News Articles
NO SURCHARGE GUARANTEE for 2009 & 2010 — Posted on: 17/09/2009
Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours are offering a No Surcharge Guarantee for 2009 & 2010. Once we have confirmed the tour price to you with your invoice, there will be no surcharges applied to the cost of the holiday, even if fuel or currency rates change. However, we do not guarantee that the tour prices may not change throughout the course of the year – so in order to ensure that you have the best price possible, we strongly advise you to book early.
This is applicable to all Arblaster & Clarke Wine and Opera & Wine Tours departing in 2009 & 2010.
Bordeaux ‘en Primeur’
21 - 25 June 2010
“A glass of Château Margaux will be delicious just as it is, but it becomes an infinitely more complex experience if one has had the pleasure of visiting its vineyards, of knowing who looks after the estate and who makes the w…
Bordeaux First Growths
15 - 19 November 2010
The splendid setting of 2ème Cru Classé Château Pichon Longueville is our privileged base for this special tour. This is not a hotel, nor is it open to the general public, so we are truly honoured to be able to extend this …
Burgundy & Beaujolais By Coach or Train
24 - 28 October 2010
This popular tour is a great introduction to Burgundy and Beaujolais. The tour includes visits to good Burgundy domaines and negociants who also offer good value, not always easy to find as well as a day spent out in the beauti…
California
13 - 19 March 2011
The wine world owes so much to California; the idea of varietal wines, of the ‘boutique winery’, of scientific site selection, indeed the whole idea of ‘the new world’.
This wonderful wine tour includes idyllic viney…
Chile, Argentina & Uruguay
7 - 19 February 2011
This outstanding and unique South American Wine Tour tour visits the vineyards of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay which are in spectacular locations. All three have made advances in wine quality and this has firmly established the…
Lyons Wine & City
17 - 20 June 2010
Our innovative programme of Wine & City trips is aimed at the more independent traveller who would also like to spend a couple of days in a party being taken to wine visits in the company of a wine expert (invaluable of course …
New Zealand Wine Tour
14 - 27 February 2011
New Zealand including the Art Deco Festival in Napier
New Zealand is a country blessed with spectacular natural scenery, open space, quality wines in a wide variety of styles and a high standard of accommodation. Me…
Opera in Milan at La Scala
Departures throughout the year.
Arblaster & Clarke offer independent tailor-made opera holidays with tickets to the classic Italian Opera house Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
La Scala is arguably the world’s…
Pre-Christmas Champagne
27 - 29 November 2010
Champagne is fun to drink and a fascinating wine to see being made and being easy to get to makes for a great weekend. Our base for the weekend is a comfortable 3* hotel in the centre of the lively attractive city of Reims.
…
Pre-Christmas Champagne Extra
14 - 16 November 2009
On our first evening in Reims the comparative tasting will show you a variety of out-performing Champagnes.
Our appointments start at Champagne Tarlant, one of our recent discoveries that is proving hugely popular for their …
Rhône Reserve
22 - 26 March 2010
This is a superb top level wine tour visiting the great names of the Rhône. This versatile and picturesque region has wonderful cuisine, as well as wines, so we are taking the opportunity to enjoy gourmet meals at the top rest…
Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Chablis & Champagne
24 - 28 October 2010
This excellent value five day break takes in the best white wines in France and visits some beautiful unspoilt country. We travel down to the region by coach and to make the journey go with a swing, we taste some wines en route…
Sherry & Andalucia
19 - 25 February 2011
Andalucía is startlingly beautiful with the Sierra Nevada rising dramatically from the sea. Being on the coast in Southern Spain the area has a temperate Mediterranean climate and most years that we have offered this tour in F…
Southern Burgundy Master Class
11 - 15 October 2010
Steven Spurrier has chosen to host this year’s Masterclass in the now stellar region of Southern Burgundy and the neighbouring and renascent Beaujolais Cru, and with the magnificent harvest of 2009 which was particularly succ…
Ultimate Champagne
21 - 25 March 2011
We have been visiting the Champagne region with our champagne loving clients 15 times a year since 1987, so not only are we the un-rivalled leading experts to the region, we can truly claim to know much about Champagne and have…
Valentine's Champagne
13 - 15 February 2010
Celebrate Valentine’s night with champagne in Champagne!
This is a special trip over Valentines Weekend, the highlight of which will be dinner in the beautiful cellars of Champagne Vilmart.
Champagne stretches from arou…
Alsace by Train
11 - 15 October 2010
Alsace must rank as one of the most beautiful and charming of all fine wine regions, it must also be the single most misunderstood! With its location on the German border and Germanic sounding grape varieties, it is easy to see…
Alsace Vineyard Walk
3 - 9 October 2010
Alsace must rank as one of the most beautiful and charming of all fine wine regions, perfect for a walking holiday, it must also be the single most misunderstood! With its location on the German border and Germanic sounding gra…
Autumn Champagne
29 - 31 October 2010
Champagne is fun to drink and a fascinating wine to see being made and being easy to get to makes for a great weekend. Our base for the weekend is a comfortable 3* hotel in the centre of the lively attractive city of Reims.
…
Bordeaux Wine & City
9 - 12 September 2010, 4 - 7 November 2010, 18 - 21 November 2010
Our innovative programme of Wine & City trips is aimed at the more independent traveller who would also like to spend a couple of days in a party being taken to wine visits in the company of a wine expert with the added advanta…
Douro Vineyard Walk
5 - 11 September 2010
The Douro is still one of Europe’s unspoilt paradises. On this stunning walking tour, we’ll explore the vineyards, quintas, villages and towns of the dramatic Douro valley; mostly on foot, but also by train. At just before harv…
Gourmet Emilia-Romagna
Departures throughout the year.
Parma Ham, vintage Balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano are just a few of the culinary delights you will discover and learn more about on this fabulous Gourmet tour based in the region of Emilia Romagna.
Emilia – Romagna…
Gourmet Piemonte
Departures throughout the year.
Although this tour is shown as departing throughout the year the Autumn is the best season to visit as the Truffle season is what this region is famous for.
This is an enjoyable short break for “foodies” taking you to …
Great Wines of Northern Spain
27 September - 4 October 2010
This great tour takes in some of the great regions of Northern Spain: Rioja Alta, Alavesa and Baja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra and Calatayud.
From Madrid we head north to the stellar wine region of Ribera del Duero, where we…
Independent Opera, La Fenice, Venice
Departures throughout the year.
Arblaster & Clarke offer tailor-made, unescorted breaks all with first class Opera tickets to the great Italian Opera house La Fenice with hotel accommodation in central Venice 4* hotel within easy walking distance of the Opera…
May Champagne Extra
1 - 3 May 2010
Our ‘Extra’ Champagne tours are luxury wine tours that are designed for those who are passionate about Champagne and require a higher standard of comfort and exclusivity. These tours feature some of the highest quality houses, …
Milan: Opera, Wine, Lakes & Gardens
Contact us for dates.
This spectacular tour is a feast for the senses, taking in great Opera, the wonderful, but little known wines of the Lombardy region, and the beautiful lakes and gardens of Northwest Italy.
On our first evening, we are privi…
Sicily
24 - 30 October 2010
Sicily is quite distinct from Italy in terms of culture, history, language, and wines. Highly individual grapes give good reds, perfumed whites and rich dessert wines. We have been bowled over by our reception from the family d…
South Australia
Contact us for dates.
Our wonderful Southern Australia tour takes in the Clare, Barossa, Adelaide Hills and McClaren Vale.
We meet in Adelaide and start with two nights in the small rural town of Clare, which wine-wise is renowned for Riesling a…
Southern Tuscany & Chianti Classico
18 - 23 October 2010
This fully revised Italian wine tour to Southern Tuscany & Chianti Classico encompasses two of Italy’s great classic wine regions.
We start with the cult wine region of Bolgheri on the coast in Southern Tuscany. Our base …
Spring Champagne Weekend
26 - 28 March 2011
Champagne is fun to drink and a fascinating wine to see being made and being easy to get to makes for a great weekend. Our base for the weekend is a comfortable 3* hotel in the centre of the lively attractive city of Reims.
…
Stars of Rioja (Sunday Times Wine Club)
23 - 27 September 2009
Join us as we take in an informal, yet in depth tour of this fascinating region of Northern Spain, whilst enjoying tastings with some favourite wine producers. The wines of Rioja have never been more popular, and quite rightly …
USA's Pacific Northwest and the International Pinot Noir Festival
21 - 27 July 2010
Washington State and Oregon on the USA’s Pacific Northwest coast are producing world class wines in a dynamic and innovative environment. However as production is limited, and much of it is taken up by demand within the USA, t…
Verona Opera & Wine
13 - 17 July 2010, 21 - 25 July 2010
Journey through the wine villages of Valpolicella and on the shores of Lake Garda by day, and by night experience the glamour of world-class Opera performed in a magical setting. You will be tasting the smooth, cherry like Vapo…
Vienna Wine & Opera
Contact us for dates.
Following the success of our Vienna Opera and Wine Tour in 2009 we are very excited to repeat this tour which in 2010 has a superb line up of Operas with exceptional casts. In April La Sonnambula featured the Peruvian Tenor Flo…
Athens to Malta Wine Cruise 2010
11 - 20 July 2010
Introducing our 2010 Wine Cruise
Every year A&C offers a small ship cruise. We visit smaller harbours and stop for impromptu swims. You will get to know the crew and your fellow passengers and meet people from the host …
Burgundy Vineyard Walk
30 May - 5 June 2010
Walk the grand crus of Burgundy, from Gevrey-Chambertin to Puligny-Montrachet!
This is our original Vineyard Walk, the Burgundy Walk was first offered 17 years ago and it has continued to be one of our most enjoyable walking…
Early Autumn Champagne
Contact us for dates.
Champagne is fun to drink and a fascinating wine to see being made and being easy to get to makes for a great weekend. Our base for the weekend is a comfortable 3* hotel in the centre of the lively attractive city of Reims.
…
Independent Opera, Puccini Festival
30 July - 1 August 2010
Arblaster and Clarke are very pleased to offer this independent Opera holiday based in Lucca, Tuscany, featuring the Puccini festival at Torre del Lago.
Most years since 1930, a stage has been set up by the Massaciuccoli Lak…
Puglia, Southern Italy
10 - 15 October 2009
Puglia, the heel of Italy is Southern Italy’s powerhouse wine region. The production is more than Germany and almost as much as Australia. This may seem surprising but it is not new, Puglia has been producing a lot of good wi…
Rioja Vineyard Walk
13 - 19 September 2009
The Rioja Vineyard Walk is one of our longstanding and favourite walks; the views are dramatic and the walking varied. It is rarely that strenuous, but for an Arblaster & Clarke ‘gentle’ walking holiday we do cover quite a lot …
Rome Independent Opera
30 July - 2 August 2009
Set amongst the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, this is a highly atmospheric, relatively small venue. Performances are of high standard and are traditional Italian Opera. Tosca by Puccini is Rome’s own Opera set in Rom…
Rome Opera & Wine
30 July - 2 August 2009
Enjoy a performnce of Bizet’s Carmen, set amongst the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. This is a highly atmospheric, relatively small venue where productions are generally fairly traditional and performances are of high…
Stars of the Right Bank
Contact us for dates.
This exclusive wine tour is a new version of our ‘Guests at Château Franc Mayne’ following in the footsteps of our ‘Private Guests at great chateaux’ series that has stayed at Pichon-Baron, Lascombes and Suduiraut. Tas…
Switzerland & Burgundy by Train
31 May - 6 June 2010
This unique and innovative early summer tour takes in two very different wine regions, Switzerland and Burgundy, and travels between them by train making the journey part of the holiday.
Our first base is the elegant and r…
The Great Wines of Piemonte
14 - 18 September 2009
Piemonte is the premium wine region of Italy and we are very pleased to feature it in our Reserve Collection. This is a very high quality, in depth tour that will appeal to all lovers of great wine as well as our regular Italo…
The Port Harvest
25 - 27 September 2009
This tour is a great Arblaster & Clarke original. Witness and take part in the Port harvest with the unique opportunity to experience treading the grapes! (Treading the Port grapes is not a thing that is done for tourists, it i…
Arblaster & Clarke Wine Fair
4 March 2010
Wine Fair at the Vintner’s Hall
We are delighted to announce details of the Arblaster & Clarke Wine Fair to be held in the prestigious setting of the Vintners Hall, Upper Thames Street, London EC4V 3BG. Some of the bes…
Austria Wine Tour
29 October - 3 November 2007
The renaissance of Austrian wine is in full swing. The dark age is a long time behind it and we are now in the era of masterpieces and inspiration. On this timely tour we’ll meet most of the great winemakers who are driving A…
Bordeaux St Emilion Wine Holiday for Individuals, special offer for early bookings
Departures throughout the year.
This enjoyable weekend wine break has the delightful wine town of St Emilion as its base, which is undoubtedly the loveliest town in the region.
Bordeaux, the sixth largest city in France, is situated in South West France in…
Bordeaux Wine Chateau Holiday for Individuals, Early booking offers.
Departures throughout the year.
This wine holiday for individuals gives you the opportunity to stay in a Margaux château. Explore the region and enjoy exclusive château visits and tastings with your own personal guide and chauffeur. Provided you choose the …
Burgundy by Coach
26 - 30 October 2008
Visit the classic French vineyards of Burgundy just after harvest time when there are plenty of exciting new stories to catch up on, and when there may still be some activity in the vineyards and cellars. The vineyards will be …
Burgundy Master Class
12 - 16 October 2009
This intensive tour designed and led by Steven Spurrier was intended for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of Burgundy. It is aimed at people who are seriously interested in the best wines of Burgundy as expressed by the…
Champagne Harvest Vineyard Walk
Contact us for dates.
“Champagne” of course means countryside and this short walking holiday takes us deep into the Champagne region. From our base in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ we have walks out of the village to the surrounding hills and Cha…
Champagne Wine Break, Special early booking offer
Departures throughout the year.
This two night Champagne break gives you a concentrated snap-shot of the region in the company of a Champagne vigneronne who has been a friend since the early days of our visits to the Champagne region. A chauffeur will join h…
Classic Tuscany
27 - 31 October 2009
A wonderful blend of respect for tradition and a determined attitude to increasing quality makes Italy one of the most exciting wine regions of the world, and nowhere more so than Tuscany.
The Italian wine scene in Tuscany …
Explore Cognac staying at a Charente Chateau
Departures throughout the year.
The town of Cognac, from which the spirit gets its name, is situated on the River Charente, from which it drew its prosperity due to its navigability. There has been an important port here since the Middle Ages when Charente wa…
Gourmet Azores
Contact us for dates.
Our fabulous new gourmet tour visits the spectacular archipelago of the Azores. The nine islands of the Azores have a mild climate, dramatic mountain ranges of volcanic origin and were uninhabited until 1427. Situated in the mi…
Gourmet Piemonte Wine Holiday for Individuals, Early booking offer
Departures throughout the year.
This is an extremely enjoyable short autumn break for “foodies” giving you the chance to visit one of northern Italy’s classic food markets and stock up on some superb ingredients for your festive entertaining or purely for you…
Greek Wine Cruise
6 - 13 June 2009
“SAILING THE WINE DARK SEA”
This was a superb Wine Cruise in June 2009 on the magnificent Star Clipper in Greece.
Go to our 2010 Wine Cruise
Arblaster & Clarke…
New Year in Turin
30 December 2009 - 2 January 2010
The Arblaster & Clarke New Year tours are a great way to relax after the hard work of Christmas and to celebrate in a beautiful location. These holidays have long been an annual A&C tradition and are enjoyable, convivial breaks…
Northern Rhone & Beaujolais Crus Walk
Contact us for dates.
There is something iconic about walking whole Beaujolais Crus, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, Juliénas and St Amour, and tasting each in turn!
The walk starts in…
Rioja & Northern Spain
Contact us for dates.
This closely replicates our first Spanish tour in 1989. Then, as now we focus on the top wines of northern Spain and on visiting our favourite bodegas. We aim to show you the essence of this part of the real Spain, its rustic …
Trois Glorieuses - Burgundy Celebration
Contact us for dates.
The ‘Trois Glorieuses’ festivities are a series of spectacular wining and dining events connected with the annual wine auction, which, according to wine guru Robert Parker is “the greatest eating and drinking experience o…
Vienna Independent Opera
Contact us for dates.
Arblaster & Clarke offer tailor-made, unescorted breaks all with first class Opera tickets to the great Austrian Staatsoper with hotel accommodation in central Vienna 4* hotel within easy walking distance of the Opera house. Th…
Bordeaux Vineyard Walk
Contact us for dates.
Discover some of the enchanting out of way parts of Bordeaux on this lovely seven day walk through the Aquitaine vineyards. We have a fascinating insight into the broad spectrum of Bordeaux life from small family owned chateau…
Independent Opera - Andrea Bocelli in Carmen
27 - 30 June 2008
Arblaster & Clarke Independent Opera Offers – Andrea Bocelli in Carmen
Arblaster & Clarke have only a handful of much sought after tickets to what promises to be a fabulous evening of Opera, starring Andrea Bocelli. Andrea w…
La Scala, Milan, Cosi Fan Tutte
14 - 17 February 2008, 29 October - 1 November 2008
This superb escorted tour features Opera at La Scala, Milan, arguably the greatest Opera venue in the world, (with 1st category tickets) and tastings of the great wines of Northern italy over superb meals in and around Milan.
…
Opera & Wine - Venice & Milan
13 - 17 December 2007
At La Fenice the tour features Puccini’s Turandot with its great arias and complex orchestration. Turandot was in fact first performed at La Scala and here we have a magnificent production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Wagner…
Slovenia & Friuli
7 - 12 July 2007
This tour combines the little known wines of Slovenia and the glorious whites of Friuli in Italy. We start in Slovenia’s picturesque capital city, Ljubljana, a small bustling University city. The river Ljubljanica runs throug…
South Australia Wine Tour
10 - 17 March 2008
This fabulous second part to our 2008 Australia itinerary takes in the star regions around Adelaide and visits many of the friends that we have been going to see for the past 14 years. Again, it is likely to be in harvest time,…
Western Australia
3 - 10 March 2008
This fabulous itinerary takes in many of the star regions and visits of our past twelve tours giving a really up to the minute, comprehensive overview of not only what is going on wine-wise, but of many of the most lovely parts…
