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Name: Don Appleton

Hi Holly, We just returned last evening; many thanks again to you and Peter for arranging a fabulous week for us. Everything went exceedingly well. It was a most memorable experience to visit the famed domaines such as Domaine Dujac, de Vogue, etc. , as well as the opportunity to drive through the renowned vineyards. Also, the dining, (Lameloise was spectacular), lodging and weather was wonderful. I would be remiss not to mention and again extend thanks to Pierre who we found to be most pleasant, knowledgeable, professional, and thorough - we would have been lost without his detailed maps and directions, but we had no problems with the two self drive days! I will send you a few photos when I get that organized. Best, Don Appleton Monday, June 13, 2005   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Klaus and Ellen Werner From: Greenbrae, CA USA

Dear Peter, Our 2-week stay in Chile was very enjoyable and rich in experiences in great part due to Brian and his personality. He was tested already on the first day since we wanted to tour a winery under Norwegian ownership - Odfjell - not on the itinerary. He rearranged everything without even lifting an eyebrow, found a place for lunch etc. since we ended up in a different part of the Maipo valley. He was also very helpful when Klaus got sick and made no fuss about the daily changes but helped facilitate everything. He is very resourceful and knowledgeable and fun to be around. He is clearly enjoying what he is doing and it shows. I also have to thank you, Peter, for the contact with Mr. Grand. He could not have been more gracious or hospitable and Brian and I spent a great afternoon in his fabulous home. We were also treated to a tour of the winery as well as his new apple freezer storage - followed by tea back at his home! Klaus and Ellen Werner April 4, 2005   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Aaron Fink From: Atlanta, GA USA

Thanks, Peter, for the terrific tour you and your staff organized for us in Chile. Having found you with such little time before our departure, I was most concerned that we had not allowed sufficient time for you to make our arrangements. Much to our delight, the trip you so quickly organized was perfect. The winery selections were superb, the tours were personalized, and the accomodations you arranged were fabulous. Our thanks again. Aaron Fink June 30, 2004   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Martha Bangert From: Bluffs, Illinois USA E-mail: Contact	I am looking for a trip to Italy and I was browsing your replies from your customers. It sounds as if you give that extra. I will be travelling by myself and I wondered how that fits in with your tour groups? Thank you for any consideration or information you could supply on this matter. Martha Martha Bangert November 04, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Cynthia Leibson

A little over a year ago, when my husband and I visited Burgundy, you and Fanny arranged a one-day self-drive tour for us with a wine escort/expert. We want to thank you again for an absolutely wonderful day! It was the highlight of a terrific vacation. Our guide was amazingly knowledgeable, so very helpful, and an absolute delight. We enjoyed the very informative tours and tastings that included a lovely lunch, wonderful conversations with Bernard Michelot, and a most memorable barrel sampling with Msr. Esmonin. Cynthia Leibson October 12, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Howard Kane From: Miami, Florida US E-mail: Contact

Ann and I just returned from an extraordinary trip to the Bordeaux region. We can unqualifiedly state that Peter and Avalon Wine Tours was the best investment we made in the entire vacation. It started out many months ago with the decision that I was giving Ann an “over-the-top” trip to France as her birthday present and it would include a stay in Bordeaux. Never having been to Bordeaux, I wanted to have a knowledgeable guide to help us make the most of our stay in wine country. Our friends who own a wine bar in Coconut Grove, FL, assured us that they would have one of their wine suppliers provide us with a wine expert to guide us through this region. We were contacted by a man living in SW France, and began a dialogue with him. After e-mailing him and checking his references I knew that using him was going to be a major mistake. The people I spoke with who had utilized his services were, at best, luke warm in their references. Then I did some research on the internet and found a “self-proclaimed and advertised” expert on the Bordeaux region whose home base was in southwest U.S. Great French accent! After some back and forth with him I came to the opinion that he was a dilettante and overly temperamental. Asking for more than one reference seemed to set him off. In addition, both of these individuals had vested interests in putting us in specific hotels (one without air conditioning – “you won’t need it” – HAH!). They seem to have "arrangements" with particular properties which do not take into account their client's preferences! They forgot who the client is! Then I came across the Avalon Wine Tours web site and I approached it with trepidation and skeptisim. After my first two experiences I had learned that a French accent, and experience with the Bordeaux region was not enough to qualify one as the best wine guide, educator and representative of my interests. I e-mailed Avalon and Peter Smith for information and promptly got a reply. I navigated his web site like a professional surfer devouring everything. I called Peter and we discussed my plans, intentions, hotel and transportation reservations that I had personally made. He asked intelligent questions and seemed sincerely interested in what we wanted out of this trip. He listened! Pre-trip planning with Peter was so easy. He, and his staff, responds immediately to every e-mail, phone call and each and every request. Here's a good example of service: While I had already purchased train tickets (from Paris to Bordeaux), Peter made sure that we had everything perfect (first class reserved seats, a map of CDG airport where we transferred from plane to train, etc). He even had Fanny from his California office provide us with great driving instructions from the Bordeaux train station car rental office directly to the front door of our hotel in St. Emilion. To say that Peter impressed me is an understatement. When I informed him which 5 star hotel I had selected, and the suite I had reserved, he knew the property well. He provided us with his thoughts on our choice (“fabulous décor, high end amenities, a very good Michelin rated restaurant, and a nice swimming pool." "But geographically", he opined, "it is out of the way”). He then suggested another property of equal ranking but located right in the center of St. Emilion. He clearly explained why he liked this alternative location. I liked his reasoning. Peter even suggested the specific room we should stay in at his recommended property. Peter takes care of everything! He called them directly for us, and secured us the reservation we needed. When we checked into the Hostellerie de Plaisance in St. Emilion, Peter had arranged for us to have the room in the hotel which they call “Pavie” (we highly recommend it). It has three distinct and commanding views of the St. Emilion wine region, the village of St. Emilion and its historic landmarks. The hotel management and staff knew Peter personally and went overboard giving us the VIP treatment. Finally we met Peter for our first day of vineyard private tours/visits. Who knew you start tasting wine at 10:00 in the morning! Glad we had breakfast. Peter had made appointments for the three of us to be met, privately, at each incredible Chateau by a knowledgeable representative. It was so wonderful to have the estates to ourselves, and not be waiting on lines, or corralled into groups. I have since learned that the general public might be able to make such private appointments, but 'it isn’t the same thing'! Without Peter’s incredible knowledge about each vineyard, their particular idiosyncrasies, wine production methods, and the like we never would have picked up one-third of the understandings we left France with. His ability to compare and distinguish each individual Chateau from one another was exceptionally helpful to us. Peter’s ability to communicate, translate, and interpret what the various vineyard representatives were telling us was absolutely essential to our taking away all that was potentially offered. They all spoke English, but in varying degrees of fluency. He made it seemless. In addition, Peter knew many of the Chateau representatives intimately! He chatted away with some about their children, their spouses, and even mutual friends who had retired, etc. They loved him. So after days of meandering through the Bordeaux region with Peter Smith, Ann and I have an incredible appreciation of what goes into making Bordeaux wines. While driving from one vineyard to another, throughout meals, etc., Peter took every reasonable opportunity to educate us about what we were experiencing. And to top it off, sort of the crème de la crème, Peter Smith is a truly nice and personable individual! We think the world of him. Ann and I highly recommend Avalon Wine Tours, and Peter Smith. Do not hesitate to contact us. Amicalment, Ann and Howard Kane Howard Kane August 14, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Jessica Friedland From: Chicago, IL E-mail: Contact

We just got back from a fantastic tour of Tuscany, and I wanted to publicly thank Peter, the Avalon staff, and our two guides Donald and Filippo. We did two days in the Chianti area, and two in the Marema area, and had an amazing time. If there's anyone out there who is worried about traveling right now because of anti Americanism or any other reason, I can assure that we were greeted with nothing but warmth and welcome in Italy. We have done two other trips with Peter - one in Bordeaux, and one in Burgundy. Every trip has been so much fun, and planned flawlessly. I can't imagine a better way to learn about wines, or to travel in France or Italy. I can't wait to try out Spain! Jessica Friedland April 29, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Kathy & Ron E-mail: Contact

This comment is long over due, but I'm not sure I could have left a comment back in the spring of 1999! I discovered Avalon I think in a guide book while I making plans for our family to go to France. Booking an apartment for five nights in Paris was easy, but not speaking French and trying to make arrangements to visit Bordeaux was looking like a problem. I called Avalon and explained that the party included my husband and myself and two kids age 13 and 11. He did a great job finding a hotel, arranging dinners (one night with the kids and one night without), vists to the Chateaus. He also give us directions to the oldest light house in Europe (my son collects lighthouses). We loved the Chateas and the wonderful lunch we had at one of them, we still talk about my daughter, eating the pate and drinking the white wine. She liked that part! However, we will remember Peter for bringing back to the states my son's jacket. Our trip was in April and the day started out rainy, after lunch it got very warm and my son just had to go outside with a ball and play. It wasn't until we were at the train station the next afternoon we realized - no jacket. Oh, well!! He got lucky - were we headed to Paris and then London and lucky for him the weather was 65 and clear! I was amazed when four months later, Peter called to tell me that the jacket was now back in the states and he would mail it to me. This is customer service!!! Peter, my husband and I are thinking of going to Italy without the kids for our twenty wedding aniversary in the fall. I will be calling. Kathy & ron March 13, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Craig Bruck From: Birmingham, MI USA E-mail: Contact	Thanks for your extraordinary guidance on the '02 Bordeaux tour (for such novices as Anjell and I). I have some good books now, all I need is "time" to soak them up - along with some good vino! Craig Bruck January 28, 2003   Added: March 13, 2009

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Name: Susi Stephan From: Tampa, FL USA E-mail: Contact

Just a note to tell you how much we enjoyed our tour. May-Britt is a wonderful person.We feel that she enhanced our visit to the Chateau's. Thank you for choosing her ,she was perfect for us. She is extremely knowledgeable of wine and all the chateau's that we visited. I do recommend however that you specifically ask your clients if they have asthma.We had no clue that it would be a problem.I'm thankful to May-Britt that she had the foresight to ask me. Again I would like to Thank Avalon Tours and especially May-Britt for a wonderful time. Sincerely, Susi Stephan Susi Stephan November 21, 2002   Added: March 13, 2009

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