French Wine Explorers Releases New Website and 2009 Tour Schedule

French Wine Explorers, the leader in wine and culinary tours to France, has released the 2009 Tour Schedule for small group departures. In addition to the exclusive Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne tours, French Wine Explorers is pleased to announce a Special Grand Cru Barge cruise with a Burgundy insider as host. The new product offerings, along with a new, updated website prove to be a hit with those looking for unique wine and culinary experiences in France.

French Wine Explorers, America's leading luxury French wine tour company, is offering its most exciting tour season ever in 2009. The tours include the ultimate in luxury hotels and chateaux and Michelin-starred restaurants, and feature France's most exclusive and prestigious wine estates. The 2009 schedule includes five scheduled departures, plus private and customized wine vacations to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Provence, the Loire Valley, and Tuscany and Piedmont in Italy.

Among the highlights of the 2009 season: Bordeaux Prestige, the ultimate wine tour experience, including VIP tastings at all five First Growth chateaux (Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion, Mouton Rothschild) and the most legendary estates of Pomerol, Sauternes and Saint Emilion; Great Estates of Burgundy, an in-depth exploration of the Côte d'Or's finest estates; and Burgundy and Champagne Prestige, a blend of the best that Burgundy and Champagne has to offer. New to their lineup of scheduled departures is a special Grand Cru Barge Cruise, a 6-night tour aboard a luxury barge and a unique opportunity to taste the 33 Grand Crus of Burgundy, as well as special winemakers' dinners on board complete with unparalled access to owners of exclusive estates.

The company also has launched a new website that enhances the user experience. "Our new website is user-friendly, well-organized and equipped with a blog that readers can comment on, creating a community of like-minded individuals," stated Pascale Bernasse, President of French Wine Explorers. "We are excited about offering a website experience that mirrors the experience of our tours: client-focused, educational and unique."

The Maryland-based company has been acclaimed by the international travel and wine press, and was recently named as "Top Wine Vacations" by ForbesTraveler.com and one of the "World's Great Wine Tours" by Food & Wine Magazine in 2006. Their extensive wine and travel industry connections open the doors to top wineries and private estates for their guests, providing them an exclusive insider's view not available to the public.

The group size of 12 guests maximum keeps the tours intimate and ensures personal attention. All tours include deluxe, air conditioned motor transportation, luxury hotels, gourmet meals with premium wines, all wine tastings, sightseeing, and services of a bilingual wine expert guide throughout. Prices range from US$4200 to US$5800 per person, double occupancy, for the land-only packages.

French Wine Explorers also offers custom-designed wine tours for guests wishing to choose their own dates and itinerary, accompanied by a wine expert. Corporate programs are also available, as well as special private tours for wine and gourmet clubs and wine and food professionals.