Many people planning to come to the Loire write to me asking which winemakers to visit, which restaurants to go to, which hotels &/or B&Bs to stay in.

So, I'm wondering: would you like me to:

a) Set up your appointments with winemakers?

b) Make restaurant and/or hotel reservations?

c) Conduct a private tasting?

d) Arrange a one-day, two-day, or more itinerary?

e) Accompany you on your tasting tour?

If so, please send me an email. Also, read the text below for other possibilities.

Proselytizing doesn’t end with writing. I preach the pleasures of wine in many different ways--in tastings, in wine-oriented tours of Paris and in custom-tailored tours of wine regions.

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Sample Tastings include basic wine appreciation (The Pleasures of Wine 101) or themed tastings, focusing on a region, a grape variety and/or a style of wine. (These can be organized on relatively short notice.)

Sample Wine Tours of Paris:

a) a wine-bar crawl at aperitif hour. We stop in two, three or four wine bars, I explain the mechanics of tasting (if desired) with the first wine at the first bar, we move on and we snack and sip for an hour or two;

b) half day or full day in which we visit a couple of wine bars, wine shops and end with a food-and-wine pairing meal (lunch or dinner) after having met the sommelier and visited the restaurant’s cellars.

Wine tours in wine regions: depending on the destination--and your energy--one, two or three day itineraries in which we visit three to four wineries a day, leaving time for at least one nice, long meal (and, if desired, two). We’ll taste regional specialties and sample the best wines.

We’ll also get special treatment as I know most, if not all, of the people involved. (There will also be ‘down’ time--to nap, shop, meander, and visit major sights.)

Regarding the possibility of events anywhere/anytime: see my response to Rajeev's letter in TheMailRoom.

Watch this spot. Or contact me.