Posted by Suzanne Aaronson
Shhhh…. this is best kept lesser known: friends via via… Worth your coveted time & hard-earned money.
The itinerary
A 5-day “crash course” for wine enthusiasts of all levels that covers a grape’s journey “from vine to wine,” with immersive activities that include lectures, tastings, vineyard visits, hands-on winery activities and games. The course is structured according to the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) curriculum with methods that help you retain the information long after “wine boot camp” is over. Thinking of taking a foray into the beverage world? You will leave with a comprehensive and highly rewarding “big picture” understanding of wine regions, grape varieties and winemaking technique. Everyone is invited to take the WSET certification exam at the end of the course.
The setting
La Verrière, a 350-acre private estate in Provence’s Vaucluse region that’s also part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It’s an ideal location for doing pretty much anything (including doing nothing), but with its restored medieval priory, unique vineyard terroir and state-of-the-art winery, it’s particularly well suited to this course.
The digs
La Verrière has four suites and three double guest rooms (complete with Frette linens and Marius Fabre toiletries), housing a total of eighteen people. If you’re going solo, you can still benefit from the discounted shared room rate by opting to have a roommate assigned to you.
The catch
Really difficult to find a downside to this trip, but those with only a casual interest in wine may find the course a tad intense. Chêne Bleu mails you a course book that they recommend studying for a minimum of 14 hours in advance of your trip. Even if you don’t intend to take the exam, the course is designed for people who have “done their homework” beforehand. That being said, the calibre of the instruction has resulted in a 100% pass rate for all participants to date!
The crowd
A small and likely international group of fun-loving sophisticates who are short on time but big on wine – and cultural enrichment. If you want to bring a non wine-lover, they can do their own thing by day (shopping or sight-seeing in the nearby towns or relaxing on the gorgeous grounds) and join up with the group for dinner and other communal activities.
Getting there
Closest airports are Marseille (MRS – 1.5 hours by car) and Avignon (AVN – 45 minutes by car), or intercontinental travelers can also take the TGV from Paris (Charles de Gaulle CDG or Gare du Lyon) direct to Avignon (AVN – 45 minutes by car).
Pricing
Around $6,000-$7,000 and up, depending on time of booking and living arrangements.
Suzanne Aaronson: Founder SFiles