We have received 12 deposits and now consider the trip now “full”. However - we have not issued contracts, nor have we received funds, and we may be able to accommodate 14 total (we are checking). If you would like to join this excursion, make a full “Late-deposit” and we will prioritize your interest. If we cannot accommodate your late deposit, you will be refunded in full - if we can accommodate your late-deposit, this is non-refundable. Typically all deposits are not refundable, deposits are used to fund the labor costs of holding rooms and planning the trip to accommodate you. We consider the deposit a payment towards the fees we incur to build your agreement, secure your hotels and we spend great amount of time and effort to do so. To join us - make the “late deposit” and we will get back to you asap.
We have travelled the world - bringing amazing guests to the most iconic regions of the world.
March / April of 2025 - we go to Bordeaux!
Built for 8-14 guests - we travel with these guilding principles.
a. Small groups to see the best in wine, local restaurants and hotels.
b. We avoid overly touristic restaurants
c. We stay in better hotels that provide value to our guests.
d. To keep the price of the trip very reasonable - $1000 a day we provide hotel, guide, car and driver, and pay for all tastings, breakfasts, lunches… and a welcome and finale dinner - wine included.
Core Trip [Sunday, March 30th to Saturday, April 5th]:
Core Trip Deposit $500 to secure your price based on the date. We are required to have 8 minimum and sells out at 14.
Deposit on after Nov 1 $7,495.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200
Deposit on or after Dec 1: $7,900.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200 (if rooms are available)
Price will continue to increase as date of trip approaches and we start to loose our reservations.
Trip is valued over $10,000 per person
Note*: "single supplement" is necessary as it covers the other 1/2 of the room cost as we stay in top quality hotels.
VIP EARLY BIRD (OPTIONAL) EXTENSION: (we extend your stay at the amazing Smith Haut Laffite - Hotel les Sources de Caudalie (PRE-TRIP EARLY ARRIVAL ADD ON)
Arrive Thursday (27th) or Friday (28th) of March in AM and join us for a special visit to Chateau Margaux
Arrive Friday (28th) Night or Saturday (29th) of March in AM and enjoy Cheval Blanc and Château d'Yquem
Package prices will be presented in the registration packet, each night includes an additional evening at Smith Haut Laffite - Hotel les Sources de Caudalie. Details of pricing available to those that inquire.
DAY ONE: Sunday, March 30th, Pessac
- Visit and tasting at Château Smith Haut Lafitte
- WELCOME DINNER Dinner (1) at the #1 rated restaurant!
- Evening including aperitif and 2 glasses wine
- Additional wine may be purchased at your leisure
- Accommodation: beautiful country 5* hotel in Pessac
DAY TWO: Monday, March 31st, Saint Émilion & Pomerol
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Visit and tasting at Château Figeac in St. Émilion.
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Stroll through the cobblestones roads of the charming medieval village of St. Émilion and enjoy a casual lunch at your leisure
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Visit the amazing Château Angelus
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Visit and tasting at a delicious gem in Pomerol
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Dinner at your leisure
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Accommodation: beautiful country 5* hotel in Pessac
DAY THREE: Tuesday, April 1st, Pessac-Léognan
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Visit and tasting Château Pape Clement
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Lunch TBA (1)
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Visit and tasting Château Haut-Brion
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Visit La Mission Haut-Brion
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Dinner is at your leisure; Ian and Alice will schedule dinner at La Tupina Restaurant - all participants have the option to join or make plans of your own. Dinner is not included but you can decide your menu items and pay only for what you order and share. Wine Participation - pay for wines you choose to partake, participation is optional and additional.
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Accommodation: charming 5* hotel in Bordeaux proper
DAY FOUR: Wednesday, April 2nd – A day in the City Center Bordeaux & Entre Deux Mers
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By our third day we have visited a large number of Chateaus - we will not put our walking shoes on for a number of special cultural and historical visits in the City Center -
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Visit Bordeaux Bassin des Lumieres – a beautiful adaptation of the Nazi U-boat pens with son et lumiere display of Art
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Place de la bourse *photo op"
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Visit Cite du Vin with sensory wine tasting and see Bordeaux’s new architectural masterpiece dedicated to wine
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Cheese affineur with a tasting lunch (2)
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Famous Duclot Wine Bar / Wine Store visit
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Bordeaux center walking tour
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Dinner is at your leisure; Ian and Alice will schedule this dinner location - all participants have the option to join or make plans of your own. Dinner is not included but you can decide your menu items and pay only for what you order and share. Wine Participation - pay for wines you choose to partake, participation is optional and additional.
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Accommodation: charming 5* hotel in Bordeaux proper
DAY FIVE: Thursday, April 3th – Visit Margaux & Pauillac
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Visit to Château Palmer, Margaux
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Visit Lynch Bages, Pauillac with Lunch (3) at Café Lavinal, Lynch-Bages
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Visit and tasting Château Grand Puy Lacoste
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Dinner is at your leisure; Ian and Alice will schedule this dinner location - all participants have the option to join or make plans of your own. Dinner is not included but you can decide your menu items and pay only for what you order and share. Wine Participation - pay for wines you choose to partake, participation is optional and additional.
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Accommodation: charming 5* hotel in Bordeaux proper
DAY SIX: Friday, April 4th – Saint Estephe & Pauillac
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Visit and tasting Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
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Lunch at Chez Driss, Pauillac Tajine place (4)
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Visit and tasting Château Calon Segur or Chateau Montrose - St. Estephe, tba
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Farewell dinner: Maison Nouvelle (michelin restaurant, semi-traditional)
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Accommodation: charming 5* hotel in Bordeaux proper
DAY SEVEN: Saturday, April 5th - Independent departure
CURRENT TRIP INCLUDES
Accommodation in Pessac and Bordeaux City Center for 6 nights
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Two-nights, 5-star Source de Caudalie from Sunday March 30th – Tuesday April 1st 2025
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Breakfast daily included in La Grande Vigne
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City tax daily
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Four-nights, 5-star Hotel Burdigala from Tuesday April 1st – Saturday April 5th 2025
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Breakfast daily
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City tax daily
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Transportation in midi-coach (8-20 pax) or minivan (5-7 persons) (included only for hotel to winery portion)
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Eleven winery visits and tastings
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All breakfasts are included
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Four Lunches
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Welcome dinner with aperitif and 2 glasses of wine
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Farewell dinner (tba)
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Guided Bordeaux center walking tour
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Visit to Bordeaux Bassin des Lumières
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Place de la bourse *”photo op”
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Visit Cite du Vin with sensory wine tasting
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Famous Duclot Wine Bar/ Wine shop visit
All Wineries are tentative but quality will be high. Trip is not priced based on any one experience, visit, tasting or meal.
As we are still far out - we can change the order of events significantly to accommodate hotels and winery partner needs. Dates will not change.
Hotels are considered very good - some of the better accommodations - upgrades to better room types will also be offered inside the travel agreement.
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Steps
-Make a non-refundable deposit.
-Should you be offered a spot on this trip and decide not to attend - you will lose your deposit.
-Should you make a deposit and we could not meet the minimum to operate - you will be able to apply your deposit to a future trip.
-Deposits cover our time to build the trip, manage the limited space, and to create the contracts and agreements.
-Our trips are one of a kind, built for intimate groups, and lean into the luxury category that fine wine demands (a value at the top tier of travel)
Our deposits for the trips are non-refundable as stated above. Once deposits come in, we continue to invest more and more hours into each trip. Should the trip cancel, deposits are refunded. If Trip goes forward and you do not sign the final payment paperwork - the deposit is not refunded and surrendered. This is our policy and is necessary to keep our workers dedicated and employeed and to keep our product unique and not "canned" - each of our trips is unique, special, and highly procured just for the participants. We aim for 10 guests (as small as 8 and and large as 14)
*Note this is a sample itinerary, confirmed itinerary details available via Registration Packet after a deposit for trip commitment has been received.
*Note this is a sample itinerary, confirmed itinerary details available via Registration Packet after a deposit for trip commitment has been received.
Core Trip [Sunday, March 30th to Saturday, April 5th]:
Core Trip Deposit $500 to secure your price based on the date. We are required to have 8 minimum and sells out at 14.
Deposit before Nov 1 $6,995.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200
Deposit on after Nov 1 $7,495.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200
Deposit on or after Dec 1: $7,900.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200 (if rooms are available)
Price will continue to increase as date of trip approaches and we start to loose our reservations.
Trip is valued over $10,000 per person
Note*: "single supplement" is necessary as it covers the other 1/2 of the room cost as we stay in top quality hotels.
Core Trip Deposit $500 to secure your price based on the date. We are required to have 8 minimum and sells out at 14.
Deposit before Nov 1 $6,995.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200
Deposit on after Nov 1 $7,495.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200
Deposit on or after Dec 1: $7,900.00 per person based on double occupancy - single supplement is $1200 (if rooms are available)
Price will continue to increase as date of trip approaches and we start to loose our reservations.
Trip is valued over $10,000 per person
Note*: "single supplement" is necessary as it covers the other 1/2 of the room cost as we stay in top quality hotels.
About
IAN BLACKBURN
I discovered the wine industry while working with Chef’s Thomas Keller and Joachim Splichal in the top dining rooms of Los Angeles. My passion redirected my career from restaurants/hotels to vineyards and wine-education. Now with over 25-years of experience hosting events; leading trips around the wine world; I published a wine book; produced my own wine called Beekeeper Cellars and sat for the difficult Master of Wine Exam! Today, I am considered one of the region's best wine educators and work for my 20,000 followers (follow me), visiting vineyards and wine regions and produce over 100 wine classes and events a year for my businesses and my team.
