Wine Tours
Wine Tours
sales@winetours.co.uk FROM NICE TO BARCELONA 01730 263111
www.winetours.co.uk
...aboard Le Ponant
Arblaster & Clarke, Cedar Court, 5 College Street, Petersfield GU31 4AE
2017
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Wine improves with age. Travel improves with wine.
FROM NICE TO BARCELONA What do you get when you cross a super-yacht with delicious wine? A wonderful holiday of course...
Highlights ◊◊ Cruise along a relaxed, meandering route — from Nice to Bandol; Barcelona to Languedoc ◊◊ Relax over a glass of vin rouge (or two...) alongside the locals in Bandol ◊◊ Discover outstanding producers in Languedoc-Roussillon ◊◊ Visit sparkling Cava vineyards, just outside of Barcelona ◊◊ Sample mouthwatering gastronomic delights in Catalonia
Join us on a voyage of discovery, that takes in dozens of appellations and a seemingly endless variety of wines. We’ll enjoy criminally underrated Provençal rosés, big juicy Priorat reds, and superb Spanish sparkling Cava. We also sample Corsican wines that reflect the limestone soil-rich Muscat Vin Doux Naturels, powerful Rhône reds, and endlessly interesting and full-bodied whites. Nice is the perfect starting and end point to a tour — offering a brilliant mix of old-world opulence, fabulous food, a thriving art scene, and yearround sunshine. The ports we visit also offer the opportunity to explore Roman ruins, Medieval alleyways, networks of canals, museums, galleries and more. Of course you could simply take a seat at a harbourside café and watch the world go by instead...
30th Aug – 6th Sep, 2017 From £5,399
Deposit pp: £1,500 Flights supplement pp: £375 Price inc. local transport, all meals & tips.
To book, or for any questions Call: 01730 263111 Email: sales@winetours.co.uk Visit: www.winetours.co.uk FRANCE / SPAIN
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FROM NICE TO BARCELONA The last word in luxury wine travel...
Itinerary
Day 1: Setting sail...
We fly from London to Nice. We arrive in time for lunch at a restaurant on Nice’s harbour. We stop at Nice’s wonderful flower market, before embarking Le Ponant. We set sail for Bandol, stopping en route for a quick swim. We enjoy dinner on board with Provençal wines tonight. The wine has been chosen from some of our favourite regional producers, including Château Simone, whose wines have wonderful depth from their herbaceous rosé to their complex reds which age beautifully.
Day 4: Sparkling Spain
We start the day with a walking tour of Tarragona. We enjoy lunch on board with a producer of Cava — Spain’s answer to Champagne and Prosecco. A glass of Cava is perfect alone as an apéritif, or accompanying poultry, rice and pasta dishes. We continue to Barcelona. The city is famous for the many artists and architects who have called Barcelona home — Pablo Picasso, Antonio Gaudí and Joan Miró just a few names amongst them.
There is much to visit here in Barcelona: admire the impressive Sagrada Família, or enjoy a leisurely wander along the Ramblas Promenade. Dinner will be served aboard Le Ponant tonight. We will enjoy local specialties, accompanied by wines from the Catalunya region. We’ll start with sparkling Cava, enjoy full-bodied whites from Terra Alta, and finish off with upfront reds from Penedes.
Day 2: Coastal climates
We arrive at Bandol, and pay a morning visit to an estate in La Cadiere d’Azur. The Bandol appellation produces some outstanding reds. The warm, coastal climate is ideally suited for the late-ripening Mourvèdre grape. We enjoy lunch on board before setting sail for Tarragona. We enjoy dinner accompanied by Corsican wines tonight. Corsica’s vineyards are found near the island’s coast, as the mountainous interior landscape is just too rugged for viticulture. We enjoy the full range of the island’s wines, including the rich and satisfying Muscat Vins Doux Naturels.
Day 3: Sweet whites & robust reds
We sail to north-east Spain today, and to a wine region that first came to fame in the late 1980s. The concentrated wines are minerally and robust. En route, you can choose to relax or join a tasting hosted by our Wine Guide. We join together for lunch accompanied by wines from Southwest France — including dry and sweet whites from Jurançon, rustic Malbecs from Cahors, and floral-scented rosés from Fronton. We arrive in Tarragona this afternoon, and go ashore to explore the port city’s fascinating mix of Roman history and Medieval alleyways. We are joined for dinner by a winemaker from Priorat. 4
Wine improves with age. Travel improves with wine.
“ Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson
Day 5: Lunch amongst the trees
We arrive at Port de Plaisance de Narbonne Plage and enjoy lunch at Château l’Hospitalet. The Narbonne restaurant sits among pine woods, vines, and moorland in the La Clape mountain range. There is a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea here — we stop for a swim at the nearby beach. We dine with another of our friends from the La Clape or Corbières region, who present their wines over dinner tonight.
Day 6: Stars of the Languedoc
We arrive in Sète and pay a morning visit to Mas de Daumas Gassac, one of the most outstanding producers in Languedoc-Roussillon. They make rich, powerful reds with great ageing potential. Hugh Johnson is a great fan, having described the estate as the Languedoc’s only ‘Grand Cru’. Enjoy a free afternoon in the pretty fishing port of Sète — not your typical tourist town. If you like seafood, this is the perfect place to indulge — Sète has the largest working fishing fleet on France’s Mediterranean coast.
Day 7: Our final night aboard
We make our way to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the standard-bearer for the Southern Rhône. The region produces both red and white wines of outstanding quality. We visit Domaine de Font de Michelle for lunch today. The vineyards here are tended using organic farming techniques. Their wine is aged in a myriad of different vessels including traditional cement vats, old foudres, demi-muids and French oak barrels. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. We sit down to a Captain’s dinner with wines from the Southern Rhône — including Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes-de-Venise — during our last night on board.
Day 8: Returning Home
Take some free time to explore Nice this morning before our flight home. Nice is a city of universal appeal: old-world opulence, year-round sunshine and a thriving local arts scene. With so many delights waiting to be discovered here on the bright blue waters of the Cote d’Azur... why not add a few days before or after the tour to discover them all?
Wine Expert Derek Smedley MW is one of the most experienced members of the wine trade, working in it since 1961 and becoming a Master of Wine in 1968. He is a past co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and is one of our most popular guides, having led many tours to many different regions.
The Wines ◊◊ Sample Corsican wines which reflect their limestone soil ◊◊ Sweet and richly delicious Muscat Vin Doux Naturels ◊◊ Powerful reds from Rhône varieties ◊◊ Sweetly satisfying, shamefully underrated Provençal rosés ◊◊ Full-bodied big reds of Priorat ◊◊ Beautifully bubbly, sparkling Spanish Cava
What’s Included 7 nights aboard Le Ponant All meals (served with wine as described in the itinerary)
For further advice, information and to book, ask our in-house experts: Call: 01730 263111 Email: sales@winetours.co.uk Visit: www.winetours.co.uk
Local transport: private A/C coach Visits and tastings as per the itinerary Expert Tour Manager
FRANCE / SPAIN
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DECK PLAN & Cabin Information Le Ponant is a 290-foot luxury, three masted sailingcruiser with just 32 good-sized outside cabins (from 10.5 – 15.3 sq metres) with marble shower-rooms. Our maximum party size will be just 50 to a crew of 32. Being French-owned, there is of course a French chef and a pastry chef preparing gourmet menus, (all meals are included with wines). There is a spacious sun deck, a roomy salon with a bar, and both open-air and interior restaurants. You can plunge directly into the Mediterranean from the swimming platform. You are certain to enjoy a comfortable stay aboard Le Ponant, but why not upgrade your experience? As we glide from port to port, the hushed ambience of our ocean-view staterooms and suites provides an ideal retreat. Our most spacious cabins are equipped with luxurious king size beds and all the facilities you could possibly require for total peace of mind.
Cabin Description: There are five cabins on the Antigua Deck and the other cabins are on the Marie Galante Deck. Each cabin has individually controlled air conditioning. Some cabins have fixed twin / double beds. They all have ensuite bathrooms with showers.
5 Cabins Antigua Deck
27 Cabins Marie-Galante Deck
(12.5m2 to 15.3m2)
(10.5m2 to 13.5m2)
TV Shower
Wardrobe
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There is WiFi, but this is subject to the ship’s position, there will be a charge for use.
Shower
Shower Wardrobe
Wardrobe
WC
Twin Bed Version
TV
TV
TV
WC
King Size Bed Version
Each cabin has a porthole, safe, minibar, hair dryer, desk, satellite direct dial telephone and flat screen TV.
Shower Wardrobe
WC
King Size Bed Version
WC
Triple Bed Version
Wine improves with age. Travel improves with wine.
Mobility
As a sailing ship, there are flights of steps, changes in deck height, and no lift or wheelchair access. So, regrettably Le Ponant is not suitable, nor adaptable, for anyone with mobility issues. At several ports we will be at anchor, and in order to get ashore you’ll need to be able to climb up and down the ship’s steps into moving tenders.
Travel Insurance
It is essential for your own peace of mind that you have travel insurance to protect you in the event that you have to cancel for unforeseen, insurable reasons from the time that you book. We accept your booking on the understanding that you are insured and are fit to travel.
Pre and Post Tour Price £pp
Cabin Nos.
Fixed Double 15.3 square metres
7750
5
Fixed Double 12.3 square metres
7550
1-4
Double/Twin 13.5 square metres
6499
8, 10, 12, 14, 25, 27 & 29
Double/Twin 11.3 square metres
5399
11, 12a, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 & 30
Double for Sole Occupancy 11.3 square metres
6499
26 & 28
Double for Sole Occupancy 10.8 square metres
6499
7&9
Double/Twin 12.6 square metres
6750
23
Double for Sole Occupancy 11.3 square metres
7750
22 & 24
Cabin
You may wish to treat yourself to a few nights in Nice pre-or post-tour. We will be making reservations at one of our favourite hotels in Nice, La Perouse.
Single Travellers
If you are looking for a cabin for sole occupancy, early booking is strongly recommended as there is limited availability. A&C never discount holidays at the last minute to be fair to those who commit in advance.
Travel
Flights are available on all bookings at a supplemented price. Please view the tour page for full details of these costs. If you would like to book your own flights, different to the group flight, please note that return airport / ship transfers are not included. With sails fully unfurled and with favourable winds cruising speed is 10 knots. We are keen to sail wherever we can and will endeavour for the sails to be used whenever possible, weather and timings permitting.
Not Included
Laundry / bar bills and anything not specifically mentioned as included. The bar serves a full range of drinks (chargeable to your cabin).
30th Aug – 6th Sep, 2017 Deposit per person: £1,500
For further advice, information or to book, ask our in-house experts: Call: 01730 263111 Email: sales@winetours.co.uk Visit: www.winetours.co.uk FRANCE / SPAIN
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Wine improves with age. Travel improves with wine.
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www.winetours.co.uk 9
THE SHIP LE PONANT Experience cruising in a different way... Le Ponant is an exquisite modern yacht — and the perfect vessel to take you on a meandering cruise across the Mediterranean. The joys of small-ship sailing are, of course, many fold. On board, you will enjoy a truly relaxed atmosphere. We can drop anchor for an impromptu swim in the ocean, and enjoy single sittings for leisurely outdoor lunches and dinners on-deck. Our small size also allows for swift and easy disembarkation, giving us all the more time to explore the lovely port towns and wonderful wine regions on our route. Ordinarily, Le Ponant can sleep 64, but we want to ensure that you enjoy a truly premium yacht experience. Arblaster & Clarke wine cruises are exclusive small parties, so we have reduced the maximum number of passengers on board to 50. By limiting our number of guests, we can make sure that you receive the friendly, informal house party style that makes our A&C small ship Wine Cruises so unique. Le Ponant will take you on a voyage of discovery — under full sail, gliding over the sea, you are sure to fall under the ship’s spell. Experience the fine life wherever you are: in your charming cabin, sat in one of the comfortable lounges, or the gastronomic restaurant.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard!
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Wine improvesITALY with age. Travel improves with wine. 10
FRANCE / SPAIN
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During a visit to Cantine Lunae Bosoni, the group receives a talk in the winery’s sunny courtyard.
On an Arblaster & Clarke wine cruise, travelling by sea means crossing new frontiers with a view to finding new favourites that you’ll cherish forever. Discover little-visited regions, remote vineyards in breathtaking locations, and meet passionate producers who can’t wait to share their outstanding wines with you.
An early morning arrival into the harbour at Lerici — the port town is set into the beautiful Golfo dei Poeti, or Gulf of Poets.
As our vessel makes its way along the coast, we plot our very own map of the best wine these regions have to offer. Enjoy an effervescent Cava in the sparkling company of its Tarragona producer, be bowled over by the bold reds of Priorat and the Rhône, and savour the herbdriven fruits of Corsica’s coastal climate and limestone soil.
A leisurely afternoon afloat on the Mediterranean, and a view of the colourful coast from the top deck of the boat.
See the world’s wine destinations from a new vantage point — the luxury sailboat Le Ponant. We sail languidly on the azure Mediterranean taking advantage of the rare opportunity to admire Europe’s golden coastlines from a different perspective. Enjoy a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.
The group enjoys a guided tasting in the cosy heart of Cantine Lunae Bosoni, including the estate’s prize Vermentino.
The images found throughout this brochure aren’t just photographs. They show real experiences that were shared and wonderful memories that were made aboard Le Ponant in 2016. We cannot wait to return to the ship and are excited to traverse a different route — taking in different sights, sounds, and of course, tastes!
Wine Tours
Call: 01730 263111 sales@winetours.co.uk www.winetours.co.uk