A taste of luxury

Go Barging, Europe’s largest luxury barge cruising company, announced the addition of exclusive chartered wine tasting cruises on all its barges in France as part of the itinerary for the 2009 season. Renowned wine expert Brendan Moore will take guests on an exciting and enlightening exploration of the country’s premiere wine producing regions, including Burgundy and the South of France.

Tours feature meetings with traditional wine making families, visits to private cellars, and barrel tastings. Prices for chartering a wine cruise start at £2,350 per person, based on an 8-person charter, and vary depending on the size of the vessel.

Go Barging offers a total of 12 cruise itineraries in France. These sophisticated cruises feature a relaxing pace, luxury accommodations, and gourmet dining, perfect for wine enthusiasts looking to savour everything France has to offer. Among eligible vessels are the elegant 12 - passenger barges, La Belle Époque, Anjodi and L’Impressioniste which tour the striking countryside of Burgundy and Southern France, home to some of the most celebrated vineyards in the world.

A Taste of Luxury
Seven-day tours through Burgundy onboard L’Impressioniste, for example, offer guests an opportunity to sample wines from vineyards such as Domaine Jafflin, Clos Vougeot and Maison Champy. Typical wines tasted include those from Vosne Romanée, Gevrey Chambertin, Nuits St. Georges, and Côtes de Nuits. Go Barging’s La Belle Epoque takes guests on a tour of vineyards such as Domaine Laroche, Clos Vougeot, and Romanée Conti.

Wines include Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis Grand Cru, and Puligny Montrachet. The Anjodi cruises the Languedoc region, visiting vineyards such as Domaine de Guery and Mas de Chevaliere. Wine tastings include Corbieres and Pomerol. Log on to gobarging.com for other vessels and their itineraries.

Expert wine guide Brendan Moore leads each tour, drawing upon years of expertise to enhance the experience for every guest. Moore has lived in France for almost 25 years. Originally crossing over from England to help run a hotel barge, he found his passion in wine and has been converting hundreds of international wine novices and connoisseurs to the pleasures of French wines.

In between the wine tours, Go Barging guests will also visit historic sites and stroll through picturesque towns, even enjoy an evening swim in the Mediterranean, depending on the cruise. Dining onboard the vessels provides guests with world-class cuisine in a tranquil, worry free environment. Barges are elegantly appointed and air-conditioned, with spacious suites and private bath. They also feature lounge areas above and below deck for relaxing, conversation and taking in the magnificent scenery of the French countryside.

“Wine tours are part of all our cruises throughout France, but these special chartered cruises allow our guests to benefit from the expertise, knowledge and insight of Brendan Moore, whose reputation is among the best in France,” said Derek Banks, Managing Director of Go Barging. “Go Barging cruises are distinguished by our passion and dedication to the comfort of our guests. With the help of Brendan and our valued relationships with these vineyards, our wine cruises are sure to provide unique experiences and lasting memories.”

For more information, pricing and cruise schedules, log on to Gobarging.com.