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February 28, 2011

Dreaming of Alsace?

Filed under: Alsace, Bike, European bike tours, France, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:16 pm

Biking in late winter:  It’s cold and there’s slush on the road. So I’m dreaming of Colmar in the north of France. NOT because Colmar is cold!

Because it’s dry, the second driest city in France.  Drier than Nimes, Avignon, or Nice type dry. I’m dreaming of the massive bells of St. Martin singing out in warm tones, the quintessential coffee at the outdoor café, the open timbers and dark volcanic rock of the town’s well-preserved medieval buildings. The vision is expanding.

The rows of vines that glide up the foothills of the Vosges Mountains

The sun is out on the rows of vines that glide up the foothills of the Vosges Mountains.  One can imagine the warm day, on a bike with dry feet, pedaling towards a tasting of Grand Cru wines in Riquewhir, getting the pulse rate up on a climb through deciduous forests.  The evening is reserved for a feast in Kayersburg, and the cool night is perfect for an after-dinner stroll and a restorative sleep. I’m dreaming of a bicycle tour in Alsace.

At DuVine Adventures, we offer bicycle tours in France including; Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, and so many more to fulfill and exceed your dreams – we offer the Alsace to reveal those still undiscovered.  The beauty of half-timbered villages decorated in flowers, the mountaintop castles looking over views of the Black Forest on the German side of the Rhine, the peaceful silence hidden in the thick woods, we at DuVine Adventures want to invite you to this all. And of course much more.

The Alsace is a contradictory place – not quite French, not quite German – nestled into the high Vosges on one side, defined by the Rhine River and its valley on the other.

One of the charming villages nestled into the Alsatian countryside

Strasbourg, its capital city, is the cosmopolitan home to the European Parliament (part of the legislative branch of the European Union); but its elderly still prefer to speak the regional dialect, Alsatian.  It is the home of stocky, homey meals like choucroute (sauerkraut and pork) and also Olivier Nasti, France’s best chef of 2007 – and darn right we eat at his restaurant!

And the wine! Oh my gosh!  I’m about to crumble into a whole bunch of wine-nerdism but for those of you just needing assurance about the wines I’ve one word – BEAUTIFUL.  If wine talk bores you, go to the next paragraph.  For the rest of you…  THE WINES OF THE ALSACE ARE SOME OF THE BEST TASTING, AND SOME OF THE BEST DEALS, IN THE WORLD.  Arguably the best pinot in the world, La Romanée Conté goes for around $6000 a bottle on a lucky day. Clos St. Hume, arguably the best dry riesling in the world, goes for around $200 (Still not cheap – but, the best). And reisling is more expressive of “terroir” than pinot noir. Speaking of terroir, the Alsace is cooler than Burgundy.

Yeah, I said that.  COOLER THAN BURGUNDY.  Burgundy has limestone and clay.  Alsace has those and basalt and volcanic sands and granite.  Burgundy’s big guns are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Alsace comes at you with Riesling and Gewürtztraminer and Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and and Muscat and Sylvaner and Pinot Blanc and they grow the Chardonnay on the flats to make their delicious sparkling wine.  So you combine all those different soils, with all the different expositions on the hillsides, with all those different grapes, and you’ve got nearly limitless possibilities of wines.

The wines of Alsace

… And the wines are usually dry, unless you ask for their amazing production of sweet wines.  Ok, so we are all back together, wine lovers and maybe those interested in biking more than wine.  The biking!  The Vosges Mountains are the forgotten range of France.  When the Tour de France first looked for a mountain stage in 1905, it was in the Vosges.  When Henrich Haussler escaped the peloton in unseasonably cold rainy weather for a day of glory in 2009, it was in the Vosges.

They are not the Alps or the Pyrénées but the rides work up an appetite.  There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from biking a mountain to see the Rhine Valley from an eagle’s view.  And there is a sense of serenity that one finds biking through the cloister of trees in the Vosges that sets them apart from their larger counterparts.

Haute-Koenigsbourg castle

My legs are a little tired.  I might have imagined the climb up to Haute-Koenigsbourg castle too vividly.

There is still slush on the ground outside, here in Boston.  In a few short months DuVine Adventures will be on the Alsatian slopes pedaling under a canopy of trees; or in a winemaker’s home, tasting a dry Riesling; and in an awarded restaurant, eating a thoughtfully prepared meal.  We want you to be there with us on an Alsatian bicycle tour!

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February 24, 2011

DuVine Bordeaux vs Piedmont Wine tasting video blog

Filed under: Bordeaux, France, Piedmont, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 4:43 pm

Well the DuVine Guides are at it again, sharpening their wine tasting skills and sharing some great finds with our DuVine guests.  In this Bordeaux versus Piedmont wine tasting, Tommy Pace our France bike tours expert and Tom Coppock our Italy bike tours expert introduce us to 2 different wines, one from our Bordeaux bicycle tour and the other from our Piedmont bicycle tour, both very popular regions.

Check out this video and sharpen your nose in advance of the upcoming European bicycle tour season.

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February 22, 2011

DuVine Inspiration – Nancy Brady

Filed under: Inspiration — Bike tour guru @ 11:38 am

 

Andy with Nancy Brady

Everyone needs a bit of inspiration and there is nothing better than listening to someone talk to you one on one about how they were inspired, where it led them and how it changed their life.  Here at DuVine, founder Andy Levine, has taken that idea to heart, and in between travel seasons he invites really interesting people to our offices to share their stories.

You may recall some of last year’s DuVine Inspirations – two Harvard doctors biking across the U.S. and teaching radiology as they went, cancer survivor Jothy Rosenberg a champion one-legged, one-lunged skier, swimmer and cyclist, and an early model of how to triumph over cancer and disability and John Rosenthall, Founder of Stop Handgun Violence and Friends of Boston’s Homeless all three of which were great inspirations to us.

Nancy Brady speaking to DuVine staff

This same sort of inspiration was also the case for us when Nancy Brady dropped in for lunch and to tell us her story of how working in Kampala, Uganda, focusing on infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria inspired her to an active role in critical public health issues in Africa.  For many in the New England area the “Brady” name invokes many sports inspirations but it is clear that Nancy has made her own name inspiring people, a trait which runs strong in her family.

Infectious Disease Institute Uganda

Nancy’s recent journey began when she applied to Pfizer’s social responsibility program, which encourages employees to give back by working with at-risk communities experiencing significant public health issues.  This brought her to The Infectious Disease Institute [IDI], which was established in 2004 in Uganda with support from the Accordia Global Health Foundation.  The IDI works to train doctors and health providers from all over Africa to treat  HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, which are at epidemic proportions in many areas of the continent.  So taken by her experience in Uganda that upon her return she set to creating a fund raising event that raised $250,000 and set her on a pathway of learning and sharing the situation of this critical public health challenge.

So, what inspired her so much about this experience?

Well on the surface there are the intellectual reasons that first bring things into focus.  The plain fact is that diseases like HIV and malaria cause immense human suffering in Africa.  The challenge is that once you pull back the covers it becomes clear that this is a complex issue stretching across cultural, governmental and resource issues.  Many people take a look at these issues and wonder “how could I possibly do anything to impact this?” and once overwhelmed maybe donate some money and move on to potentially easier tasks.  However, this is not the nature of Nancy and so listening to her you could tell that the enormity of it all was part of the inspiration for her, if you are going to get involved in helping people it might as well be something that is really going to impact a large number of people.

Nancy Brady in Uganda

In listening to her speak it also became clear that it was really the people that were inspiring her to make a difference. As she describes it there are doctors and health care workers throughout Africa working with virtually no resources but that they still travel immense distances to get to the IDI to learn more so that they can help their communities.  There are communities and families that have been ravaged by these diseases, leaving many without spouses to raise families and children without any parents.  Yet, these people can still find the drive to continue onwards, to smile when given the chance and to essentially look towards a brighter future when many would just stop in their tracks never to move forward again.

For us, it was Nancy’s final summary, roughly paraphrased; I don’t tell you this story so that you will rush out and donate to my cause, but to inspire you to find a cause that you can believe in as passionately as I do mine and to embrace it with all that you can.

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February 21, 2011

The Wines of Bordeaux

Filed under: Bike, Bordeaux, France, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:13 pm

It doesn’t matter where you are, or where you’re from, when the name “Bordeaux” is uttered, you immediately think of wine. Of course at DuVine we also think of bicycle tours in Bordeaux.  This region, graced by phenomenal soils and an oceanic climate, is all about our favorite beverage. Almost everyone thinks immediately of red wines but the region also produces large quantities of white.

A Tasting in Bordeaux

The reds are beautiful, luscious, rich and complex with black fruit flavors. The dry whites highlight Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon & Muscadelle grape varieties which, when blended, create light, fruity and crisp wines. And then there is the Botrytis Cinerea (a.k.a. Noble Rot) infected grapes which produce the fabulous sweet wine bottled as Sauternes.

Blessed by Bacchus, the region boasts, arguably, the most famous wines in the world: Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Petrus, Château Cheval Blanc, Château d’Yquem.

Chateau Margaux

Recently, it appears as though the wine keeps getting better. The 2009 vintage has been hailed as the “vintage of the century.” Bottles from both, 2000 and 2005, have also received extremely high scores from wine critics throughout the world. Although not receiving as much press as the aforementioned years, wonderful wines have been made in 2006, as well as in the difficult years of 2003 and 2007.

Over the past year, DuVine guests have had the privilege of tasting exquisite wines from small, local producers as well as from large famous Châteaux. Listing all of the wines would be nearly impossible but there are many that stand out.

Chateau Figeac

Highlighted wines:
2000 Château Angelus
2003 Château Gazin
1996 Château Palmer
1985, 2003, 2005 Couvent des Jacobins
1975 Petit Cheval
2000, 2003 Château Figeac
2000, 2004 Château Lynch-Bages
2004, 2009 (barrel sample) Rauzan-Ségla
1978 Château Kirwan

What makes this Bordeaux wine tour special isn’t just the quality of wine, but the people that we meet at the vineyards and Châteaux. By beginning the tour with smaller producers, we are able to get personalized visits and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the winemaking facilities.

Robert, the owner of Le Moulin de Moustelat, is very proud of his quaint operation. He makes a very traditional Claret, a Bordeaux style rosé, not sweet, slightly tannic – an excellent summer wine. He performs lots of vineyard work for his neighbors as well. Recently, he displayed his machine harvesters to a group of DuVine guests, providing detailed explanations of the functioning of these revolutionary machines.

Up the road, Wilfrid & Jackie have a stunning château where they produce acclaimed red wines, some aged in American oak barrels, as well as a delicate Sauvignon Blanc. Their passion for the region, for farming and for wine is incredibly contagious. We like to start the visit of Château Carbonneau in the fields, amongst the vines. Here we learn the techniques of vineyard management, grape selection and winemaking. We then finish our visit in the dinning room with a delightful home cooked meal. If you travel to Bordeaux during the harvest season, Wilfrid will gladly offer a taste from his fermentation vats or grapes fresh off the vines.

Wilfrid giving a tour at Chateau Carbonneau

Even in famed Saint Emilion we are able to get an “all-access pass” to the wineries. At DuVine we prefer to feature family owned estates – Châteaux where the owners are eager to share their knowledge with visitors. At Château Guadet, Guy-Petrus Lignac offers a visit of his family’s cave, carved in the limestone bedrock below. At Château Figeac, one of the few Premier Grand Cru Classé of Saint Emilion, a DuVine tour was able to meet Thierry Manoncourt, a legendary figure in the Bordeaux winemaking world, before he passed away this summer. Interestingly enough, he was showing off his collection of American wines, extremely proud of his friendship with Robert Mondavi.

And, as luck may have it, 2010 also featured a welcome by Jean-Charles Cazes who recently took over the helm, from his father, Jean-Michel, of Château Lynch-Bages. As a side note, Cordeillan-Bages, a luxury hotel that will be featured on the final night of our DuVine Bordeaux bicycle tour is right next door to the historic wine estate.

With inside knowledge of the region and connections to winemakers, DuVine Adventures is the ultimate way to travel in Bordeaux. We have great new bikes for the 2011 season, beautiful cycling routes and guides that are willing to go the extra mile to make your vacation as relaxing as possible.

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February 17, 2011

DuVine Adventures – Blind Wine Tasting

Filed under: Bordeaux, France, Italy, Piedmont, Video Blog, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 5:12 pm

In the depths of winter and with our European bicycle tour guides in the Boston office, what is our favorite thing to do?

Blind wine tasting of course!

So, how does this work? Well, Andy Levine, DuVine’s founder gave Tom Coppock, Italian Tour Manager and Tommy Pace, French Tour Guide a $40 budget and asked them to go out and find the best wine from the regions that we travel on our bicycle tours in France and bicycle tours in Italy and bring them in for a tasting.

Blind tastings are always a lot of fun and consist of lots of interesting terminology like – funky, earthy and mellow, all great wine terms and the favorite “trust the nose!”.

The two wines that were purchased were:

  • 2001 Chateau Barde-Haut, St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France
  • 2006 Bianco Aldo, Barbaresco, Piemonte, Italy

Both of these wines come from the regions that we run our European bicycle tours and in fact Tommy has ridden by the exact vines that produce the Chateau Barde-Haut.  So, the big question was could Andy correctly guess the wine’s country and region?

You’ll have to watch the video to see what happened.

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February 15, 2011

Ski Safari in the Dolomites

Filed under: Active Travel, Bike, Dolomites, Italy, Skiing — Tags: , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:15 pm

Here’s a tip – get in last, turn and face the window and walk backwards….

Hmmm…wondering what I’m referring to? The gondolas in the Dolomites, of course! It’s the perfect way to guarantee that you’ll be the first on piste to lay fresh tracks in powder! And believe me…you’ll enjoy every minute of this unique Italian ski safari through the labyrinth of interconnected mountains that comprise the Dolomites.

Exploring the Dolomites with Augustina

I was recently invited to explore this isolated region in the mountains of Italy by a colleague, Augustina, who I met this past summer at the ATWS conference in Scotland. Augustina, who is well-known in the industry here, set me up with all the perfect connections. She and her team of guides led us around this secluded skiing paradise from San Cassiano to Cortina…skiing over 40km a day crossing the Dolomites.

A great escape...

What I love about this region, in part, is its inaccessibility. It is 2 hours from Venice and Innsbruck, Austria…no trains in or out…isolated by big mountains and populated by great restaurants! That’s right… food plays a big role in this diverse region…a very important factor. As you cross through the mountains, you will be sampling some of the best Italian foods from ravioli filled with venison, beets, speck or truffles to pasta with wild mushrooms at Michelin-starred restaurants. It’s all about great skiing and amazing food in a remote (and virtually tourist-free!) outdoor sport wild wonderland!

The wild winter wonderland...

Some guys have all the luck…and apparently I was one of them while in the Dolomites. I was treated to sunshine and blue bird days at every turn. And speaking of the slopes…these are the kind of pistes that are made for those who love to ski but not go too extreme – long and scenic (honestly, I could see for miles and miles!) immaculately maintained and great for all levels, including families. Plus a plethora of options to go off-piste, ice-climb, randonee, you-name-it…if it’s a winter sport…it’s here!
It all began in Sellaronda.

Well…first stop was at Rosa Alpina, the Relais & Chateaux in Alta Badia. What a way to begin the adventure! This place epitomizes the perfect ski chalet…with welcoming open fireplaces in your room and an incredible Michelin-starred Restaurant St. Hubertus on-site. Named after the patron saint of hunters, this epic restaurant features a huge exposed kitchen and meals to die for! (Imagine…Austrian-style with outrageously delicious and creative Italian food)  This place is a culture of its own – part Austrian, part Italian and a whole lot of Dolomites! Rosa Alpina is a great spot – my only suggestion is that they need to turn up the heat in the hot tub! Not warm enough for me.

On the slopes in Sellaronda

First day out was on the slopes in Sellaronda – sweet! A 50 km loop began our week long ski safari from rifugi to rifugi eating amazing food and skiing epic powder through the Dolomites.  The concept: skiing and fine cuisine – specially crafted Michelin-star dishes in the alpine huts of Alta Badia – the best of both worlds! A joint effort between the Dolomitici (Alta Badia Michelin-starred chefs), fellow starred chefs from Europe, and ten rifugi. The aim is to focus on and promote the winning combination of skiing and fine food, which are undoubtedly two of the Alta Badia’s strong points. Each chef is teamed up with a specific rifugio, creating recipes which use the best of typical South Tyrol’s produce – each a refined, yet simple and genuine, gourmet dish that the rifugio offers on their menu.

Alta Badia food and wine fest

And I must admit…it is truly a winning combination!
And the skiing, as I have already mentioned…is epic. The vistas are incredible! From the mesmerizing views of the Marmolada Glacier to Passo San Pellegrino and Civetta, resort that offer some of the most stunning views of the Veneto and Trentino Dolomites…and the grand finale…Cortina d’Ampezzo, well-known all over the world for its fascinating beauty and as host to the 1956 Winter Olympics.

What better place to conclude your week long skiing extravaganza than in Cortina? What a town! Feels like a cross between Aspen and St. Moritz ( …a little more St. Moritz than Aspen) but nonetheless, you get the idea….

The Dolomites are definitely the place to be for winter activities…but are also an incredible destination for year round athletic pursuits. Ski, hike, bike, or try via ferrata. Whatever you do here in the Dolomites, you’ll certainly enjoy every minute of it!

Sunshine and blue bird days...

But remember… get in last, turn and face the window and walk backwards….

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February 11, 2011

Bring on the Bubbly: A bike tour in Champagne

Filed under: Bike, Champagne, France, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 12:00 pm

Everybody knows Champagne – the famous bubbly wine from France. It is the beverage of luxury, the drink of celebration and the nectar of the Kings. DuVine is excited to be offering a bicycle tour in Champagne in 2011. With amazing history and the best sparkling wine in the world, it is the ideal region for your next cycling vacation.

The famous bubbly from France...

As promised to his wife Clotilde, Clovis, the first King of France, converted to Catholicism after victory over Germanic tribes at Tolbiac. This conversion to the Christian faith took place with an historic baptism in the city of Reims, capital of the Champagne region. To honor Clovis, Reims became the coronation site for the French Kings, which has forever increased the cultural richness of the region. Today historical monuments offer windows into the past: a roman arch, an 11th century basilica, a immense cathedral & the 17th century Hôtel de ville.

Over the course of your DuVine Champagne bike tour, we will ride down quiet roads past pastures, through forests and amongst the vines. The warmth of the French countryside and its agricultural history are on display. Rolling hillsides covered in grape production will constantly remind you that this region is all about the world’s most famous sparkling wine – Champagne.

The rolling countryside of Champagne

Although Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are all used in making the wine, the real hero of Champagne is the process in which it is made. With complex aging and secondary bottle fermentation, the sparkles in Champagne are produced thanks to refined techniques and large amounts of knowledge. The famous monk, Dom Perignon, is wrongly credited with inventing Champagne. In fact, most of his work as the cellar master at a Benedictine Abbey was in preventing this imperfection. He also worked hard to blend grape varietals to improve flavors and consistency in the regional wine; for this hard work, and for improving winemaking in France, he is famous.

Between Epernay and Reims, you’ll have the opportunity to visit a diversity of Champagne houses. Although Champagne is rich with famous estates like Pommery, Veuve-Cliquot, Tattinger, Mumm and Krug, there are also many small grower-producers. And although there are only three grapes and one prominent style of winemaking, the flavors and terroir will allow for large differences in quality and flavor.

Neighboring the Champagne region is the Ardennes – which asserts its influence on the local cuisine. Pork dishes, like andouillette sausages, jambon d’Ardennes and pied de porc are commonly found. So are other delights like tête de veau, boudin blanc and delicious cheeses. Not commonly heralded as the heart of French cooking, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality and diversity of the regional cuisine.

Champagne vineyards

Need more reasons to join up with our DuVine exploration in Champagne? Just know that this region is loaded with amazing sites: UNESCO recognizes the Citadel of Reims as a World Heritage site. The Cathedral’s impressive towers are considered National Monuments in France. The regional forests are home to unique and rare flora. Chalky soils allow for expansive underground tunnels and caves that are used to age millions of bottles of wine below your feet. And, of course, the wine will not disappoint.

In true DuVine style, we’ve selected the best hotels and restaurants to round out our new tour in Champagne. Get ready, sign-up and join me in Champagne this June where we can bike, eat, drink and sleep like the Kings of France!

After your adventure, you’ll be able to take a short train to Paris, Belgium or Germany for the continuation of your vacation in Europe.

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February 8, 2011

Bonne Annee from Burgundy! – a mid-winter’s welcome from DuVine Guide Keith Klein

Filed under: Bike, France, Guide posts, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 12:47 pm

DuVine Guide Keith Klein writes from France, looking forward to having everyone come to visit him this season on a bicycle tour in Burgundy.

Its the middle of winter here. The vineyards are full of people pruning off last year’s growth, being careful to leave one or two good shoots to bear the new crop. The days are short, and the temperature is hovering around freezing, and my thoughts are turning to ……. BIKING! And eating, drinking and sleeping too, of course.  The warm days will be here in a couple of short months, and none too soon for my liking.  Spring is one of my favorite times of year here among the Grand Crus. The spring flowers in the hills are fantastic; there are over 100 different species of wild orchids alone, and some can be found on every spring ride. The work in the fields will continue of course, but the wine in the barrels will be mellowing away until bottling time later in the year.  And best of all, our friends in the cellars will have time to show us around and offer some of their finest wines to taste. The sensational vintage of 2009 will at last be in bottles, although we will want to be patient as it slowly matures.

Why not book a spring bicycle tour in France to this lovely region, Burgundy, which I call home? The days will be warm enough to enjoy, although the nights can be brisk. But we can deal with cool nights, sitting before a roaring fire eating Boeuf Bougignon and washing it down with a Savigny-les-Beaune  premiere cru. Or how about wild boar, or Coq-au-Vin? And don’t forget Oeufs en Muerette, our Burgundian way to make eggs a dish fit for a Duke.  We’ll have time to visit a few friends, admire stunning views (on a clear day you can see the Alps), ride past enchanting castles, sample the local cheeses (Epoisses, yum!), and of course drink the finest wines in the world  ( I may be biased, but I’m right!).

I was out riding today and I happened upon our friend Bertrand Ambroise cutting firewood behind his winery. Those of you who have had the good luck to have tasted his wines know what he can do with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes of Burgundy. We don’t always visit there, he’s a very busy man, but when we do it’s sublime.  And Bertrand, for all his virtuosity is not the only winemaker in Burgundy; Far from it!

I also stopped at Drouin-Laroze where the holiday atmosphere persists, at least for a while; Christine was busy, so I didn’t ask for photos (one should never put an elegant lady in a position not, uh, elegant so the decorations in the entrée to the domaine must tell the story. Come visit when the times are warmer and the lunch, prepared by ma chere amie, is ready to eat!

Let’s not neglect eating and sleeping! Chez Simon remains one of the little secrets we keep for our guests. The Chef (ALWAYS capitalized) keeps us excited by his preparations, and Carole, the lady of the house, is most welcoming. I LOVE the fact that one of the best restauranteurs in Burgundy (and in all of France) is married to the cousin of one of my cycling buddies . Not that this makes me in any way lenient in my critique of the food; NON! The cuisine is simply excellent, as you will discover. Its always market fresh, but I remember with fondness (longing?) his St. Jaques poele avec truffes d’ete. Sigh. And the hotels we use couldn’t be finer. I stopped by the Cep hotel in Beaune to wish everyone a happy new year (a tradition in France) and I am always thrilled to see the staff. So professional, so, well, perfect.

There is nothing in the world I enjoy more than cycling through Burgundy, a beautiful corner of the world, and I’d love to show it to you. Come visit us soon, or when the weather warms up!

BTW, leave a comment below on your favorite wine from Burgundy and maybe I will take a ride over to the winery and give it a try and post a picture of me enjoying a glass!

Cheers,

Keith

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February 7, 2011

DuVine Ireland – Cycling the Connemara Coast with DuVine Guide Padraic

Filed under: Bike, Connemara, Ireland — Tags: , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:49 pm

“Come away,O human child!
To the waters, and the wild.”
- William Butler Yeats, ‘The Stolen Child’

DuVine Ireland

Forgive me the poetic license in this, my first blog post for DuVine Adventures (written by DuVine Guide Padraic Doorey). You’ll find no blarney here, but an accurate description of what awaits you when you join a DuVine bicycle trip in Ireland.

The wild Irish coast

Whether you are a novice cyclist, a mile cruncher, or lie anywhere in between, you will be blown away by the beauty of the bicycle routes we have carefully selected, first of all in the County Galway gaelteacht (“the home of the Irish language”) estate of Ballynahinch Castle, through the majestic setting of Rosleague Manor, and finally around the stunning surrounds of the 13th century Ashford Castle in Cong County Mayo.

A warm, hearty welcome awaits you at Ballynahinch, the magnificent ancestral home to the wild O’Flaherty clan of Connemara (they are not so wild anymore as friendly General Manager Patrick O’Flaherty will assure you), where Des or Freddie will be on hand to ensure you get to sample a swift Guinness and a slippery oyster on brown bread.  You’ll ride alongside the rugged coastline of Cashel Bay with sun dried seaweed thrown upon the rocks by the ‘hound of the sea’ and stop off at the elegant Cashel house for high tea, an indulgence of the Irish gentry in times past (it was also a favourite of Charles de Gaulle), complete with warm scones with melting butter, rich whipped cream, and fresh summer fruit jam.  You’ll only be in the first hour of your bike tour in Ireland and you’ll have a sample of what you should come to expect throughout the upcoming week!

Experiencing Connemara, DuVine-style

a swift Guinness

Take a short stroll through the magnificent gardens and marvel at the fuchsias, rhododendrons, orchids and roses before hopping back on your comfortable DuVine steed and taking in magnificent views of the Twelve Bens mountain range (each one has a name – eg. Ben Lettery) as you amble along at your own pace along quiet country roads.

You’ll notice everything moves a little slower in Connnemara than elsewhere in the world.  Yes, high speed internet is available but we encourage you instead to marvel at the fast-flowing Ballynahinch river, divided up into ‘beats’ where budding anglers can try their hand at landing a magnificent salmon which can be cooked by the talented chefs at the restaurant overlooking this breathtaking sight.

An exceptional service can be anticipated at dinner where Bridge and her team will co-ordinate, with military precision it must be noted, the removal of the kloshes to reveal a delicious spectacle of the finest local Irish produce; Connemara lamb, Ballynahinch Salmon and Trout are just some of the specialties which await you.  No Irish meal is complete without wonderful organic vegetables often served as a reminder of our national flag (green, white and orange) and the foundation of our State less than a century ago (Ireland is old but we suffered eight hundred years of oppression by our nearest neighbour – you’ll hear more about that from me as the week continues!).  Ireland, while not a producer, is a great lover of fine wines and the DuVine team along with Ballynahinch have chosen some excellent wines to complement your meal.  This first meal is an example of why Le Guide de Routard, the French gourmet guide has mentioned in it’s 2011 edition has declared “the dining experience in Ireland is better than what is on offer in France!”  Our French guides might take exception to this claim of course!

A hearty welcome awaits you at Ballynahinch Castle

After dinner we’ll retire to the Castle Bar and the Members Room, or to the Library, where Fidelma, Ballynahinch’s own whiskey expert, will give us a tasting of three different Irish whiskeys.  “God invented whiskey to stop the Irish from taking over the world” I once read on a bumper sticker in the USA and, upon sampling these gems, you’ll see why!  You’re then free to take a moonlit stroll through the hydrangea gardens, listening to the river in the background, before walking past the open log fire and up the stairs past the Oval Office tapestry (presented to the Castle after President Ford stayed there) where your magnificent room awaits you.

Who knows what tomorrow brings?

I am waiting for you to join me this season with a promise of ‘craic, ceol agus ruaille buaille’ (fun, music and good times). So, get on your bike, get in a few good training rides and follow me through Connemara!

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February 2, 2011

Picturesque Portugal

Filed under: Bike, European bike tours, Portugal — Tags: , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:36 pm

Where in the world is Camille?

A view from the road in Portugal

On the road in Portugal creating a new DuVine bike tour! Here’s a sneak preview of what’s to come…

Think Europe, 30 years undisturbed.  The landscapes of the Alentejo are peppered with vineyards, cork trees, fields, hilltop perched villages, and laundry hanging out to dry.  Cobblestone streets are still the common look of all the towns here, making it an interesting cycling experience – no road bikes welcome!  Marble is as common as cinderblock, adding an elegance and feel about the area that leaves one quite impressed.  I really have this image that once upon a time, the streets were paved with marble – road bikes welcomed!

One of the many cork trees

Picture yourself on a bike riding through the country with eucalyptus trees lining the street and shepherds tending to their flocks.  As you wind your way through the narrow streets you are sure to pass old ladies dressed all in black with their wide brimmed matching hats coming back from their gardens, baskets a plenty.  Today I saw a man out walking his 2 goats and a sheep, one of the goats on a leash.  I was too timid to ask where he was going, or where he had come from. Laundry is hung up all will- nilly in parking lots, on stop signs at intersections…you name it…apparently no one is afraid to hide their washing here.  The houses and buildings seem to be a thing of pride,  as they are all well cared for with a fresh coat of white paint and nice colorful trim in either yellow, blue or green.  In the pastures you see lots of sheep, some pigs and cows.

The potential for unforgettable DuVine picnic spots is limitless: be it at the base of an old windmill looking over a fortified town, in the shade of a cork oak forest, on the banks of the border lakes with views of Spain, or in a winery while tasting the best wines the region has to offer (a pretty recent industry for them!)  Amazingly, the top 2 export markets for the wines of the Alentejo are Brazil and Angola!

A potential picnic spot

The roads are a bit bumpy but the rolling hills offer amazing views for miles on end.  The region is the hottest in the country but doesn’t compare to the heat of Spain-its neighbor to the east.  The Atlantic influence keeps the temperatures at a warm but comfortable temperature with a refreshing cool breeze always present.

A  trip to the Alentejo is a discovery of old world charm with a gentle hospitality;  while its food and wine will please your palate’s desire to try something new. So stay tuned for your chance to join us on a bicycle tour in Portugal and discover this untouched region in DuVine style!

Tasting room at Ramos

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