The Chopping Block is excited to announce our first international culinary tour! Last year, our Sommelier Viktorija Todorovska moved to Nice. We miss her regular wine classes at our Chicago locations so much that we’ve collaborated with Viktorija and culinary travel experts Onward Travel to host a food and wine tour in Provence for a small group of gourmet enthusiasts!
Photo credit: Francois Millo
Viktorija was drawn to the Mediterranean lifestyle and cuisine found in the French Riviera. From the gorgeous rosé wine (read about Viktorija’s love of rosé here), to the fresh seafood, and the joie de vivre, she was so enamored with Nice that she and her family moved to this beautiful seaside town.
Photo credit: Francois Millo
About The Wines of Provence
Provence is best known for lively, dry, aromatic, fruity rosé wines. Wine is linked to tradition and culture in Provence and vineyards stretch throughout the region. The dry, rocky soil and dependable, Mediterranean sunshine make for excellent wines. There are nine AOC (Appellation de’Origin Contrôlée) wine regions in Provence with over twenty varieties of wine grapes grown.
Photo credit: Francois Millo
About the Food of Provence
The Mediterranean diet originates from Provence. Healthy ingredients—fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish—are the backbone of cuisine. The fresh, seasonal food at the lively local markets informs what Provençal chefs create. Local specialities include calissons (cookies made with ground almonds), lavender honey, olive tapenade, bouillabaisse, extra virgin olive oil, Banon cheese (AOC goat cheese), and so much more!
Photo credit: Francois Millo
The Chopping Block’s fall culinary adventure in France, The Art of Living in Provence, is open to any and all travelers who would like to savor Provence. Viktorija wrote a beautiful book about Provence and is excited to introduce travelers to her favorite people, markets, and restaurants. Spend three nights in Nice, two nights at a country retreat in the mountains, and two nights in quaint and lovely Aix-en-Provence.
Photo credit: Francois Millo
This weeklong tour, September 15 - 22, 2017, will highlight the connection between food and wine in Provence. Learn how professionals taste and assess wines. Chat with winemakers and learn about the process of making world-renown rosé. Take your passion for food and wine a step further with this immersion in Provençal cuisine. But of course, this is vacation, and we'll be sunning ourselves on the beach, playing a leisurely game of péntaque, admiring the fountains in charming Aix-en-Provence, and laughing into the evening with new friends.
Photo credit: Francois Millo
Enjoy hands-on cooking classes, market visits, and special tastings. Food is art in France, and in Provence... the beautiful ingredients are the stars. From sunny Nice, to the hills of Forcalquier, to charming Aix-in-Provence, we’ll wine and dine, cook and create, and experience picturesque Provence. Join The Chopping Block’s first international culinary experience. View all the details here.
