Today reminded me why we come to France in the first place.

The first day of the trip without a tasting appointment, without a schedule and without a winery to visit.

In fact, we'd planned the entire itinerary around spending Saturday in Beaune so we could visit the famous market and enjoy a slower day before heading south to Lyon.

The day started at the Beaune market, which was every bit as good as promised. Incredible produce, local cheeses, charcuterie and some of the best peaches I've eaten in years. It was a reminder that great wine and great food always seem to come from the same places.

As often happens on buying trips, things didn't quite go according to plan.

Somewhere near Mâcon, I convinced Miles that we should make a small detour into Pouilly-Fuissé.

Just a quick stop, I promised.

No tastings.

No appointments.

Just a look around.

Pouilly-Fuissé has been on my mind for a while. It's one of the most exciting white wine regions in France and, in my opinion, capable of producing wines every bit as compelling as some of the more famous villages further north in Burgundy.

Over the last six months, there has been one particular producer on my radar. I'd hoped to visit them during the trip, but Saturday tastings are virtually impossible. Most of the growers we work with don't have cellar doors. These are small family domaines and visits happen strictly by appointment.

Still, I thought there was a chance we might find a bottle somewhere.

After a fantastic lunch in Vergisson, we were pointed towards a specialist wine shop in nearby Solutré-Pouilly.

That recommendation turned out to be the highlight of the day.

The shop had an incredible selection, with wines from producers across Pouilly-Fuissé, including several Premier Cru sites. We spent time tasting through different terroirs and chatting with the woman behind the counter, who knew the region inside out.

Not only did she have a bottle from the producer I'd been hoping to find, but she also pointed us towards an up-and-coming winemaker who wasn't on my radar at all.

Apparently he'd previously worked in Alsace before moving to the region and starting his own project.

We bought a bottle.

Then another.

And suddenly our "day off" had turned into one of the most interesting wine discoveries of the trip.

In many ways, that's exactly what Vintrepid is all about.

Of course, a huge amount of research goes into every buying trip. Months of planning, recommendations, emails and conversations help shape our itinerary.

But some of the best discoveries happen when you leave space for the unexpected.

A recommendation from a friend.

A conversation in a wine shop.

A bottle you've never heard of before.

That's how many great producer relationships begin.

It's also why we created the Discovery Pack.

The goal has never been to send people wines they already know.

The goal is to find the wines they haven't discovered yet.

The wines hidden away in small villages.

The wines made by growers who aren't famous—yet.

The wines that make you stop and ask, "Why haven't I heard of this before?"

Yesterday was a perfect example of that.

We set out with no plans and somehow found ourselves tasting exciting wines in the heart of Pouilly-Fuissé, talking to passionate locals and leaving with a couple of bottles that could potentially shape future decisions for the portfolio.

Not bad for a day off.

By the evening we arrived in Lyon, opened a few bottles and reflected on the week so far.

This morning we're in Beaujolais and looking forward to the next chapter of the trip.

But yesterday was a timely reminder of something we've always believed.

The best discoveries aren't always planned.

Sometimes they happen when you take the scenic route.

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