On day one of your trip, drive from the UK to the Champagne region, taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. You have the complete freedom to choose your preferred crossing time, and the drive from Calais to the Champagne region is a speedy 2 ½ hours. Upon arrival at Château de Rilly, check into your spacious room with its own private balcony or terrace. Once you have settled, intake a short walk through the village and enjoy a private tour and tastings at a family-run Champagne House. The remainder of the afternoon will be free for you to spend as you please.

This evening, you may wish to dine in the Château’s on-site gourmet restaurant or alternatively, we would be very pleased to reserve you a table at one of our partner restaurants in Epernay, which is a 20-minute drive from the Château. Please rest assured that all Grape Escapes restaurant partners will follow strict safety guidelines, respecting social distance and hygiene rules.

After breakfast on day two, you will be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. You will be transported in a spacious Mercedes Viano-style vehicle and your guide will follow the necessary safety procedures whilst regaling you with tales and anecdotes of the history of Champagne and its vineyards, introducing you to the particularities of the region. You will firstly stop in a vineyard to learn about the work undertaken here, and the tour is designed to be as hands-on as possible. Here, your guide will explain the grape varieties permitted in Champagne and the yearly cycle of the work carried out in the vineyards. You will also pass through Hautvillers, the famous hilltop village where Dom Pérignon himself lived and is buried.

You will then visit a small, family-run producer of Champagnes for a private tour of the fascinating Champagne-making process from press to bottle, and at least three tastings. An alfresco picnic lunch in a picturesque setting will then be served. In the cooler months, lunch will instead be served in a private dining room. After lunch, your guide will take you to another family-run estate, situated in another of the principle regions of Champagne. After a private tour of the House, you will taste Champagnes in contrasting style to those tasted during the morning.

Ending the day in true style, you will be welcomed as the VIP guests of Champagne Taittinger. Here, you will be taken on a private tour of the estate and cellars followed by tastings of three Taittinger Champagnes including their Prestige Cuvée, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. In the evening, we will reserve you a table for dinner in Château de Rilly’s restaurant. You will be able to order à la carte and payment can be made locally.

After breakfast on day three, check out of the hotel at your leisure and drive to Obernai in the Alsace, this will take approximately 3 ½ hours and we would be pleased to recommend a suitable place to stop en-route for a lunch.

After settling in at the 4* Hotel A la Cour d’Alsace, why not explore the lovely town of Obernai, famous for its charming half-timbered houses each painted in the bright colours of the Alsace region? Take a stroll through the picturesque streets and perhaps stop to enjoy a glass of wine in one of the many Winstubs (literally meaning a wine lounge!). In the evening, head to the hotel’s restaurant for a three-course dinner with drinks.

On the morning of day four after breakfast, set off on foot to your first visit of the day. This winery, just a ten-minute walk from your hotel, produces wines with the utmost respect to the traditional ways of their ancestors and have done so for generations.  You will be taken on a very comprehensive private tour of the cellars, where you will see the beautiful old oak barrels and then taste four wines, accompanied by some pretzels.

At the end of the tasting, your next rendez-vous is at a winery, a ten-minute walk away. This small producer will provide a real contrast to your last visit; a very typical, authentic experience, where you will meet the wine-maker and taste your way through five wines, served with the region’s famous and uncompromising Munster cheese along with a slice of delicious kougelhopf, an Alsatian cake made with almonds and raisins.  After a busy morning tasting, take a break for a spot of lunch! There are plenty of charming restaurants and cafés to choose from in the town and we would be pleased to make some recommendations.

Time then to head for your last visit of the day, a producer with five generations of experience.  Here you will learn about the unique wines of the region as well as gaining an insight into the local winemaking. After a private tour of the cellar, the producer will talk you through a tasting of several different varietals, and you will also enjoy a glass of the region’s sparkling wine, Crémant d’Alsace.

After such an enlightening day, your hotel awaits, where your evening is free to do as you please. Again, we would be happy to recommend a restaurant for dinner.

On your final day, after a leisurely breakfast, check out and drive back to the UK, taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. If you would like to extend your trip to France and visit other regions (for more wine or just to relax), we would be delighted to provide inspiration.