Newsletter - April 2025

Greetings from Robbi and Jim

A warm welcome to all of the members of our Aroma Tours Newsletter in over 30 countries around the world.

Robbi and I have now finalized preparations for another wonderful season of Aroma Tours adventures in Spain, France and Italy.

We are thrilled to see that demand for both this year and our 2026 season is the strongest we have ever seen, with all of our tours now either sold out or down to the last few places!

Exciting news: Our wonderful new Loire Valley Chateau Retreat which we will be sharing exclusively with our vip past guests this July, will be included in our tour offerings next year.

We feel truly blessed to be continuing to share our passion for the fabulous places and experiences that we love with delightful people from around the world.

• For more details, prices and itineraries please visit our tour information page and if your would like to "seize the day" and journey with us, this can be done via our make a reservation page.

Aroma Travellers Our Thanks

Without doubt, the main reason that we have grown and flourished over the years, is the on-going support that we have received from our past Aroma Travellers.

As we move beyond the difficulties of the last couple of years we are thrilled to see that they continue to make up more than 65% of our guests!

We would also like to give our heart-felt thanks to all of you who have continued to support us with your kind words and referrals over the years.

Robbi and I also greatly appreciate the wonderful words of thanks we have received from our guests - Guest Comments.

Memorable Photos from Aroma Tours 2024

One of the best ways to enjoy the spirit of our Aroma Tours is by taking a peek at some of the photos we have taken during our adventures in Spain, France and Italy.

Memorable Photos 2024-1

Memorable Photos 2024-2

Memorable Photos 2024-3

Memorable Photos 2024-4

Memorable Photos 2024-5

We also invite you visit our other Photo Galleries Pages to enjoy more of the 1000's of other lovely photos of our Aroma Tours adventures.

Fine Champagne - The Lees Have It

Champagne is the most romantic of wines but what is it that makes a truly great champagne or for that matter a great sparkling wine from Australia and elsewhere ( only sparking wine produced in the Champagne region of northern France can bear the name champagne ).

Always with wine making it begins with the fruit, and in the case of champagne what we want is finest quality cool-climate Pinot noir, Pinot Meniere and Chardonnay grapes. Still it is not simply good fruit and competent wine-making that makes a great champagne. The secret lies in the yeast, in fact dead yeast.

Champagne is made by fermenting crushed Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot Meniere grapes in what is called the primary fermentation, after which the wine is placed in bottles with some added sugar to undergo a secondary fermentation that produces all of those lovely bubbles. The other by-product of this second fermentation is a sediment referred to as the 'Lees', made up mainly of dead yeast cells.

In lesser quality champagne the lees are removed ( once a satisfactory quality of bubble is achieved ) through a cunning process involving keeping the bottles partly inverted and regularly and carefully turning them ( referred to as riddling ), so that the lees gradually accumulate in the neck of the bottle. The end of the neck is then cooled so it freezes and when the temporary metal stopper is removed from the bottle the icy plug of frozen sediment is ejected. Then the familiar popping cork is inserted et voila, champagne!

In fine champagne however, the lees are not removed but rather stay with the wine to do their magic. A minimum of 18 months is required for the yeast cells to break down and release their amino acids and other complex components into the wine and slowly transform its character. In some of the finest champagnes this "Lees Ageing" can last for 5 years or more.

This extra contact with the lees does all sorts of wonderful things to the champagne, adding to it complex biscuity aromas, a more delicate, savoury flavour as well as giving it fine, persistent bubbles.

Next time you enjoy a meal of light flavoured fish such as butter fish, blue eye or monk fish, rather than reaching for a Sauvignon Blanc try a lovely fresh champagne preferably one that has been blessed by extended lees ageing.

Tuscany and the Dolce Vita

We are greatly looking forward to sharing the beauty and bounty of autumn in Tuscany with our Aroma Travellers this September during our Aromas of Tuscany Tour.

As well as glorious countryside and nourishment for the eyes, life in Tuscany takes on a different pace with long lunches in beautiful hilltop villages, fabulous coffee, delicious wines, truffles, parmegiano cheese, porchini mushrooms, prosciutto, fresh pasta..... ( so many wonderful tastes ), laughter and the fine Italian art of "dolce fa niente" - sweet doing nothing!

Our journey is also about absorbing the richness and passion of Italian life and savouring its cultural heritage evident in the art, architecture, pageantry, festivals, fashion, design, craftsmanship and unique approach to living.

We are all destined to be transformed by the magic of this wonderful place - feeling more Italian moment by moment, speaking more enthusiastically, smiling broadly and even display a bit of emphatic hand waving!

• For detailed information please visit our tour information page and if you would like to secure one or both of the last to vacancies, please visit our make a reservation page.

Our Current Booking Status

This year's Aroma Tours are almost sold out, however, there are still a few places available for our Heart of Provence, Essential Provence, Aromas of Tuscany and Flavours of Italy tours and we invite you to "Sieze the Day" and join us in Provence in southern France with the beautiful lavender fields in full bloom or to explore the delights of "La Dolce Vita" in Bella Italia.

• If you would like us to hold your place(s) for a few days so that you have time to comfortably make your other arrangements please let us know at [email protected]

Our 2026 tour season continues to go from strength to strength with several tours already sold out and the remainder already down to the last few places.

• For detailed information about any of our tours please visit our tour information page and if you would like to join us please visit our make a reservation page.
• It is our pleasure to assist you with any questions you may have and we invite you to get in touch with us at [email protected]

Please note

• Our up-to-the-minute booking status is available via our calendar page

Photos of our Aroma Tours Adventures in Italy

Italy in autumn is a magnificent kaleidoscope of colourful landscapes, beautiful towns and villages, ripe grape vines, celebration and joy for life.

During our Aromas of Tuscany and Flavours of Italy tours we absorb the passion of the Italian lifestyle and savour the delightful flavours of the land's bounty, along with the rich cultural heritage evident in the art, architecture, historical sites, festivals, fashion, design, craftsmanship and unique approach to living.

Those of us who journey here are all destined to be transformed by the magic of Italy - feeling more joyful by the moment, speaking more enthusiastically, smiling broadly and even indulging in a bit of emphatic arm waving!

• For more details please visit our information request page and if you would like to reserve your place to join us in beautiful Italy please visit our booking request page

Memorable Photos from Provence 2024

It is always a great pleasure for us to journey with our guests in beautiful Provence each year to explore the gorgious small villages, flowering lavender fields, colourful markets, fascinating history, delicious food and wines and many other delightful moments.

Travelling Solo in a Group

As well as couples and friends travelling together, we are regularly joined by solo travellers - mostly women, who appreciate being able to journey with liked minded people from around the world, without the need to do all the planning and take on the daunting task of touring by themselves.

Joining one of our small group tours is easy and we have already made all of the arrangements on your behalf to ensure that you have a delightful, stress-free holiday with the focus on having fun.

Having a ready-made group of friends to travel with, and us to take wonderful care of you is the way to go!

• There is no extra charge for solo travellers who are willing to share a room with another same gender guest from our group.

We have carefully crafted off-the-beaten-path itineraries that are the perfect balance of structure, experiences, details and free time to enjoy in your own way.

Our Invitation

Robbi and I look forward to welcoming you to one of our delightful Aroma Tours in 2025 or 2026.

• For detailed information about any of our tours please visit our tour information page and if you would like to join us please visit our make a reservation page.
• As always if you have any questions or if you would like us to assist you personally with advice about your travel arrangements or with any other details please contact us at [email protected]

Warmest regards,

Jim and Robbi