Never buy your travel or shopping money at the port or on board the ferries as this is always the most expensive way to buy travel money. With a bit of planning such as by pre-ordering, you can save money. For a list of all the companies we have found offering exchange services please click here:
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The independently researched site for day trippers, shoppers and visitors to Calais, France – wanting to save money and more – interested in French wines and champagnes – information on wine labels, regions, vintages, champagnes
France is the largest wine producing region in the world with a wide variety of wines to choose from.
Beaujolais Nouveau – 17th November 2011 (always the 3rd Thursday in November)
"A day without wine is like a day without sunshine"
– London Wine Academy. Gift vouchers for courses and tasting events. Tel: 0845 555 1100. www.londonwineacademy.com
French Wines – Regions – Vintages – About labels – Champagnes – Wine Tasting
Book by 30th June 2013. Includes a car, up to 4 passengers and all taxes.
Daytrip from £23 - Cheap Daytrip from Dover to Calais with PO Ferries.
Book by 30th May 2013. Includes a car, up to 9 passengers and all taxes.
2 and 5 day Spring break fares
Use code Spring3Day
Book by 29th June - travel by 30th June 2013. Includes a car, up to 9 passengers and all taxes.
40% off Amsterdam Mincruise Offer – from £48 pp
Book by 31st May 2013. Available on selected departures until end of June 2013.
Rent a row of vines in a quality French vineyard!
– WineShare offers you the opportunity to rent a row of vines and and buy the wine made at a special price. Tel: 01306 742 164. www.wineshare.co.uk
Magazine we liked; Wine Magazine (monthly) – subscriptions; 01795 414 879.
Féderation Nationale des Cavistes Independents (F.N.C.I.) – for a list of independent shops in France.
Boursot's Wine Collection will store your wine for short periods.
Berry Bros and Rudd – The Cellars, 3 St James's Street, London. SW1. Tel: 020 7396 9600.
Christies – 5 King Street, St. James's. London. SW1. Tel: 020 7747 6800.
Ecole du Vins – Hotel du Vin, Church Street, Birmingham. B3. Tel: 0121 200 0600.
Lay and Wheeler Wine Tastings and dinners. Tel: 01206 713 526.
La Réserve – 56 Walton Street, London. SW3. Tel: 020 7589 2020.
Wine and Spirit Education Trust – courses on how to be a wine buyer. Five Kings House, 1 Queen Street Place, London. EC4. Tel: 020 7236 3551. www.wset.co.uk
– Tastour. London tasting events including wine and champagnes. "We host interactive, informative events: wine and food pairings, chocolate tastings, olive oil comparisons, distillery tours and vineyard visits." www.tastour.co.uk
Information on wine tastings we carried out on wines bought from shops and supermarkets in Calais
| Bottle sizes | Terms | |||
| Quart / Split | - | 18.7 cl | DEMI SEC | Medium Sweet |
| Demie | - | 37.5 cl | DOUX | Sweet |
| Bouteille | - | 75 cl | SEC | Medium Dry |
| Magnum | 2 bottles | 1.5 l | BRUT | Very dry |
| Double Magnum | 4 bottles | 3.0 l | - | - |
| Jéroboam | 4 bottles | 3.0 l | EXTRA DRY | Extra Dry |
| Rehoboam | 6 bottles | 4.5 l | CRU | French for "growth" |
| Mathusalem or Impérial | 8 bottles | 6.0 l | EN VRAC | By Container |
| Salmanazar | 12 bottles | 9.0 l | - | - |
| Balthazar | 16 bottles | 12.0 l | Negociant | Shipper or Merchant |
| Nabuchodonosor | 20 bottles | 15.0 l | Recoltant | A Grower |
| Melchior | 24 bottles | 18.0 l | Viticulteur | Winegrower |
Red Grapes – Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault, Gamay, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvedre, Pinot noir, Syrah.
White Grapes – Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Clairette, Muscadelle, Pinot gris, Sauvignon, Semillon, Ugni blanc.
Terroir France. Nice, easy to follow and informative site. www.terroir-france.com
Store your wine safely. www.eurocave.com
Some basic wine information. www.bath.ac.uk
Jancise Robinson – excellent on TV. www.jancisrobinson.com
– Wine Anorak. Some good articles. www.wineanorak.com
Wine Lovers. www.wine-lovers-page.com
– Wine Pages, informative website. www.wine-pages.com
Wines. www.wines.com
Wine School. www.wineschool.com/vocabulary
Wine quotations to liven your day. www.wineschool.com/quotations
Wine Spectator. Subscription based. www.winespectator.com
Chateau on Line. Commercial wine sales but attractive site. www.chateauonline.com
Commercial wine sales. www.virginwines.co.uk
Australian wine. www.robertsrock.com
Ernest and Julio Gallo wine. www.gallo.com
– Cellartracker. www.cellartracker.com
– Snooth, American wine site. www.snooth.com
– Vinogusto, good source of information on French wines. www.vinogusto.com
– Wine Searcher. Find a wine, for both the United Kingdom and France. www.wine-searcher.com
– Wines of France. Official site and very informative. www.wines-france.com
– Wine Travel Guides, comprehensive site. www.winetravelguides.com
– Very useful web wine magazine. www.wine-pages.com
– A consumer drinks magazine that explores the world of premium wines, spirits and beers, as well as food and travel. www.wine-pages.com
– Wine Doctor, a good resource for wine lovers. www.thewinedoctor.com
– Robert Parker. The wine expert. www.erobertparker.com
– Vin Bio Naturel, online wine shop (France). www.vin-bio-naturel.fr
Vin Bio France (Organic wines). www.vinbiofrance.com
– Wine knowledge game. www.quaffers.co.uk
– Buy your French regional wines in the United Kingdom Good list. www.french-regional-wines.co.uk
– Great site with very useful maps and much detailed information on the wines they sell. www.rouge-blanc.com
– Love that Wine shop. www.lovethatwine.co.uk
– Wineware, nice range of wine related items. www.wineware.co.uk
– Virtual Wine Fair is a one-stop centre for the wine business, a meeting-point for producers, wholesalers and consumers. Has many events throughout the world. www.virtualwinefair.com
– Vignerons Independent. Regular wine events held throughout France and open to the public for a small charge. The French independent wine grower; Vinifies his own wine, bottles it on site in his cellar, is responsible for commercialising his range, hosts wine tastings and welcomes enthusiasts to his vineyard. www.vigneron-independant.com
Vins de Pays. Worth a browse. www.vins-de-pays.info
Useful link. www.nysaes.cornell.edu/fst/faculty
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