Testimonials

Butch’s relationships with the lodgings and wineries provide the perfect result – comfortable (even luxurious) accommodations and expert, fun wine experiences.

It was so easy to visit an unknown region where we don’t speak the language, and be able to relax and enjoy the experience with all the details taken care of.  The hotels, the restaurants, the wine, the activities were all of the highest caliber.  For anyone who loves good food and wine and is interested in learning about both in a different culture, Butch’s tours are the best of the best.  

We returned from Portugal recently. I can’t recommend Butch’s tours enough. This was my 4th tour that I have gone on. Butch is the perfect host for each tour. He is very engaging to all members of the tour, getting to know each member of the and their interests. Because of this, Butch can get a sense of what parts of the tour are most important, interesting and enjoyable for the participants. This is what makes a Butch tour work for the group. They are given a trip that is unique to them because of Butch’s feel for the group. Every trip that I have gone on felt like it was tailored to us. By the end, we visited amazing places, learned so many interesting things and made so many new friends. Truly a wonderful way to enjoy a time that felt as though it was planned personally for you. 

We had such a fantastic time on our trip to Portugal with you! The wide variety of experiences you planned gave us a good understanding of Portuguese wine and food culture while having a great time with new friends. We enjoyed picking grapes, stomping grapes, blending wines, DRINKING WINES, boat tours, learning about the history of Portugal with our local guides. You chose wonderful hotels in beautiful locations. All in all, it was a very well-crafted tour. We’re so glad we signed up for it!

The trip to Bordeaux June 2017 was pure pleasure: wonderful wines, fabulous food, and lovely
locations.  Highlights of the trip included our delicious dinner with the winemaker of Chateau
Beychevelle, visiting Chateau Margaux, tasting the 2016 Ponet-Canet, and our hilarious stab at
gourmet cooking at La Terrasse Rouge.

Butch, we had an amazing time with you in Tuscany!  I loved that you took such good
care of us and there was no worry as far as transportation or fun.  The group of
people that were part of the tour were just plain awesome and made it a better
trip!  They were a wonderful group to spend time in Italy with, but even better get
to know.  We created many fun memories and new friends. I still laugh at Martha
"Taking one for the team"  when she put the lard in her mouth, and we all thought
it was cream cheese at the all you can eat steak dinner.  What a hoot those guys
were.  They were such entertainers and I love that we all bonded together to sing
the national anthem.  Lou's gift to meet new people is truly a gift, and when she
met the lady with the incredibly high shoes and put them on, it was hilarious. Not
to mention she now has two new facebook friends.  Only Lou.  We love that Bill is
such a charmer with all the ladies and Charlotte was so kind to let him charm us
all.  What a great artist too.  Tony has the best toasts and they will always be
remembered because they got even better when he had to repeat them for a
recording.  Wow…….what great memories!  There are more too.  Such kind
people…..all of them.

We loved all the vineyards, but the one that stands out for me (Kris) is the two
sisters/family one.  It was so sweet and beautiful there.  I loved that we sat
outside and we had their mother's cooking.  We also loved the Olive mill tour. 
Even though we were stuffed, the food was amazing.  What a great education we
got from all the stops too.  We love learning new things.  My by far favorite thing,
was the cooking class and what a beautiful kitchen to be able to learn.  The
house and surroundings were some of the most spectacular spots in the world. 
Around every corner seemed to be the best view the best scenery ever.  They
were post card perfect sights.  We thought our accommodations were cozy and
warm and loved the bidets.  The phrase that continued to come to my lips
were……This is a slice of heaven on earth.

All in all the trip was the best trip we have ever taken.  We have the best
memories and met some of the most incredible people.  I am thankful they are all
from the area.  The only thing that would have made the trip better was to get an
olive tree.  Do you think you arrange that?  

Thanks for taking such great care of all of us and for the wonderful adventure.

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing the richness of the countryside of Catalonia. Obviously, your
investment of time and caring for people you’ve met makes such a difference in what people who go
on your tours get to experience.

There are so many unforgettable moments, from milking a goat, to sharing experiences at our picnic,
to swimming with tuna…!

Don’t go on Butch’s tour to Catalonia unless you can take six days in a row of heavenly decadent food and wine and an overall experience bordering on the sublime in an astonishingly beautiful part of the world!

We recently returned from our trip to Tuscany. The food, the wine, the sights and the accommodations were fabulous! We could not of had a better time touring this region. We were comfortably driven to each city in our private bus. Our luggage was always unloaded and whisked away to our room.

I think one of the things that I appreciated the most was Butch’s willingness to accommodate food allergies. He contacted all the restaurants we were scheduled to eat at and made sure they understood my needs. They prepared delicious meals and they even had Gluten Free pasta at almost every restaurant! I was delighted!!! So if you think you can’t go to Italy and be Gluten Free, think again. Just contact Butch and he will take care of all the details. It was truly a carefree vacation.

I highly recommend the trip to Tuscany with a stop in Assisi! That was my favorite city!

Portugal is a beautiful country. This wonderful adventure provides lasting impressions of the sights ( city and countryside), the culture, tastes, and unique experiences including “trodding”grapes, vineyard tours, port wine tastings, opportunity to make your own wine blend, delicious food, cooking school, and the awesome beauty of boat rides along the Duoro River. Highly recommend this tour!