The 3rd University of Virginia
Wine Seminar
jefferson's Wine tour of France and ITaly
THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN COMPLETED
France and Italy
April 23-May 1, 2009
By making this wine vine known to the public, I have
rendered my country as great a service as if I had
enabled it to pay back the national debt. --Thomas Jefferson
Program Information | Faculty | Pricing and Registration
PROGRAM INFORMATION
During his time as ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson set out to visit legendary European vineyards. His travels made him the greatest oenophile in 18th-century America. Join us on the trip of a lifetime to two of the world’s great wine-growing regions—France’s Burgundy and Italy’s Piedmont—retracing Jefferson’s 18th century route as he explored and searched for the best grapes to bring back to America and the best wines one could drink.
We’ll visit many of the same venerable vineyards and charming villages and travel through the same stunning countryside that Jefferson did. And along the way, we’ll have access to some of the world’s great viticulturalists and winemakers, learning the intricacies and art of grape growing and winemaking. With their guidance, we will learn about the influences of Old World Wine on New World Wine, and, perhaps surprisingly, the influences our New World grapes and wines have had on these great houses. We’ll come to a greater appreciation of the subtleties of fine wine—the Chardonnays, the Pinot Noirs, the Nebbiolos, and others of Burgundy and the Piedmont. We’ll also take advantage of the famous regional cuisines, eating at fine country inns and renowned hostelries where the food and wine will be perfectly paired in the best culinary tradition. In Italy, we’ll learn about the slow food movement at the University of Gastronomic Sciences and about the secrets of truffle hunting from a respected local trifolau.
Our guide throughout the tour will be Italian winemaker Gabriele Rausse. Thirty years ago Rausse resurrected Jefferson’s dream of creating stellar wines in Virginia, and he’s now considered “father of viticulture” in the state. Gabriele is joined by Sam Santarelli and John Harrington, Emmy award winning producers of “The Cultivated Life,” the story of Jefferson’s efforts to elevate the cultural life of our new nation.
Far from the normal tour of Europe, this unique program offers an off-the-beaten path and intimate look at France and Italy through the eyes of some of its greatest artists—its winemakers—and one of our greatest Americans—Thomas Jefferson.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Be among the first to experience this custom-designed itinerary,
last followed by Jefferson himself.
- Meet extraordinary winemakers and tour parts of vineyards and private estates generally inaccessible to visitors.
- Hear from the winemakers themselves about their grapes, the intricacies of their craft, and their roles in the world market.
- Enjoy some of the world’s finest wines—the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Meursault and Pommard and the Barolos from the Italian Piedmont—and learn to experience more fully the subtleties among the great French and Italian wines.
- Explore classic French and Italian cities and villages while staying in wonderful European hotels and country inns.
- Enjoy regional gourmet specialties perfectly paired with exceptional local wines.
- Learn the secrets of truffle hunting from an Italian trifolau.
- Take advantage of an optional hot-air balloon flight above the stunning Burgundy countryside.
- Learn how the slow food movement supports local farmers and encourages a more relaxed, traditional approach to food creation and consumption.
- Explore the modern French Connection to the Monticello appellation, visiting Shaps Roucher-Sarrazin, a partnership between Virginia Wine Maker, Michael Shaps, and his friend and former mentor Michel Roucher-Sarrazin in Meursault.
- Learn from the modern day Italian vintners like Gabriele Rausse, Luca Paschina, and the Zonins.
- And more.
Good wine is a necessity of life for me. --Thomas Jefferson
CITY HIGHLIGHTS
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Lyon
The third largest city in France and its center of gastronomy, Lyon is home to more than 60 Michelin-rated restaurants and is situated among France’s best known wine-growing appellations. While it is a culinary mecca, its ancient ruins have also earned it an esteemed place on UNESCO’s list as a World Heritage site. The skyline in Lyon is dominated by the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière, built in the late 19th century on the ruins of the Roman forum Trajan. Lyon is home to more than 20 colleges and universities, as well an extensive collection of museums, including the Textiles Museum and the Musée Lumière, a testimony to the invention of cinema, which happened in Lyon in 1895. |
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Beaune
The most well-known of the villages within the Côte du Beaune in Burgundy, Beaune is home to the annual wine sales organized by the Hospices de Beaune, a charity founded in 1442 funded through sales of wine from Hospices’ owned vineyards. It was here that Thomas Jefferson met Etienne Parent, a wine merchant with whom he developed a lifelong friendship, looking to Parent often for advice about specific Burgundian vintages and winemaking in general. The descendants of Etienne Parent continue to produce top quality wines from Beaune to this day. |
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Meursault
Producer of the famed Goutte d’Or wine, the “Drops of Gold” that became Thomas Jefferson’s favorite white table wine at Monticello, Meursault is home to some of the most celebrated white wines in the world, all of which hold their own with Grand Cru wines produced by her neighbors Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet. This quaint village boasts the most domaine bottlings in the Côte d’Or, with the production of red wine in the region being almost non-existent. |
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Hermitage
Legend has it that this region was named after a wounded crusader, who returned from the Holy Land in 1225 to pursue a life of solitude and winemaking. He was joined by others who desired this life of a hermit. Some of the best white wine in the world continues to be made in Hermitage, and neighboring Condrieu and Chateau Grillet, the smallest appellation in France. Michel Chapoutier, current owner of the famed Chateau Chapoutier, which was embraced by and known to Thomas Jefferson, has said “It’s important to highlight that L’Hermitage Blanc had been forgotten for some time and was brought back in to fashion by Thomas Jefferson in the 18th century”. |
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Monforte d'Alba
Monforte d'Alba is a lively and hard working agricultural town, mainly devoted to the production of the precious Nebbiolo. It is one of the five villages in the venerated Barolo region, and, in addition to producing this superior wine, it is known across the globe for its white truffles and hazelnuts, each unparalled worldwide in their quality.
It is a town which is rich in history: the Latin name "Mons Fortis" describes the existence of a small fortress with ancient Roman origins, of which there no longer remain traces. |
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This program will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in wines, viticulture and the winemaker’s art, Thomas Jefferson (both the man and his tastes) and the European talent for living well—from cuisine to culture, from quaint countrysides to classic cities.
Part of an educational travel tradition with a long history of exceptional participant satisfaction, this seminar offers unsurpassed value, rich content, and memorable experiences.
PROGRAM LOCATION
This European program will be the first in a series based on Jefferson’s travels through the continent in search of great wine. On this journey, we will travel by luxury European motor coach from Lyon, through Burgundy and Hermitage, and over the Alps to Monforte d’Alba and Asti in Italy. We will explore cities and country villages as well as vineyards and renowned restaurants as we trace Jefferson’s steps.
Our program begins in Lyon which hosts an international airport. We will ask you for your flight arrival times, should you choose to fly into Lyon, and schedule one airport bus transfer to our hotel at a time best suited to the majority of participants needs. We will conclude our program in Asti, where you may continue on your own at the end of the program or be transferred by our motor coach Milan’s Malpensa International Airport.
In future years we’ll explore more in Bordeaux and the Loire and travel to the famous German vineyards Thomas Jefferson visited.
PROGRAM LODGING
We will stay in superb accommodations as we travel through France and Italy, with little packing and unpacking. In France, ur home will be the four-star Sofitel Bellecour in Lyon for four nights. In Italy, we will stay for four nights in Montforte d’Alba at the Hotel Villa Beccaris, one of the best country hotels in the region.
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Program Information | Faculty | Pricing and Registration
Program Faculty
Gabriele Rausse
A native of Vicenza, Italy, Gabriele graduated from Milan University with a degree in Agricultural Science. He immediately began combining learning with experience, first working for the Tenuta Santa Margherita winery outside Venice. After completing national service in the Italian Army, Gabriele next gained experience on cattle and sheep ranches in Australia, before returning to Europe to work in horticulture. It was at this time that he was invited by Italian vintner Gianni Zonin to begin what is now Barboursville Vineyards north of Charlottesville. Gabriele began this first commercial vineyard in Virginia with a planting of European grapes in 1976. After his success at Barboursville, Gabriele stayed in the area to help other vintners establish their grapes, a task he is today pursuing at Jefferson’s home, Monticello.
In total, Gabriele has helped to start over forty vineyards and ten Virginia wineries. He also began the first nursery in the state to grow European vines, propagating over one million plants. In 1996, Gabriele was nominated by the Virginia wine industry as Man of the Year. At a recent talk by noted wine critic and author, John Hailman, Gabriele was called “the nicest guy in the Virginia wine industry.” Add to that “the most knowledgeable…”
Alessandro (Sam) Santarelli is an award-winning producer for Madisonfilm, Inc., a multi-media production company specializing in high-end film, video, DVD and website production for museums, public television, historical sites, businesses, government and foundations. His most recent film The Cultivated Life: Thomas Jefferson and Wine (produced with John Harrington who served as director and executive producer) was distributed nationally by PBS. The film was awarded 2 Emmy® Awards. Sam graduated from the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences in 1998 where he focused on early American History and is an alumnus of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC.
John Harrington is a veteran producer of broadcast and interactive media. His work has appeared on all major networks and his interactive media clients include the Smithsonian, NASA, PBS, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the Department of Defense, Colonial Williamsburg, and the National Institutes of Health. John’s productions have been recognized with numerous awards including two Emmys for The Cultivated Life.
Program Staff
Joan Elias Gore, PhD., Director of Travel Programs at the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Cynthia Smith , Program Administrator.
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Program Information | Faculty | Pricing and Registration
pricing and Registration
PROGRAM TUITION AND FEES INCLUDE:
Includes eight nights lodging in classic European hotels; most meals, including breakfast daily, seven lunches and four dinners; all entrance and related fees for site visits, including tour related gratuities; specially prepared program materials; program sessions led by expert faculty; and in-program transportation via deluxe motor coach. Airfare or other transportation to Lyon and from Milan is not included in the program fee.
PROGRAM TUITION AND FEES (Reserve your spot with a $1,000 deposit):
• $6,980 per person in a double hotel room - mutual requests only for all doubles.
• $8,180 per person in a single hotel room.
• $7,305 per person in a double hotel room with hot air balloon ride.
• $7,105 per person in a double hotel room with concert ticket.
• $7,425 per person in a double hotel room with hot air balloon ride & concert ticket.
• $8,505 per person in a single hotel room with hot air balloon ride.
• $8,305 per person in a single hotel room with concert ticket.
• $8,630 per person in a single hotel room with hot air balloon ride & concert ticket.
We encourage early registration as space is limited.
• If you register prior to February 13, 2009, please return the registration form with a $1,000 per person deposit (or the full fee if you choose). The balance of your program fee is due February 13, 2009. If you register with deposit only, on February 13, 2009 your credit card will automatically be charged the balance of the program fee, unless otherwise requested.
• If you register after February 13, 2009, (space permitting) please return the registration form with full program fee.
• The registration deadline for this program is April 10, 2009 if there is space remaining in the program. After April 10, a $175 late registration charge will be assessed unless you are registering from a wait list.
Register by fax, 434-982-5297; by telephone, 800-346-3882 or 434-243-2277, using Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover; or by sending us your downloadable registration form by mail with a check (payable to U.Va.) or credit card information to:
Jefferson's Wine Tour of France and Italy
U.Va. Travel & Learn
P.O. Box 400764
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4764
WITHDRAWAL & OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• If you withdraw in writing within 14 days of registration AND before January 8, 2009, you will receive a full refund of monies paid.
• If you withdraw in writing within 14 days of registration between January 8 AND February 13, 2009, you will receive a full refund, minus 50% of your deposit.
• In the event withdrawal is necessary after February 13, 2009, there will be no refund but you may substitute another person to attend the program in your place.
We highly recommend you purchase travel cancellation insurance that covers both your airfare and our program fees. Some insurers are also offering protection against job loss or income disruption. Confirm what your policy covers.
Our cooperating logistical vendor, International Seminar Design, can provide trip cancellation insurance for the full amount of tuition and fees for our program. Visit their website or call them at
or 800-243-3174.*
Useful travel insurance information can also be found at www.TripInsuranceStore.com or 888-407-3854. You may also wish to check with your local travel agency for recommended sources.
Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters, a registered travel vendor with the state of Virginia and a full-service travel agency, has worked with our participants in the past to guide them through booking appropriate travel insurance to fit their needs, including insuring expenses for the Travel & Learn program itself. They can also book airfare and arrange car rental, rail tickets/passes, hotel bookings and other excursions. If you wish to work with them, visit their website at www.peacefrogstravel.com or call 434-977-1415.
Each participant must be covered by a health insurance policy while on this program.
If you are unsure of what your health insurance policy covers when you travel from home, please confirm your coverage with your insurer. The University of Virginia Travel & Learn program purchases MEDEX WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ASSISTANCE coverage for all program participants. Please note, this is not trip cancellation insurance and it is not health insurance coverage. MEDEX benefits include an essential 24-hour, multilingual travel emergency service, providing help during emergency medical or security situations, replacement prescriptions, emergency travel arrangements, and emergency evacuations. Your MEDEX card will be issued you upon arrival at your travel destination.
You are required to hold a valid passport to participate in this program. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you should check with your Embassy to determine if you have any special visa requirements to enter our destination countries. Some nations require that you hold a passport that is good for at least six months after your program ends.
Information about other travel resources including airport safety and security, currency, health care, packing, passports, personal safety, telephoning, and other useful information can be found on our travel resources page.
There will be no refund for unused portions of the program, including but not limited to, missed meals, lodging nights, and sightseeing.
QUESTIONS? CONCERNS?
Please feel free to contact us by telephone at 800-346-3882 or 434-243-2277 or e-mail us at travelandlearn@virginia.edu.
Important information for Teachers: Many licensed teachers in the state of Virginia use their participation in Travel & Learn programs to earn professional development points applicable to meeting the requirements for the renewal of their teaching license. (http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Compliance/TeacherED/remanual.pdf). Out-of-state teachers may also be able to use their program participation for similar license renewal or professional development requirements and should check with their schools or state policy for requirements. Upon request, we will provide teachers with documentation describing their participation in this program.
For students: Travel & Learn programs are noncredit adult learning opportunities. Some students use their participation in our Travel & Learn seminars as a foundation for a research paper in a course or independent study program they have arranged at their home university. Upon request, we will provide documentation describing your participation in this program for you to present to your home school faculty.
For University of Virginia faculty and staff: Travel & Learn programs are noncredit adult learning courses. You may apply to Human Resources to use your educational benefit to pay for the tuition portion of our Program Tuition and Fees. Please contact us at 434-243-2277 or travelandlearn@virginia.edu for further information.
*International Seminar Travel Cancellation Insurance Terms and Conditions. Please note that a Post-Departure Plan does not include pre-departure cancellation coverage. You only will be covered for pre-tour cancellation if you purchase the Comprehensive Protection Plan, which includes both Pre-Departure and Post-Departure coverage. If you would like to take advantage of the insurance policy’s “Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Waiver,” please carefully review “The 14-Day Advantage” on the insurance website above. NOTE:The date on your confirmation letter will indicate the date from which the 14 day waiver begins
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