Tours
How can Americans Experience the “Real Burgundy”?
Experience the TRUE Burgundy — the way Burgundians do.
The real Burgundy is more than the famous vineyards. And it is more than the thousand years of tradition. It is more than world-class wine and food. The real Burgundy is the people living these traditions and tending those vineyards.
Take Me to Burgundy!
Ready to stand in the vineyards with the winemakers themselves? Fill out the form below to begin your journey…
But how can Americans get to meet these people and experience their lifestyle? Simply put, most will never get that opportunity.
But YOU can. You can go to Burgundy like an insider.
Imagine being invited into a famous winemaker’s home for dinner. And tasting wines dating back to the 90’s and 80’s and 70’s from their private cellars.
Imagine going to small markets and picking the freshest and most appealing food in the morning. And then going to a winemaker’s home and having a world-class chef teach you how to prepare your hand-selected meal. And having a winemaker and sommelier perfectly pair wines to the food.
Imagine going into exclusive vineyards and private cellars that most Americans can only dream about experiencing.
Why are these Tours Unique and Special?
- You are welcomed as a long-lost family member, not an American tourist.
- Taste wines that are usually not available for purchase directly out of the winemakers’ cellars.
- Meet the winemakers and their families in the comfort of their homes.
- Have a world-class chef make a dinner for you in the winemakers’ homes.
- Drink wines perfectly paired with the food by the winemaker and a sommelier.
- Enjoy a memorable time that few can experience and you could never duplicate.
- Visit the winemakers’ private cellars that are never open to the public.
- Taste wine in the vineyards where the grapes were grown with the winemaker.
- Have the winemakers’ family prepare a traditional Burgundian meal in their own kitchen.
- Begin to grasp the notion of “terroir”.
- Stay in the same high quality hotel the entire time in Burgundy.
- Make a real and authentic connection with the winemakers, their land, and their culture.
- Tour exclusive vineyards and hallowed sites.
Steve has crafted a unique visit to Burgundy, which totally reveals why he is so passionate about the region. The trip is unlike any other. There are culinary trips and there are wine trips. But no other trip combines the intimacy and access of Steve’s friendships with the creativity and genius of a master chef.
Trip participants say this week in Burgundy is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that cannot be duplicated at any price. We tend to think they are right.
You’re invited to spend a week among the true artisans of Burgundy with Steve. It’s guaranteed to be an eye-opening experience that will change food and wine for you forever. It’s a personal adventure, limited to 6 people per trip, and is customized for you. Most exclusive.
Basic Information
The trip is strictly limited to 6 people only. It is about a week long — usually 7 days and 6 nights. We pick you up in Paris, either at the airport or at a hotel. We provide all transfers, including the trip back to Paris. Some people add on their own trip extensions either before or after our trip.
In Burgundy, we usually stay at Hotel Le Cep. It’s the best. Everybody loves it. Please feel free to check out their website. People appreciate that they can unpack and stay in the same quality room for the entire week. Very convenient. And a nice buffet breakfast is included each morning, if you are hungry.
We visit some of the “must-see” locations in Burgundy. Included are such sites as the Chateau Clos de Vougeot, where the French wine industry knighted me. Very nice! Also, we always visit the Hospices de Beaune. We take care of all this for you.
Of course, you could do those nuts and bolts more or less on your own. But the key to this trip is the ACCESS to the winemakers and their families as well as their homes and cellars. At least once a day, we go to one of their homes. They welcome us in, like family. They cook for us. Or the talented chef cooks for us. They give us their personal wines out of their cellars. This is “unheard of” treatment. Very intimate and relaxed. Very special. Sometimes, we go to restaurants with the winemakers, too.
The trip includes just about everything, except airfare. It is priced very reasonably, but obviously needs to cover our costs. Each year, the trip cost changes depending on the exchange rate. For example, in 2009, the participants paid less than in 2008 — solely because the exchange rate was much better. People find that the trip is actually worth much more than what we charge and is very fair.
Bottom line is this is a trip for people who like great food … who want to eat it paired with world-class wines direct from the winemaker cellars … and who truly want to connect with the Burgundians on a personal level. If you all are into food-wine-people, then this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. That’s the part of the trip you could never do on your own. And while the nuts and bolts of the trip are excellent, getting to know the winemakers on a personal level and spending significant time with them is what excites most of the participants.
If you have a “ready-made” group of 6 people, that opens all kinds of possibilities. We can customize what to do. For example, we could visit a barrel maker. Plus, we can concentrate on certain types of wines. You’ll get a trip tailored to your desires.
Tour Testimonials
From our 2009 tours:
“Whether you are a neophyte wine and food aficionado or have wide experience and knowledge, a visit to Burgundy with Steve Pignatiello will reshape your perspective on France, and Burgundy in particular.”
“Imagine the thrill of being invited into the home of a winemaker and being feted as a long lost friend. Steve’s winemaker friends make you feel like old friends even though you entered their homes as total strangers.”
“The concept of “terroir” becomes intuitively understood as one sees and tastes the differences in the wines while standing in vineyards that are astonishingly close to each other. The difference between a village level wine and a premier cru, and occasionally, a grand cru, can be as little as crossing a road.”
“The most endearing aspect of the visit, though, is that it allows one to meet the vintners and their families as ordinary people, in their homes and very much at ease.”
“This is truly one of those life experiences that comes along only so often and becomes a lovingly preserved memory to savor for years to come.”
“We had access to real French culture. We were off the tourist path. We felt very behind the scenes.”
“The visit quickly got friendly, personal, and intimate.”"
“The trip felt like experiencing the Vatican for wines from the inside out with deep local access and knowledge.”
From our 2008 tours:
“The relationships our hosts have built over the years go beyond the business aspect. They enjoy a true friendship with the winery owners and their families. That friendship lets our chef-host prepare several meals in their kitchens, with as much or as little help as the guests wish to provide. Other meals are prepared by some winery owner’s wives and daughters, and shared with that family. It is very much like sharing it with close friends.”
“As a seasoned traveler, having experienced many places and cultures, when Steve presented this trip to Burgundy as the trip of a lifetime, I was somewhat skeptical. However, this trip met the challenge and far exceeded expectations. This trip for me had all of the elements of a memorable, truly remarkable trip—education, experience, and epiphany.”
“We experienced the best wines in the world in the most authentic environment possible. Steve opened up doors for us that so few people have an opportunity to walk through. Rather than merely visiting Burgundy, we become Burgundians for an unforgettable week.”
“The wine tastings are very diverse. One may be a vertical tasting of one vineyard, one may be a tasting of several wines from the same winemaker, and one may be out in the vineyards evaluating the difference terroir makes to the same vintage. We taste wines of various levels, from Village to Grand Cru. The generosity of the winery owners is large.”
“A typical day might include shopping for food at an open-air market in the morning and then watching the chef prepare it in the comfortable home of one of our gracious hosts. Imagine being served a 5-course meal accompanied by a dozen or so outstanding wines from the winemaker’s private cellar, many of which simply cannot be bought anywhere.”
“This is not a trip that is available through a travel agent. Nor will it be featured in a travel publication. It is possible only through the relationships that Steve has formed with world-class winemakers in the region. These relationships are characterized by mutual and intense affection and respect. We were the beneficiaries of these relationships by being treated as not only old friends, but also like extended family. Hence, we were welcomed into their homes, and, for a brief time, integrated into their everyday lives.”
“Seasoned travelers today are looking for more than a “vacation.” They are seeking a unique and memorable experience – one that they cannot replicate. There also is an increasing desire to connect with people and places that are real and authentic.”
“Henry David Thoreau once said, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” He obviously never went to Burgundy with Steve.”
“From an accommodation stand point, this is a week without a lot of driving — a week in the same, very high quality hotel.”
“This is a level of intimacy rare in Europe.”
“This trip absolutely epitomizes that. It is the real, genuine Burgundy, as lived by its inhabitants. It is an opportunity to totally immerse oneself, not only in the fine wines and the extraordinary cuisine of this special region, but also to step into its cultural heritage and its people. Not only were we welcomed into the private homes of some of the best winemakers in the world, but we spent entire afternoons getting to know them and their families, and discovering why the wines of Burgundy are so exquisite.”
From our 2007 tours:
“We had a wonderful time touring with you….just fantastic! We continued the party through Italy…..Greece….and the islands. Needless to say I did NOT want to come home. Thanks again for this truly unbelievable wine experience.”
“I have been taking first class trips for decades and this is the BEST and most unique trip I have ever taken.”
“We consider this gourmet trip a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sample the food, wine and culture of one of France’s most unique regions.”
“What if we had a French speaking friend in the wine business? What if he knew some of the best, small, high quality wine makers in the business? What if we were able to travel on a food and wine extravaganza in Burgundy with that friend?”
“This is what we have experienced. Lodging in an ancient four star hotel in the center of Burgundy’s greatest wine region. Dining at top French restaurants as well as intimate meals in the wine makers homes. Special meals prepared in the wine makers home by a famous chef. Wine tasting ranging from the wine makers recent production to older vintages only available from the wine makers personal cellars. In addition, we are able to interact on a personal level with the wine maker and his family in order to learn more about the history of the wines, the terroir, and their unique qualities.”
“Most of us visit premier wine regions armed with tourist guides, wine journals, and travel magazines. And we visit the large well known wine producers and dine at the Michelin starred restaurants. Yet, in Burgundy, we notice the numerous small wine producers and wonder what it would be like to taste these wines. Limited by language and time barriers, we realize it is unlikely we would ever be able to sample the high quality, hand crafted, limited production wines from these producers.”
“I already knew you well. And I knew you deliver on your promises in a big way; so I had extremely high expectations for this trip. By the end of the second day, we had already exceeded those expectations. By the end of the week, I realized how special this trip is. It cannot be duplicated by anyone else at any price.”