Boat, bus, or foot you'll experience all the culture
Since the fall of 2004 I have been mixing travel with wine producing regions for small groups. Working with Earthbound Expedition's these small intimate groups have enjoyed history, great foods and of course fine wines from some of the finest wine makers in the world.
Besides being a travel host, Joe Euro owns and operates the Wine Seller in Port Townsend, Washington. Since 1982, he has been offering a big-town selection to the visitors and residents of Washington's Victorian seaport community. Visit the Wine Seller website to see more about the specials, wine tasting schedule, and other specialty offerings.
Joe Euro is also a well-regarded Guitarist / Recording Artist. His current critically acclaimed CDs: "Souvenir" (which has made the "Top 25" list on "echoes" on PRI 3 Times in 2008. Last time in the #6 slot!) "The High Road" and "Eyes On The Horizon" have been featured on some of the big Nationally Syndicated Radio Broadcasts of NPR and PRI such as "echoes" with host John Diliberto, and "Hearts Of Space" with host Steven Hill.
Take the time to visit Joe's home page to learn more about his music.
Great Wines Estates of Spain, September 29 - October 9, 2013
Joe's group visited many top sites of interest in Spain. They also saw and sampled fantastic Spanish wines from most of the most important wine regions, Rioja; Ribera Del Deuro; Priorat and Monstant! All while enjoying luxurious accommodations in 3 and 4 star level hotels. They wined and and dined in with best Spain has to offer.
October 6-20, 2012, Barging and Enjoying France
Two full weeks in France!
Barging the Canal du Midi on a new HYBRID Diesel/Electric 49 foot barge. Four luxurious (for a boat) staterooms, each with its own ensuite head and flat screen TVs (although we will need European DVDs -- American DVDs apparently don't work in Europe, so don't bring any... but perhaps we can plug in our cameras to view and edit our daily photos). Air conditioning and heating available in all rooms for maximum personal comfort while on board. Joe is on hand to do all sorts of things, like pilot the boat (although everyone likes some time at the helm and certainly gets to drive the boat, if they choose to do so), and provide and educate us on some fantastic local French wines (but if you find some wines you want to purchase and share with anyone or the whole group, feel free). Joe and Susan plan many of our outings and either guide us or provide regional guides to enlighten us on various segments of our journey. Bicycles (a few -- we may have to take turns) will be available while on board for riding along the canal and exploring the countryside as well.
Then, after our exciting week on the boat, we're off for another week in our fabulous villa in the South of France for our next adventures!
Fall of 2009: Barging in France
click image for tour
October '09, our France trip consisted of a liesurely cruise on a 46 ft. barge on the Canal de Acquitane and River Baise for a week, stopping in beautiful, quiant and historic Mideival towns along the way, one was a totally Walled In village of Vianne.. complete with Bastides, towers and elebaorate gate houses...inside was a lovely town square, where we had a few dirnks ( it was still pretty warm in this part of France, so it was local beer for me) before exploring on foot and /or bicycle...and returned for a lovely multi coursed dinner later on (of course with delicious local wines selcted by...your host and guide...
We spent several days in the town of Nerac...Stunning to arrive in this gorgeous medeival town by boat..with a portion of King Henry IV's castle still there and now a fascinating Museum.
After our week long barging excursion, we rented a small minivan and it was on to our absolutley lovely house in the South of France...right in the middle of vineyards for wines such as Minervois (10 minutes from the famous town of Miverve, which the local red wines of Minervois are named for) and Corbieres...also some incredibly delicious blends of Grenach, Syrah, sometimes Mourvedre, Carignane, and other classic South of France varietals.
(next pic is lunch on the deck of our house, which overlooked our walled in garden complete with its own Olive Grove, Fig Tree, pool and overlooking vineyards as far as the horizon.)
From our local the South of France, we took days trips to Carcasonne (you already have some pics of that, Marc), Minerve, the city Narbonne with its incredible Market and lofty and amazing Cathedral. we drove down to the Med after that and got our feet wet with a beach walk...the water was still warm!
Some great sites and food and wine all along the way too, bien sur!
Fall 2008: France
I led a small group, piloting the barge on the Canal du Nivernais and then rented a lovely 2 bedroom apartment in Paris for the remainder of our journey, and booking the museum and monument passes, as well as a 3 day open top bus and batobus river pass. We attended a wonderful Wine Festival in the town of Chablis, of course sampling many true Chablis wines from around 50 different producers. Nothing like a good Chablis for one of the world's great white wines. (It's why California tried to steal that name for many years, unfortunately only to cause confusion between the real McCoy stuff from the northern Burgundy region and the cheap blends California called "Chablis" for years...watering down the great name of this classic Chardonnay) Wine Not stop by and pick up a bottle or two from our wonderful selection of real French Chablis and see how crisp, bright, dry and wonderfully mineraly/flinty a true French Chardonnay can be? (Of course we have lesser priced alternatives too from the "Macon" region of France).
Fall of 2007: Wines of the Adriatic
Wines of the Adriatic. My 7th hosted journey to discover the sumptuous wines of the Adriatic Coast. From the vineyards of northern Italy to the sunny Dalmatian Islands of southern Croatia, we sampled mouth watering wines, delectable olive oils and explore colorful seaside villages. With our small group of fellow wine and food lovers we explored the culture, stunning landscapes and historic wine regions of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia & tiny Montenegro. Experienced the amazing scenery, grand capitals, towering castles, of wine regions that are just now, or at least in the not-too-distant future ...making it to our shores! Like all of our journeys, it' was not JUST about wines...there's always so much history everywhere one travels in Europe.
Spring of 2007: France
Warm sunshine, great company on our 2007 barging trip
Barging the Canals of Burgundy, Sipping Sancerre in the Loire, Magical Chateaux of the Loire and a bit of April in Paris" Great group of folks (20 including Susan and myself) incredible weather, warm and sunny every day!!! Like summer the whole time!!! Amazing sights, food and wine, Burgundy reds and whites, Sancerre, and a lovely stop in Chablis on the way...!) and as usual, a "no-brainer" trip, where all our details are taken care of, and we knew in advance what the trip cost in American dollars..(except for a few meals..shopping, and our own airfare)
October of '06: Sicily
A Sip Of Sicily and The Best of Southern Italy"
Spring of '06: France
April in Paris, Sipping our way through Champagne (region) on to Barging in Alsace-Lorraine, then "Sideways" to Beaune, the Historic Home of Burgundy and of course, Pinot Noir (made ever so much more popular by that silly movie.."Sideways")
October of '05: Italy
"Bella Italia" (Beautiful Italy), Venice, Modena (for old Balsamic) Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, and Rome.
April of '05: France
"April In Paris, Barging Burgundy, then on to Provence" (this time a river barge cruise on the Soane, and ending in Arles, with various side trips around Provence, Chateauneuf Du Pape, and the Pont du Garde)
October of '04: Italy
"A Taste Of Tuscany" starting in Rome, traveling through gorgeous Umbria, Assissi, staying on the grounds of a 12th century castle in Tuscany, where we had a wine tasting - cooking class/ then a fabulous dinner. Next on through Modena for Balsamic, and ending at Lake Como, for a couple incredible days in Italy's lake country)