Coming from Northern California with a good deal of experience with wine, wineries, and having been through wine tours in Tuscsny, Northern Californian, and Spain, this was by far and away the most enjoyable and educational experience of them all. We learned about the differences between the varied wine regions of France. We compared glasses of Bourgogne (burgandy) against glasses of Bordeaux and Cotes du Rhone and a Sancerre against a Borgogne blanc (i.e., a chardonay). You are shown (and get to experience) how the wines vary and how the different areas of France, north and south and east and west, contribute to these differences. You hear about the history of how champagne came to be and the complexities and art of its production. You learn about the influence of "terroir;" that is, how soil, weather, and even micro-climates interact to create the unique flavor and character of the wines. You learn which wines pair with which foods. Thierry Givone, the wine expert, is friendly and playful but extraordinarily knowledgable as well. Also, no snobbery - just genuine passion for the subject and a sense of enjoyment in teaching others about French wine. The presentation is easy to understand for beginners but Thierry's expertise is such that i think anyone other than an expert is going to come away having learned a lot.
The group in our tasting got a bit boistrous as we moved to the fourth and fifth wines and everyone seemed to be having a grand time of it. (Thierry commented that this is the normal evolution of the group over the course of the tasting.) Our group were all english speaking, but from all over the world (Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Japan, and the US).
The wines were available for purchase at the end. (but my understanding is that they cannot be shipped due to complexities of tariiffs, laws, etc). Most were under 20 Euro wines, but all very nice. If you want to understand French wines, even just to know what you like or what to order in a restaurant, or if you really enjoy understanding the nature of the different french wines, this is a tour for you. It is simply fun.
P.S. I know I sound like a shill, but a i am not. I just think fun and quality experiences ought be rewarded. This is one of them!