European travel can seem daunting for folks who haven’t ventured across the big pond but going with friends can ease the apprehension and create lifelong memories.
For wine aficionados, vineyard owners of their favorite label may fall into that category after several visits. What better vacation could there be than an international adventure alongside people with a shared passion for fine vino and a little education thrown in?
While the 10-night Spain trip that Richard and Mar Meyerhoefer of Emanar Cellars are escorting customers on in September has been sold out for months, Rusty Grape Vineyards just announced an eight-day Bordeaux river cruise in April 2016 and it promises to be spectacular.
First off, it’s aboard the Viking Longship Forseti and, for those who’ve never cruised, one of the many benefits is being able to visit a myriad of places and only having to unpack once. The ship itself is intimate, with only 95 staterooms as opposed to those massive ocean liners that can accommodate in excess of 3,000 people. Translation: multiple opportunities to take selfies with Rusty Grape owners Jeremy and Heather Brown!
Yes, they’ll be there oohing and aahing right along with everyone else as the historic buildings of Bordeaux inspire, the Garonne River soothes, the Château des Ducs d’Épernon in Cadillac impresses, the 17th-century citadel of Blaye stirs the imagination and so much more.
Heather Brown said, “I personally am a huge fan of France. I love the language, I love the wine and I love the people. And although we have visited many of Europe’s wine regions, the Bordeaux region is one area we have never been.”
This really is a trip of a lifetime, since traveling France’s waterways is arguably the most relaxing way to see a host of picturesque towns dotting the Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne rivers and this particular itinerary includes three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
I can speak from personal experience that nothing compares to tasting port in its birthplace, a deep and full-bodied rioja in a famed bodega in Haro, the dark berry and leather components of a Brunello di Montalcino in the magical walled city itself, a glass of Crémant d’Alsace at a waterside café in Colmar and a rich and oily pinot gris along Germany’s Romantic Road. This is where the grapes live, where their history begins, and the excitement of knowing that elevates any sojourn to a pilgrimage of sorts.
Rusty Grape’s Bordeaux river cruise allows passengers to spend time in the heart of one of the most famed wine regions in the world and be able to sample the cabernet sauvignon-merlot blend that made it so by the unique characteristics found along the Left and Right Banks. Names like Saint-Émilion, Pauillac, Sauternes and Château Lafite Rothschild leap from the itinerary like a red carpet who’s who list. There’s even an opportunity to travel to Cognac for a pipe and dinner jacket-worthy tasting of this oak-aged brandy that’s sure to surpass expectations sipped in a traditional Cognac house.
One caveat: While travel agent Lori Nelson is able to book cabins on this cruise (starting at $2,230) until it’s sold out, there is a substantial ($1,000) airfare savings in booking by Aug. 31 so for all you bargain hunters, don’t say you weren’t warned.
For more information or to book, contact Lori Nelson at lori.nelson@cruiseplanners.com.
Viki Eierdam is a Clark County native who lives in Battle Ground. She is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Read the Corks & Forks blog at blogs.columbian.com/corks-and-forks
