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February 7, 2012

Burgundy Wine Harvest with The Hungry Cyclist

Filed under: Drink, European bike tours, France, Guide posts, Wines, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:47 pm

Explore the vineyards in Burgundy first-hand.

On DuVine bike tours in Burgundy, you have a unique opportunity. While cycling in Burgundy, you get to do more than just drink some of the world’s most outstanding wine. You get to put your nose and your hands right in it, right into the very soil from which it comes. Yes, you could just buy a bottle and imagine yourself there. But why not go to the source? Why not immerse yourself fully in the wine-loving experience that is a bicycle tour in Burgundy, getting yourself intimately familiar with a wine that you cannot help but love. We promise it will taste even better. Just ask DuVine guide Tom Kevill-Davies (aka The Hungry Cyclist), who spent ten days working the Burgundy Grape Harvest in 2011. With his palate and nose at the ready and his camera close by,  he put together this captivating recount of his time there and this stunning collection of photos.

“Its 8:30 in the morning and an autumnal chill remains in the air from the night before. The sun is doing its best to burn off the low-lying mist that clings to the fields and gullies of the Cote D ‘Or.

Beams of sunlight gradually break the day, spotlighting the lichen and moss that cling to ancient dry-stone walls and the bold colours of autumn begin to sing. A rough carpet of deep reds, purples, ochre, and gold stretches as far as I can see and the astonishing natural beauty of this celebrated wine region has caught me off guard again. Gazing dumbfounded at this age-old image in front of me, I forget my purpose for being here at this early hour.

Get to know the men and women who make the wine.

“Allez Thomas!”

The assertive voice of the vigneron I am working for reminds me why I am here and reluctantly I slip out of sight below the row of vines to my left. Down here the world looks very different. Drops of dew cling to delicate cobwebs while harvest spiders scramble for cover. The damp air hangs amongst the vine stock and the rich earth hangs heavy on my rubber boots. Moving amongst the wet vines my shorts and shirt are wet and cling to my body. My back is all ready complaining about another day of this repetitive work. Focusing on my prize, I handle a heavy bunch of plump red grapes and…snip! The bunch joins the dozens others in the basket by my feet and, edging uncomfortably forward, I move to the next vine in the endless row of Pinot Noir ahead of me. Only another seven days to go….

When not picking grapes in the Burgundy harvest and working as a lead guide for DuVine Adventures, clients often ask me when the best time to visit Burgundy is. In the spring you see the grapes in flower and witness the lively village wine fetes. In mid-summer the warm sun ripens the grapes in front of you. But for a real idea of the work and energy that goes into making the world’s greatest wine, a trip in early autumn to witness the harvest is a must for any oenophile.

Maybe even give them a hand.

Transformed from its usual calmness for the few days the harvest takes place, the vines become a hive of human activity. Teams of pickers work lines of vines with locust-like efficiency. Porters carry “hods” overflowing with fruit and tractors with full trailers rush between the fields and the winery. This grape harvest has been taking places in this region for millennia, and most vineyards still insist on picking their precious crop by hand. Workers still travel from all over Europe to pick and carry the grapes, while many are locals who involve themselves in this historic get-together year after year. The work is not easy but the camaraderie is overwhelming. Working together, eating together, drinking together, and sleeping together, the energy of the harvest is rewarding and addictive.

In my opinion, witnessing the wine harvest is a must for any real wine lover. Here at DuVine Adventures we won’t force you into the fields to pick any grapes, but book a cycling tour in Burgundy with us or any other of our European wine regions and we guarantee you’ll experience the true nature of this important annual event first hand.”

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January 30, 2012

French Wine Tasting – Beaujolais

Filed under: Drink, France, Video Blog, Wine Tasting, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 4:44 pm

When most people hear the name Beaujolais, their mind automatically jumps to Beaujolais nouveau, the typical fruity, early harvest wine from the French Gamay grape. But on DuVine bike tours, you’ll never find anything typical. Case in point: this 2010 Marcel Lapierre Morgon that DuVine French cycling tour and Pro Series biking tour guide Justin Wuycheck brought in to prove that you should never judge a wine by its name. With clear notes of red fruit like strawberry and distinctive floral notes both on the palate and the nose, this is  a Beaujolais to break the mold. Light but by no means simple, it is easy-drinking and refreshing, something you could enjoy on a picnic or socializing with some friends. Or better yet, to cool off after after a bicycle tour in Burgundy with DuVine Adventures.

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August 30, 2011

The European Wine Harvest 2011

Filed under: Drink, France, Italy, Piedmont, Rioja, Spain, Tuscany, Wine Tasting, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:08 pm

A hundred days ago, while western Europe was basking in some unusably warm April sunshine, vines from Burgundy to Bordeaux, Touraine to Tuscany and Alsace to Alentejo began to bloom. Busy insects quickly went about their business visiting small flower after small flower, pollinating and fertilizing the countless meters of vine stock and starting the most visible few months of the 2011 wine season that will soon culminate in this year’s harvest, which will of course serve as the backdrop for many of our European bike tours.

European bike tours during the grape harvest

Harvest time in the vineyards

In the three months since bumble bees, wasps and our other flying friends did their work, diligent wine makers have carefully monitored their vines as they make the seemingly magical journey from flower to fruit. Deep-set roots have fed on underlying minerals and raw elements; rain has nourished young shoots; plump bunches of grapes have ripened in warm sunshine; leaves have photosynthesized sunshine into sugar:tannin-rich skins have stiffened in the wind and countless man hours have gone into the nurturing of the golden, purple and russet bunches of grapes that any day now will be picked and pressed to become the much awaited 2011 vintage.

Will it be a great year for Burgundian reds? A stunner for Champagne? A blow out in Bordeaux? It’s to hard to say sitting in our office in Boston so we have asked our guides on the ground for a quick pre-harvest round up.

Bike Tour Tuscany Italy

Tuscany awaits harvest

Tom reports from Italy that in Tuscany all the winemakers agree that this has been a strange year weather-wise.  A warm, dry spring led to early flowering, but then some rainy weeks in June and July seemed to slow down the maturation process.  Winemakers are always a bit coy when discussing the prospects for the coming vintage, like card-players unwilling to reveal their hands.  This is largely due to the fact that they have experienced a lifetime of fickle weather.  A perfect hot, dry summer can produce a mediocre vintage if September brings a lot of rain.  Conversely, a hot, dry end of the season can help turn around a mediocre summer.  Talking with our friend Vittorio Innocenti, a Vino Nobile producer in Montefollonico and with Barbara at the Brunelli Winery in Montalcino, there seems to be a sense of cautious optimism.  They are predicting an early harvest here as well (beginning in the 2nd week of September) and have already started preparing for the “vindemmia” by bottling some older wines to make space in the barrels and confirming the harvest dates with their picking crews.  This next month will be essential in determining whether 2011 will be one of the great vintages that we cherish years down the road or a weak vintage that languishes in the discount aisle at your local wine shop.

Piedmont bike tours during the grape harvest

Piedmont grapes ready

The grape harvest, or vendemia, is in full swing in Piedmont, starting with the moscato grapes. The moscato grapes produce a delicate still desert wine, with little resemblance to “your father’s” frizzy moscato d’Asti. Moscato vineyards grace several of the routes of our Piedmont bike tour on the first three days, along with little-known gems like Arneis, Cortese, Brachetto, and classics like Barbera and Dolcetto, prior to our route taking us into the more world-renowned Barolo region, with it’s noble Nebbiolo grape. The Nebbiolo grape, one of the latest harvested (even it’s name in Italian includes the word nebbia, or fog, as it is typically picked when the autumn fogs begin rolling into the vineyards), won’t be ready for harvest for another several weeks, though most certainly earlier than normal, due to the hot, dry summer here.

Our guides on the Cote D’ Or in Burgundy tell a similar story. Burgundians are keeping as tight-lipped as ever and any early optimisms for the year are being underplayed with typical shoulder shrugs and “Je ne se pas”. There are rumblings in the southern Cote D’Or that the recent heat wave could lead to some interesting results from the regions world-class Chardonnays, but if the heat remains for the harvest itself, forcing the grapes to cook a little in their hods, that could all change. In the Cote de Nuits  humidity and an airless July mean many worried about disease, possible low production and lack of concentration, but again the heatwave may have come to the rescue! Alas many lost their whole harvest to freak hail storms in the Beaujolais in late July, but St Vincent was smiling on the cote D’ Or and her grapes remained untouched and all indications are for a good year.  An early flowering and dry May have also instigated an early harvest, with picking for Chardonnay starting any day while the Pinot Noir will wait for the first week of September.

Burgundy France bike tours during the grape harvest

Vendange in Burgundy

The word from Pablo in Spain is that the harvest in the Rioja and Ribera regions will coincide perfectly with our October Rioja bike tour. Excellent weather in 2011 is due to produce another excellent year in Spain. Not a lot of rain, good terroir, and new investments in wineries have set the stage.

Whether 2011 is a good year for Europe’s wines remains to be tasted. But one thing is for sure; there has never been a better time to get on a bicycle and visit these fascinating wine regions. In Champagne, Rioja, Provence, Burgundy, Piedmont and Loire Valley wine harvests have been taking place for thousands of years and the time honored practice of picking the grapes, pressing them and turning them into wine has changed very little. Many grapes are still picked by hand, whole communities work together and post harvest celebrations and pageantry are second to none! We know that a DuVine Adventure is the best way to get a real feel for this fascinating element of the wine making experience – a unique chance to get caught up in the excitement and the energy of the process. So why not saddle up and come and find out for yourself why 2011 is a great year for a pedal-powered wine adventure and you can witness wine history in the making!

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April 24, 2011

DuVine Guides – Spring in Burgundy, France

Filed under: Drink, European bike tours, France, Guide posts, Wine Tasting, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:34 pm

DuVine guides, Sam and Thomas, biked through central France and have some great experiences to share. They had a great week pre-tripping in advance of the new season of bike tours in France and decided to write about their experience in the wine capital of Burgundy. We hope you enjoy reading about it!

Spring Has Sprung in Burgundy.

Bike Tour Burgundy

Working the Fields

The villages of the Cote d’Or are eerily quiet in late April. Cats sleep in sharp late morning shadows; tree blossoms scatter and mix with dust disturbed by gusts of wind channeled through narrow streets. Lazy silences are broken only by the wispy clapping from the wings of the doves moving from the safety of a medieval belfry to a new roost. The rolling clang of metal shutters announces the closure of the only shop in the village, the Boulangerie, and the start of the sacred two hour lunch break. Leaning on your handlebars in the warm spring sunshine of these picturesque Burgundian villages… Where is everyone?

The answer… at work.

Winery in Burgundy

Fields of the Winery

The narrow, 50 km escarpment that runs southward from Dijon towards Santenay is home to the greatest wine growing country on earth. From the saddle of a bicycle it is easy to see why this somewhat ordinary strip of land produces the marveled wines it does. The gentle gradient of southeast facing slopes rest under a steep protective ridge topped with dense oak forests. The natural springs from numerous combes (small valleys) provide nourishment from deep within the earth and the suns path bathes the region in golden sunshine giving its name the Cote d’Or.

But the wines of Burgundy don’t make themselves. Other than the vendanges (harvest), spring is one of the busiest times of year in this ancient capital of wine and the work done at this early stage of the year is vital to the rest of the year’s production. Once off the closed, shadowed streets of Pommard, Volnay Monthelie and Vougeot, the horizon opens to reveal this essential landscape. Shaded cobbled streets become winding tracks and organized thoroughfares that connect the domains, Parcel and Clos, the names of which read like any wine lovers wish list.

Tight lines of wire run from the innumerable staves that in time will support a priceless harvest, but in late April the vines, dormant for so long over a long cold winter, are only just coming back to life.

Guide Post Burgundy Wine

Worn Hands Prune the Vines

Dilapidated white vans kick-up dust as they navigate their way through this criss-cross of tracks, lanes, vines, and by-ways. These vehicles are not the most glamorous mode of transportation for the owners of the most valuable real-estate in the world, you might think, but inside these beat up panel-vans rest the tools, knowledge, and man power that ensure the attention that each and every vine deserves. From dusk till dawn generations of Burgundians toil amongst their beloved vines.

Bent double in the brisk morning air they work from vine to vine, their clouds of breath blowing before them. Come midday their sweat-soaked shirts rest on vine-posts as they continue to cut and trim by hand, leaving behind only the shoots that they believe will provide the best fruit. Traditional methods are mixed with new. Burley work-horses pull ploughs through dense earth under the bellowed orders of meticulous vigneron (winemaker), while in the neighboring plot insect-like enjambeur (tractor) rush awkwardly between vines, there mechanical claws and wings spraying and scraping as they go.

At almost 10 cm a day the growth of the vines, at this time of year, is unforgiving. Each vine must be cut to produce the amount of juice that respects the strict guidelines of the local AOC. Weeks from now the tight lines and russet earth of Burgundy will be invisible under heavy foliage. Now is the time vigneron have the best access to the shoots that will produce a crop to satisfy their hopes that 2011 will not just be a good year, but a great year in the Cote d’Or.

Every local you speak to in Burgundy passes on his or her wisdom. Young and old, they all have an opinion. By all accounts, 2011 is looking very promising. Current temperatures are reminding those who can remember of the great vintages gone by. But it’s all too easy to write what makes good wine. To understand Burgundy and its wine you have to come here. You have to meet its people. You have to smell its soil. You have to cycle past the forests and see how the sun falls on certain plots in the late afternoon. Burgundy is all about terroir (land) and the only way you can understand terroir is by coming here.

If you come on a bike tour in France, you will get to experience everything that Sam and Thomas describe for you. We get to take advantage of all the wine that the region of Burgundy provides, but seeing what goes on first-hand makes the enjoyment of the wine that much greater.

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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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December 16, 2010

Andy’s Top 10 Wines on 2010 DuVine tours

Filed under: Bike, Bordeaux, California, Israel, Italy, Piedmont, Sonoma Valley, Top 10 lists, Wine Tasting, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:16 pm

Continuing with my top 10 of 2010… I thought in celebration of the holiday spirit,  I would share my favorite spirits of the year (well…wine, actually…but nonetheless). Here’s a look at the top wines that I sampled on tour this year…Cheers!

Giovanni Manzone Barolo Riserva 1998
Aaah, the Barolos of Piedmont are always top on my list of favorite wines…and after enjoying this vintage with a Brasato di Barolo (beef braised in Barolo and slow-cooked for hours until it is tender enough to eat with a spoon) while on tour this past August, it definitely ranks in my top 10 of 2010! Ask Mauro to take you into his private tasting room..and be ready to buy the Barolo 1998. Found on Bicycle Tours in Piedmont, Italy.

With Guy-Petrus Lignac at his estate - Chateau Guadet

Château Guadet 1996, St. Emilion, Bordeaux
There is nothing like a glass of this Grand Cru paired with a delicious roast lamb…or tender steak to please the palate. And a visit to this small vineyard situated on the limestone plateau of Saint Emilion is a rare treat! If you can spend 10 minutes with Guy Petrus…you will be changed person. Found on Bicycle Tours in Bordeaux, France.

Domaine Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Pucelles
It’s not an easy task trying to rate my favorite Burgundian Premier Cru that we encounter on our tours…but this year I was quite impressed with this Chardonnay. Pair with chicken with a light mushroom cream sauce and you’ll see what I mean! As they say..tastes like white flowers.  I guess I need to eat more white flowers! Found on Bicycle Tours in Burgundy, France.

Parigot & Richard, Rose Cremant Burgundy
Who doesn’t love a delightful glass of bubbly? This sparkling rose is not only a stellar example of a classic Cremant, but is also quite versatile and, with its salmon color due to its brief contact with the Pinot Noir skins, it oh so festive! Pair with gougères (a savory choux pastry with cheese) or a fresh vegetable salad with a slice of quiche, and you have the makings for a cocktail party, Sunday brunch or holiday party! Another top favorite! Don’t forget to say hi to Greg and his dad…and be careful of their caveau! Found on Bicycle Tours in Burgundy, France.

Vittorio and his Vino Santo

Vittorio Innocenti Vino Santo 1995
Join me in Tuscany for a special visit with my friend Vittorio and discover another one of my favorites. The process to make this wine hasn’t changed in 2000 years. Made by drying grapes and then crushing for higher sugar content, this sweet dessert wine from Vittorio Innocenti is simply sublime. Sit on his terrace and enjoy a Vino Santo…you will never want to come home! Found on Bicycle Tours in Tuscany, Italy.

Villa Delfini Sacro Profano
Back to the amazing wines of Piedmont is this top blend – an extraordinarily complex mixture of Barbera (sacred to Piemontese) and Cabernet Sauvignon (there isn’t a lot of love lost between them and their French cousins!). Served with chestnuts roasted over an open fire on a cool October day…talk about DuVine! Visit the Villa, say hi to Graziella, you will become family. Found on Bicycle Tours in Piedmont.

Cascina Marcantonio Barbera 2000
I know…my love of wines from this region is obviously very apparent.  And I must confess… we actually drank the last bottle on our final tour in October. This is the wine made by Guido, our guide, from one of his first vintages as a winemaker.  Guido served it to us after dinner while we were all digesting, but it would have been a wonderful compliment to his mother’s plin (homemade ravioli), as well! Found on Bicycle Tours in Piedmont. Found on Bicycle Tours in Piedmont, Italy.

With Guido and Piedmont guide, David

Chateau Angelus, 2001 Bordeaux
What’s better than some nice stinky French cheese (a Roquefort, camembert or epoisse) and a bottle of this fine grand vin from Bordeaux? Well, if it has made my top10  of 2010…pretty much only 9 other competitors! Just call me Bond. Found on Bicycle Tours in Bordeaux, France.

Shoresh 2008, Tzora, Judean Hills, Israel
I really don’t think people realize what great wines Israel is producing! In my opinion, Israeli wines are completely underestimated! Take this Shoresh from the Tzora winery …aged in French oak barrels,  this concentrated and full bodied wine is a standout. Definitely worth a visit…you’ll feel like you are in Napa or Tuscany…and the tasting room is gorgeous! Found on Bicycle Tours in Israel.

Rafinelli Zinfandel, Sonoma County, California
If you are looking to get bold…here’s your Zinfandel. Vibrant and spicy…this special wine from the Dry Creek Valley is a must on my list…and you don’t even have to hop the pond to taste it! It’ll give you a new appreciation for the Californian Zinfandel. Found on Bicycle Tours in Sonoma, USA.

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November 5, 2010

October Bike Tours: Notes from the Road

Filed under: Active Travel, Bike, European bike tours, France, Italy, Mallorca, South Africa, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 10:42 am

Well, the majority of our 2010 tour season in Europe has come to an end…so while we are waiting  for our warmer weather winter destination trips to begin, we thought you might be interested in a recap of what transpired in Europe this October…

Riding through the Stellenbosch vineyards

South Africa Bike Tour:
DuVine guide Jacqui reports in that our guests had a great time on their South African bike tour, highlights of the week included; a wine tasting at Mountain Oaks, a visit to the mission town of Genadendal and a ride through Stellenbosch. View photo album.

Piedmont Bike Tour:
Alisa, DuVine’s VP is enjoying a tour this week with a great group of guests and friends. Highlights included: a private wine tasting of 11 award winning wines, a unique combination of fall flavors; chestnuts roasting on an open fire, aged Proscuitto, and local cheeses. The guests also caught the final moments of pro racing event, proud that they too had ridden the same route. View photo album.

Giro de Piedmont in La Morra

Mallorca Bike Tour:
Great biking, food and wine and if you want to go all out like one of our favorite groups, the Freedman Boys, you can cruise the coast in a luxury yacht, enjoying the scenery and beautiful sunsets, or take a quick trip …in a helicopter for a birds eye view of the island. Mallorca is definitely a place where you can ride hard and relax in true luxury. View photo album.

Mallorca, your way...

Burgundy Bike Tour:
Jen reports that autumn has arrived in Burgundy! Leaves are turning, the air is just a bit cooler, the colors in the vineyards are changing…and all contributed to a creating the perfect backdrop for this past week’s bike tour. Whether it’s a view through the trees to the village of Nuits St. Georges, a walk through the vineyard, or bikes lined up at Le Cep in Beaune – the autumn palette is alive and aglow in Burgundy. View photo album.

Autumn in Burgundy

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October 5, 2010

September Bike Tours: Notes from the Road

Filed under: Bike, Bordeaux, European bike tours, France, Italy, Piedmont, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:30 pm

Harvest season is upon us! So as we bid farewell to summer and embrace autumn in Europe, we thought you might like to see what’s been happening across the pond this past month on some of our September tours…

A visit to the Hospices de Beaune

Burgundy Bike Tour: DuVine Guide Jenn has checked in from one of our private tours in Burgundy – 7 days of biking, Hospices de Beaune, Chateau de Pommard, Andy and Keith at Parigot, Paola on top of the world in the Hauts Cotes de Beaune, A toast among friends at La Gourmandine, that’s life DuVine Style! View photo album

Loire Bike Tour:
DuVine guide Tommy has checked in to let us know that our wonderful guests have been following in the footsteps of Kings and Queens, exploring Chambord, Chenonceau & Cheverney. Biking between gorgeous chateaux is easy when fueled by exquisite French food and delicately balanced wines. Of course it is always enjoyable to return to the stunning hotels to relax in luxury for the evening. DuVine rocks the Loire! View photo album

DuVine et Chateaux: Loire Valley

Bordeaux Bike Tour:
DuVine guide Jenn has checked in to say that her DuVine private tour is off to a great start in Bordeaux. You know you want to do a private trip in Bordeaux. Our guests visited St Emilion, and Andy our founder dropped in for a visit while we were in Figeac. As a private tour the quests added the Sauternes region to the itinerary, which brought them a unique tasting at 1ère cru classé Chateau Guiraud. Good times had by all! View photo album

Andy and Team Vergara in Bordeaux

Piedmont Bike Tour:
DuVine guide David checked in from a recent bike tour through the Piedmont region of Italy, where the grape harvest of the Moscato and Brachetto grapes was just beginning, providing some incredible views of green vineyards laden with grapes ready for harvesting. DuVine’s founder Andy also joined the group on an epic ride to Barolo country, making this an extra special trip. View photo album

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August 17, 2010

European Bike Tours – Notes from the Road

Filed under: Bike, European bike tours, France, Ireland, Italy, Provence, Tuscany, burgundy — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 11:58 am

It’s been a busy month for DuVine Adventures in Europe…here’s a brief glimpse at some of the highlights:

A little instruction in the vineyard

Bike Tour in Bordeaux: Defeating the weather is easy when you have a glass of Château Figeac 2000 in your hand. We’ve been visiting the lovely Bordeaux Chateaux, hosted by their charming owners as we discover all the nuances of the Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon blends and Sauvignon Blanc crispness from the Entre Deux Mers region. Fortunately, everyone graduated from Wine School and will now bring their new found knowledge to the Medoc when we visit Chateaux Beychevelle and Chateau Palmer. View photo album

Cartwheels in front of the Temple of San Biaggio

Bike Tour in Tuscany: Guide David checks in to say what a glorious sunny week they are having in Tuscany. Today guests visited The Temple of San Biaggio, which always invokes a sense of awe and joy, but Amy and Katie took it to a new level with their cartweels. We also visited with guest favorite Umberto who loves to share the secrets of life, food and wine. Speaking of wine we also sampled some of Vittorio Innocenti’s vin santo and the cart wheeling Amy and Katie considered joining a street side soccer game, it goes without saying this is a lively group! View photo album

Group shot along Sky Road

Bike Tour in Ireland: Irish Guide Padraic checked in to say that our recent bike tour to Connemara Ireland was filled with a fantastic group of guests. One morning they biked up Creggs Mountain (980 feet!) in Connemara before breakfast and were rewarded with spectacular views and saw a deer swimming from an island on a lake to the mainland! The early bird catches the worm! They also spent time biking along the Bog Road and the High Sky Road where they posed for a classic group photo and along the way they enjoyed a few pints of Guinness, a taste of apple cider and a bit of whiskey, but not all in the same day of course! View photo album

Climbing hills with a little help...

Bike Tour in Provence: Three days of riding are complete here in Provence, though maybe I should say 3.5, as yesterday morning 2 of our guests requested some additional miles so I took them on a 25-mile extra ride to Tavel before breakfast. (As you can see…I also managed to catch someone getting a helpful push up the big hills!) It’s been warm, but with the heat comes sunflower season and we rode past a few great fields of them yesterday on the way to Uzes. We topped off the evening with a wine-tasting/petanque game – the Tavel rose and Chateauneuf du Pape we drank were enjoyed by all. Of course, dinner with Mario at L’amphitryon was a big hit featuring slow-cooked pork lacquered with liquorice sauce and a goat-cheese lasagna. Everyone is now relaxing in DuVine style at Hameau de Baux. View photo album

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