Dr Don Martin - Trip Planning

So as you know from my previous post in October last year, I am off to France as the recipient of the Dr Don Martin Sustainable Viticulture Scholarship.  So my bags are packed, I am ready to go, cause I'm leaving on a jet plane....

Well, not quite, still need to pack.  But the accommodation is booked, conference set, and appointments are failing into place.

Here is an update on the trip.

Leave Hobart on the 20th of June on the "3 Airports" tour.  I get sleep in Melbourne Airport for a night, Seoul Airport for a night, then Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for a night.  Cannot wait.  

The next day I pick up the hire car and head east to Reims, Champagne.

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It will be a week in Champagne.  I will spend 4 days at the conference: "Biocontrol of Fungal and Bacterial Plant Pathogens" learning about how "bugs can eat bugs" to help us use less sprays in viticulture.  I will then spend a few more days visiting some Champagne producers.

Next up, travel to Colmar, Alsace.

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A week in Alsace, Riesling country, sweet.  I am really looking forward to visiting Hugel & Fils in Riquewihr.

The 13th generation of the Hugel family has now started with the company.  Yeah, 13th, these guys have been going since 1639.  How is that for a sustainable company?!

After Alsace it's a 3 hr drive to Burgundy

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Burgundy, the land of Pinot Noir, and another week here.  The average size of a Burgundian  vineyard is 8 Ha, which is twice the size of a Tasmanian vineyard.  I can't wait to visit some of the great appellations.

Next, Paris, 300km/h by train under the channel, London, Gatwick, Sussex.

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This part of my trip was not in my original plan, but after the International Cool Climate Symposium (ICCS) held here in Hobart, I wanted to visit the South East of England to see what all the fuss is about this sparkling wine coming out of England.  And good sparkling wine, Champagne houses are standing up and looking across the channel.

The English wine industry has a lot of similarities with the Tasmanian wine industry.  It is young, has 400 vineyards, 1,400 Ha and an average size of 3.3Ha.  I am going to visit with Plumpton College, the next hosts of the ICCS in 2016 (I would love to go).  They are currently in the process of setting out the scheme for sustainability across English vineyards.  Very interesting.

Then Gatwick, Seoul, Melbourne, Hobart, Sleep