Behind the scenes at Vintrepid

France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 9 – You Can't Buy Everything

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 9 – You Can't Buy Everything

We've been in France for just over a week now and I feel like the trip has entered a new phase. The first week was all about discovery. Meeting new producers. Exploring new regions. Tasting wines we'd never seen before....

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 8 – Burgundy's Rising Stars

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 8 – Burgundy's Rising Stars

We've now been in France for just over a week and today was our first full day in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. It was also one of my favourite days of the trip so far. We spent the day visiting...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 7 – Chablis Gets Complicated

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 7 – Chablis Gets Complicated

We stayed overnight in Chablis and headed into another full day of tastings on Tuesday. By this point, the challenge wasn't finding good wine. The challenge was deciding between good wines. The more time we've spent in Chablis, the more...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 6 – The Search for Chablis

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 6 – The Search for Chablis

After a few memorable days in the Loire Valley, we made the drive across to Chablis. The goal was simple: find a producer. As a French wine importer, I think it's important to have Chablis in the portfolio. It's one...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 5 – A Sunday in Vouvray

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 5 – A Sunday in Vouvray

After a few busy days on the road, today felt a little different. There was no rushing between appointments, no long drives across multiple regions and no trying to squeeze three visits into one day. Instead, it felt like a...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 4 – Why It's About More Than Wine

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 4 – Why It's About More Than Wine

Tonight I'm writing this from Chinon and, to be honest, it's hard to put today into words. The first three days of the trip were all about meeting new producers and exploring whether we might work together in the future....

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 3 – The First Definite Yes

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 3 – The First Definite Yes

Back at the hotel after day three and I think we can safely say this has been the most exciting day of the trip so far. The visits just keep getting better, but today felt a little different. We've been...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 2 – A Very Good Day

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 2 – A Very Good Day

Yesterday I mentioned we were heading into the Petite Montagne de Reims. Today didn't disappoint. Our first visit was with Maxime Ponson in Coulommes-la-Montagne, a Premier Cru village just west of Reims. Maxime has taken over the family estate alongside...

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France 2026
France Buying Trip 2026: Day 1 – Straight Into It

France Buying Trip 2026: Day 1 – Straight Into It

One thing that struck me almost immediately was how much Champagne continues to evolve.
Everywhere I went there seemed to be new names being poured by the glass. Producers I'd never heard of. Small family domaines quietly building reputations alongside some of the region's bigger names.

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