Maconnais Meets Beaujolais
The town of Mâcon enjoys a unique location in Burgundy as its southern most region while simultaneously overlapping the northern port of the Beaujolais region. This tour is designed to show you both. As you explore the Mâcconnais region, you will have the opportunity to taste some excellent white wines from prominent appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran. Often overshadowed by the whites from the Côte d'Or to the north, these wines offer enormous value. Due to Mâcon's proximity to Beaujolais, you will also experience the vivid and fresh reds from the Gamay grape that has become synonymous with this region.
Start with a scenic motor coach drive as you meander through the Mâconnais countryside on your way to the village of Lys, where you will arrive at your first destination, a goat cheese farm,Chevrerie la Trufière. Here the farmer will guide you through a tasting of their handcrafted cheeses.
A short drive brings you to your second stop, an organic farm specializing in truffles - Le Cos Piguet, where owner Olivier Devevre will welcome the group for a truffle hunt demonstration. After the truffle hunt, a wine-paired lunch will be prepared on-site and will feature the farm’s products, including their prized truffles. Joining the group for lunch will be either Xavier or Kerrie de Boissieu, the 13th generation proprietors of nearby Château de Lavernette, who will provide a guided tasting of five of their wines during lunch. Bordering both the Mâconnais and Beaujolais, the estate produces excellent Chardonnay and Gamay-based wines from the Pouilly-Fuissé and Beaujolais appellations and utilizes both biodynamic and organic growing practices.
After saying goodbye to Cos Piguet, depart for the village of Fuissé which has given its name to the famed Pouilly Fuissé AOC. Mme Vincent, the owner of the Château de Fuissé, will welcome you to her impressive estate. After a stroll through their emblematic vineyard “Le Clos,” solely owned by the Vincent Family, and a visit of their cellar you will enjoy a tasting of their wines in one of the château’s 15th century rooms before heading back to the ship.