Cheese Trips · LUNCH EXPERIENCES
Good cheese lunches fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend two hours at Ô Chateau near the Louvre with an English-speaking sommelier such as Jasmina, Paul, Gerald, or Willy. Taste Champagne and four other French wines with five generous cheese pairings, learn French labels and wine regions, and add a charcuterie plate for €15.
“The tastiest cheese i have ever tried. I finally learned how to make champagne 🍾”
Meet at From The Vine in Lisbon at 1 pm for a two-hour tasting led by guides such as Caio, Ricardo, or Kyle. Sample six wines from six Portuguese regions with local cheese, charcuterie, bread, crackers, and savory snacks while learning how wine fits Portugal’s culture.
“We arrived early and were greeted warmly. There was a lovely charcuterie tray that was replenished upon request during tasting. We did whites first, a rose and then reds, six total decent sized tastings. It was a full crowd for a Monday so it did get a little loud. We learned about the Portuguese wine regions as we sampled our wines. If you love wine, this tour is for you! Even got a small wine bottle as a parting gift.”
Meet at Ô Chateau in central Paris for a two-hour tasting in a converted wine cellar. A sommelier leads you through five French wines, including Champagne, with matching cheeses, label-reading tips, and simple tasting techniques. Guides may include Clement, Jasmina, Willie, or Paul.
“Brilliant experience, Pierre was so knowledgeable and we learnt so much about the different wines. I would definitely book again! 👌🏻”
Spend two relaxed hours at From The Vine in central Lisbon, tasting six wines from six Portuguese regions with cheese, charcuterie, and savory sides. English-speaking hosts such as Caio, Ricardo, Kyle, and Rebecca explain the grapes, regions, and food pairings without turning the session into a formal lecture.
“Wine tasting was lovely, discovered a lot about the wines in Portugal and had some lovely cheese.”
Travel from Sydney to the Hunter Valley for tastings at Audrey Wilkinson and Mount Pleasant, a two-course wine-paired lunch at voco Kirkton Park, then chocolate and Binnorie Dairy cheese. Guides such as Stephen, Yan, and Alfie have led departures.
“Richtig guter Guide/Fahrer (Yan). Richtig gute Tour. Hervorragender Wein. Tolle Landschaft. Mittagessen war auch gut. Geht nicht besser.”
Travel privately from Parma to small producers of Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and traditional balsamic vinegar. Your day includes tastings, a regional lunch with tortelli d’erbetta and local wine, hotel or station pickup, and guides such as Giacomo, Elisa, Claudia, and Stefania.
“Visiting Parma, take this tour! My wife and I visited a Parmesan Cheese factory and Balsamic vinegar facility and a great lunch. We were supposed to visit a Prosciutto (ham) facility but a snowstorm closed the facility and were unable to visit. The usual restaurant for lunch was also closed due to the snow and we found an alternate. Our guide, Silvia was great! She was very knowledgeable, had a great personality, and answered all of our questions. The tour company was proactive in offering a refund of a portion of our fee for not being able to visit the Prosciutto. Definitely recommend this tour.”
Spend 390 minutes cruising from Perth to Swan Valley with Captain Cook Cruises WA. Enjoy a welcome drink, premium Western Australian wine, lunch, a wine and macaron pairing at Mandoon Estate, then afternoon tea, more wine and crew singing on the way home.
“Relaxing atmosphere, no rushing around, helpful and happy staff, very friendly environment.”
Spend six to seven hours visiting three wineries and a distillery in the Hunter Valley. You’ll taste wine, gin, vodka, beer, cider, cheese and chocolate, enjoy a one-course lunch, and learn about production from guides such as Chris, Todd, Col and Jackson. Select hotel pickup and drop-off are included.
“It is more white wine based than red but overall a great experience, a fun and chill guide and delicious woodfire pizza! Plus the views are incredible :)”
Travel from Sydney to the Hunter Valley for tastings at two notable wineries such as Audrey Wilkinson and Mount Pleasant, a two-course wine-paired lunch, chocolate, and cheese. Guides including Chen, Alfie, Alan, and Tom have helped make this a warm, informative day, though the long coach ride requires stamina.
“The Trip was good and well organised. If more knowledge about the area or the vineyard would be better .”
Spend six hours exploring Hunter Valley wineries and boutique producers with an English-speaking guide. You will taste red and white wines, tour wine production, sample test-tube spirits, pair chocolate with wine, and enjoy a one-course lunch with wine or beer. Pickup is available from selected local hotels.
“Some really good experiences here from more than one provider. Loved the cheese and wine but the most.”
Spend 6.5 hours tasting Hunter Valley wine, cheese, chocolate, and organic spirits, with lunch and transport included. Visit three wineries, including a possible production tour at De Iuliis, then sample six spirits at Hunter Distillery. Guides such as Steve, Julie, Colin, Sam, and Ronnie have led this outing.
“A great tour, amazing wineries, was a fun day spent with great people. Colin our driver kept us entertained all day.”
Spend about 8.5 hours exploring Emilia-Romagna by air-conditioned vehicle. Visit a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy, Lambrusco winery, and family-run acetaia, enjoy lunch at a countryside agriturismo, and finish at the Ferrari Museum. Pickup is available from Bologna, Modena, or Florence, depending on the option selected.
“The stops on the tour were fantastic. It was a fun day and we saw many different places. The guides at each stop were very knowledgeable and helpful.”
Spend six hours touring Niagara wine country with pickup from your Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake hotel. Taste wines and icewine at family-run estates, sample chocolate, share a cheese and charcuterie board, and choose four wine or whisky pours at Wayne Gretzky Estates. Guides may include Don, John, or Marco.
“Marco was amazing and made the day fun and educational! I would strongly recommend him for a great day at the wineries. He also takes great photos!”
Spend about six hours with an English-speaking guide such as Monica, Lisa, or Stefania, visiting working cheese and Parma ham producers, tasting aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and finishing with a three-course regional lunch, wine, and coffee. Hotel pickup in Parma is included.
“Our tour guide Monica took us on a private tour and then lunch. This was a great experience! She also gave us the name of a local traditional balsamic maker to stop at in the ride back to Bologna for a free one hour tour and tasting as his home. Acetacia Picci was the most amazing! It is a must do to top off your day!”
Spend six relaxed hours exploring Hahndorf and the Adelaide Hills with a small group of up to 11. Guide-led tastings, lunch at The Haus, Mount Lofty views, Beerenberg Farm, and pickup within 10 kilometers of central Adelaide make this a practical introduction to the region.
“Jerry was a wonderful guide. Organisation was perfect. Enough time at each stop. Each stop was greatly selected. Enough free time. Group was amazing.”
Pick a dairy, a cellar, a boat or a bench with a bowl of curd on it.
