for the portion of the Master-Level they are missing at a 50% discount on prices listed on the FWS website. If an updated manual is needed, it can be purchased at a 50% discount.

***After you have reserved a first trip, get 5% off each additional trip you reserve in the same calendar year. This discount is calculated on the Enrolled Student double occupancy price for the additional Trip(s) and will be deducted from the final balance payment for the Trip. The most expensive of the trips you reserve will be considered the "first" trip and the 5% discount will be calculated on the other trip(s) you reserve in the same calendar year.

Space is limited to 18 participants, so reserve your space today!

Why study Bourgogne... in Bourgogne?

Bourgogne takes the broad French concept of terroir and winnows it down to something infinitesimally exacting within the framework of AOC law. There are approximately 500 AOCs, or designated zones of wine production, in France. One hundred and one of them are in Bourgogne alone.  This northeastern section of France representing a 140 miles stretch from Chablis to the Mâconnais, is responsible for 6% of French wine production, yet represents 20% of all French AOCs.

The landscape is fractured; the vineyards fragmented by extensive multiple-ownership. Bourgogne is both complicated and complex…and seeing is believing.

There are not 140 miles of distance between Chablis and the Mâconnais, but rather 45 million years of geological history represented in soils on and around escarpments, coombs, colluviums, fault lines, and bioherms. One visit to Burgundy will make you a terroir-ist for the rest of your life.

About your lead instructor & guide: Jean-Pierre Renard

Mr. Renard is widely considered one of the top authorities on Burgundy wine.  He speaks and teaches (in fluent English) about Burgundy wine at conferences and seminars around the world, at the University of Burgundy, and for the BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne), the entity representing the Burgundy wine industry.

Mr. Renard is a board member of the wine research laboratory Vitagora Vigne & Vin, wine editor of the professional wine journal of Burgundy, Bourgogne Magazine, and sits on the expert panel that advises the European Gustatory Sciences Centre. He has also been asked by French national television channel France 3 Bourgogne to present a weekly program on Burgundy vineyards and wine.

Throughout the years he has formed a vast network of relationships, both personal and professional, in the region's wine industry, which makes him a reference when it comes to Burgundy.

Words on Jean-Pierre’s teaching style (by FWS Director of Education, Lisa Airey):

“Jean-Pierre Renard is a captivating lecturer. I have attended two master-level programs under his tutelage and each and every time I have had many, many ‘ah-ha’ moments. Jean-Pierre teaches about Burgundy with incredible depth and depth of understanding. He has got a gift--an innate ability to clarify the murkiest of topics with concrete facts, historical perspective plus good humor and grace. The more you know about Burgundy, the more you will take away. Not the other way around. Come prepared and you’ll walk away enlightened.”

For more information:

To coordinate our Burgundy wine tour and help to make them unforgettable, we have partnered with Veraison Sommelier Consultants, which will operate the tours. Veraison is managed and owned by FWS member Lauriann Greene, Sommelier-conseil, who has many years of experience in organizing exceptional wine tours in France.

Lauriann will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Contact her:

• via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
• or by phone at  +1-954-903-0589
  

You may also find answers to most questions you might have in our FAQ page.