"Wine & War" Tour Retraces WWII History in France's Greatest Vineyards, for the 60th Anniversary of VE-Day 2005

A 9-day tour based on the best-selling book "Wine & War" will be presented April 5-13, 2005. This one-time-only event, in anticipation of the 60th anniversary of VE-Day, will be co-led by authors Don and Petie Kladstrup and two sommeliers from French Wine Explorers, America's leading specialty wine tour operator. The tour retraces the heroic efforts of some of France's most illustrious chateau owners to save their wine from the Nazis during World War II.

(PRWEB) October 29, 2004 -- French Wine Explorers, an American tour company specializing in luxury French wine tours, has teamed with authors Don and Petie Kladstrup to present an exclusive, one-time-only tour based on their best-selling book, Wine & War. The 9 day, 8 night tour takes place April 5-13, 2005, just before the 60th anniversary of VE Day on May 8th. Fourteen guests will meet personally with prestigious chateau owners in Champagne, Burgundy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux who struggled fervently against the Nazis to save Frances greatest treasure: its wine. A two-day pre-tour extension features an elaborate dinner and cellar visit with owner Claude Terrail at La Tour dArgent restaurant in Paris, and a day at the Normandy D-day beaches with a WWII historian.

From Aubert de Villaine at Domaine de la Romanée Conti to Claude Taittinger at Champagnes Taittinger and May-Eliane de Lencquesaing at Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (among many others), the list of participants reads like a veritable whos who" of French winemaking greats. At each stop, these passionate men and women will recount their personal experiences during WWII, and also offer the group a VIP tour and tasting.

The tour will be fully escorted by Lauriann Greene-Sollin and Jean-Pierre Sollin, Sommeliers-Conseil, and by authors Don and Petie Kladstrup. The Kladstrups are award-winning American journalists who have written extensively about the world of French wine for international wine publications. Don Kladstrup has won several Emmy awards for his work as a correspondent for ABC Television. French Wine Explorers is Americas leading specialty French wine tour operator, providing luxury wine tours to an international clientele of wine enthusiasts and professionals using their extensive contacts to open the doors to the most prestigious French estates.

The Wine & War tour includes deluxe transportation, luxury hotels with en-suite bathrooms, gourmet meals, premium wines, all wine tastings, all admission fees, and the services of two English-speaking wine experts throughout. The tour price is US$6595.00 per person, double occupancy. The pre-tour extension price is US$1295.00 per person, double occupancy.

For more information, email info@wine-tours-france.com, or call toll free 1-877-261-1500. Full information is also available on the French Wine Explorers web site at www.wine-tours-france.com/wineandwartour.htm.

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