Wine Travel Stories

In-depth Tales of Winery Visits Around the World

Another Sunny (and Lazy) Day in St. Emilion (Sunday, May 3, 2009)

We slept well and enjoyed listening to the crickets and frogs outside of our window. Breakfast is included in the rate of $98 Euros per night to stay at Chateau Monlot, so we headed downsides to the charming dining room where we feasted on good coffee and too many fresh and heavenly croissants of every type. Bernard, the owner, joined us and invited us to join his family for lunch at 1pm, as well as a tour of the wine cellars. What a friendly place! We gladly accepted. Next we wandered around the sunny grounds of the chateau taking pictures, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:19:04-08:00May 18, 2009|

Join the Party at Chateau Monlot, St. Emilion, France (Saturday, May 2, 2009)

My husband and I arrived in Bordeaux on May 2 at 4:40 in the afternoon to a sunny warm 70F degree day. After leaving rainy San Francisco yesterday (May 1) and the long flight to Amsterdam, it was a pleasure to finally arrive at our destination. However, as we exited the plane we were informed that all Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans had to report to security and fill out forms on the swine flu. Despite that small set-back we found our diesel car at Hertz and managed to drive to our hotel, the Chateau Monlot, in less than the hour [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:19:26-08:00May 18, 2009|

Back to Bordeaux – May 2009

I was very excited to get a chance to go back to Bordeaux this Spring of 2009. This was due to a scholarship from the Commanderie de Bordeaux and the MW Program. Caroline, in their main office, organized my schedule and set up all the visits. To her, I am extremely grateful because I know how many hours of work this takes. The following sections of this blog describe the wineries I visited on this trip -- beginning on the Right Bank, then along the Left Bank and ending in Entre duex Mers. I've also included hotel and restaurant information, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2020-12-25T07:40:15-08:00May 18, 2009|

Spend a Saturday in Suisun Valley

Since I am fortunate enough to live in Sonoma County, I have had the opportunity to visit hundreds of wineries in Sonoma and Napa over the past 8 years. However, it wasn’t until yesterday that I visited the very charming and friendly Suisun Valley. Situated only 20 minutes south of Napa and only a short 1 hour drive from San Francisco, it is the perfect one-day get-away. It seems amazing that after exiting I-80 onto Suisun Valley Road that within 5 minutes you are transported back in time to a gentle sleepy valley of vineyards, quaint wineries, friendly restaurants and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:19:59-08:00January 21, 2009|

CHAMPAGNE – July 20 – 24, 2008

The delightfully giddy week in Italy turned into a week of serious academic research in Champagne. Time to get back to work – even though we did get to taste many wonderful Champagnes every day. We were here to do research and write a book, so each day was jam-packed with interviews at wineries and institutions. When we arrived in Reims that first evening – after many delays on the day long trip from Siena – we checked into the Holiday Inn. It was a nice clean hotel with a magnificent buffet breakfast every morning with a great view from [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:20:19-08:00October 15, 2008|

Conference in Siena, Italy – July 17- 19, 2008

The wine conference lasted 3 fun-filled days. Leave it to the Italians to plan the best conference yet. It was held in the ancient hospital (which is now a museum) across from the Duomo, and the sessions were very information. Lunch, which included wine each day, was an amazing stand-up affair with luscious cheeses, meats, pastas, and salads. There were several highlights to the conference: Grand Gala Dinner at the Cloister Piccolomini – a beautiful villa in the Tuscan countryside. Everyone dressed up for this special event, and each professor brought a favorite bottle of wine from their country to [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:20:40-08:00October 15, 2008|

Piedmont, Italy – DAY THREE & Drive to Siena: July 16, 2008

The day dawned sunny and bright, and we took our time enjoying our last breakfast on the flowered terrace of the Hotel Barolo. Our original plans called for us to go back to the Monferrato to visit another winery and not leave Piedmont until noon, but once we looked on the map and realized how long the drive to Siena was, we had to cancel our appointment. Instead, and because we were feeling sad about leaving such a beautiful place, we decided to take the scenic drive along route 661 and over the rolling hills and mountains of Piedmont. Therefore, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:21:03-08:00October 15, 2008|

Piedmont, Italy – DAY TWO: July 15, 2008

If the previous day was full, July 15th was even more jam-packed with wine adventures in Piedmont. We hadn’t meant to schedule all 3 wineries in one day, but that is what worked best with the winery owners. After a nice breakfast on the sunny terrace (it came with the room, which was only $100 Euros per night for two – two twin beds with a private bath), we drove to the town of Barbaresco to view Angelo Gaja’s house – the very famous vintner from this town and also visit the Producttori de Barbersco. This is a type of [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:21:23-08:00October 15, 2008|

Piedmont, Italy – DAY ONE: July 14, 2008

Enroute to the 4th International Wine Business Conference in Sienna, Italy, my good friend Janeen and I scheduled 3 days in Piedmont. She found a great hotel online in the hilltop town of Barolo, called – simple enough – the Hotel Barolo. It was family-run, quaint, and very friendly with an amazing view over the vineyards and the charming village of Barolo. Several weeks before the trip, I began doing research on wineries and enotecas to visit. I also contacted my friend, Doug Cook, who knows everything about Italian wines and wineries for recommendations. He got me in touch with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:21:44-08:00October 15, 2008|

Bandol and the French Riviera- May 2 – 6, 2008

For our 23rd wedding anniversary, my husband flew to meet me in the South of France on his way to work in the Azerbaijan oil fields. We decided to stay in Bandol, on the French Riviera because they are known for the dark, earthy mourvèdre – one of my husband’s favorite wines. We left Montpellier on May 2nd and arrived in Bandol in about 2 hours. It was a lovely scenic drive and the weather was perfect. Our condo was outside of the town about ten minutes and called Pierre & Vacances - Résidence Les Rivages de Coudouliere. It was [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:22:04-08:00September 28, 2008|

The Medieval City of Carcassonne – Thurs., May 1, 2008

Thursday morning, I packed and then did a quick tour of the city of Bordeaux. It is much bigger than I thought, with a beautiful drive along the river and lovely old stone buildings and leafy plazas. Then I started the four hour drive back to Montpellier so I could meet my husband at the airport at 8pm. On the way, I stopped to visit the amazing ancient city of Carcassonne. It was hard to miss it, because you could see it from the toll way. I’m glad I stopped, because it was a beautiful warm spring day, and the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:22:24-08:00September 28, 2008|

Sauternes and Chateau d’Arche – Wed. 4/30/08

I fell in love with the little village of Sauternes. I don’t remember anyone mentioning how charming it is, with its tiny streets, lovely old church and stone buildings set in the middle of the Semillon and sauvignon blanc vineyards. My appointment at Chateau d'Arche was equally delightful, as I met with the winemaker and hospitality manager. Chateau d'Arche is a second growth, but has a solid reputation for producing good sweet white wines. They also have a bed & breakfast, and encouraged me to stay there next time I visit. I think I will – I was so charmed [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2020-12-25T07:46:26-08:00September 28, 2008|

Chat. Smith-Haut Lafitte – Wed. 4/30/08

My original plan was to visit Chateau Smith-Haut Lafitte and Sauternes on Thursday, but I discovered when I arrived in Bordeaux that most wineries would be closed because May 1 was a national holiday. Therefore, I had to scramble and telephone to make appointments at both wineries for Wednesday afternoon. I gave myself enough time to have an elegant lunch at the famous Les Sources de Caudalie Hotel and Spa – which is next door to Chat. Smith-Haut Lafitte, and managed by one of the owner’s daughters. First I visited the Spa and picked up a brochure. It was surprisingly [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:22:53-08:00September 28, 2008|

Chateau Margaux – Wed., 4/30/08

It took me three emails and several phone calls to get an appointment at Ch. Margaux, and I actually started the process a month in advance. Eventually they agreed that I could visit and I was very excited, though a little tired as I started out that morning in the rain. However, I had only driven one mile when disaster struck. As I slowed down to approach a roundabout, the car behind me rear-ended mine, and the person behind her, smashed her car – resulting in a 3 car collision. I think the rainy pavement caused the accident. Shaking, I [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:23:11-08:00September 28, 2008|

The Left Bank – Tuesday, 4/29/08

Another absolutely amazing day! I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends that they introduce me to people like Christian who is the international winemaker for Lafite. As arranged, he picked me up at my hotel at 8:30am and we headed north to the Medoc and our early appointment with Charles Chevallier at Chateau Lafite. What a tour! The place is amazing with splendid old cellars – both a first and second year cellar; huge impressive fermentation vats; and state of the art equipment. The vineyards are filled with gravel and are close to the river – as are [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T23:23:30-08:00September 28, 2008|

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