Boursot's dinners normally feature a wine-related guest speaker and are held for our British customers and so of course are always conducted in English! Pretty much everything is taken care of, starting with our specially arranged crossing prices with P&O, through to a bubbly reception, followed by a four course dinner designed to go well with five more wines. Generally, we also arrange accommodation for you, so that all you need do after dinner is totter upstairs (perhaps via the bar?)!
Boursot's Wine Collection is open on the Sunday mornings after a Saturday evening dinner and an exceptional 5% discount is then available on purchases of the wines that were served at the dinner.
All in all, the Boursot events are designed to be highly enjoyable while offering phenomenal value. We take a private room where we normally restrict numbers to around 40, so as to retain a friendly atmosphere. Great food, great wine and great company. All you need to do is to come along and enjoy!
Vegetarian and alternative food options can be provided, as long as we receive ample advance notice. If a planned guest speaker is unable to attend, we will endeavour to find another speaker and if none is available, Guy Boursot will present the talk. All our events are arranged to be enjoyable, interesting and unstuffy.
Perhaps you have an anniversary to celebrate or you just want to get away for a quick change of scenery? As many of you have testified already, we make it easy for you to get away for a weekend with a difference. And of course, you are most welcome to bring some friends.
Please contact us on ardres@boursot.co.uk or on +33 321 36 81 46 to book for any of our events below.
Forthcoming event
Saturday 15 March
Gourmet Dinner at Hotel Château des Tourelles in Le Wast
We will host a Spring dinner on Saturday 15 March at Château des Tourelles in Le Wast which offers excellent food at such reasonable prices. The price of the dinner will be 92€ per person all-in.
As usual we have block-booked reasonably priced bedrooms so do say if you’d like a room from our allocation.
More details to follow. But in the meantime to enquire or book, go to: ardres@boursot.co.uk.
Saturday 18 January, 2025
Tasting & Blues Buster Dinner at Hotel la Sapinière, Wisques
Our Blues Buster Dinner has been popular over several years at a few different venues. The Hotel la Sapinière, close to bustling and attractive Saint-Omer, provides great food and is cosy.
At 4pm, Guy Boursot will host a tutored tasting of 8 wines, explaining why the selected wines taste as they do.
With 4 courses of fine cuisine served with 6 Boursot wines, in convivial company, this should help to recharge you for the few remaining winter weeks.
Over dinner Guy will provide a light-hearted talk with vinous anecdotes and experiences from his many years in the wine business in the UK, France and more recently in Ireland.
The price for both the tasting and the dinner is 98€ (about £84) to include everything.
We have block-booked a selection of rooms so please say if you should like one from our allocation, available on a first-come, first-served basis:-
89€ for singles, 113€ for doubles and 132€ for a double and 143€ for a twin suite. All with breakfast extra at 13€ per person
This event may be booked now. Click ardres@boursot.co.ukk.
Ardres Christmas Market Lunch at Restaurant La Frégate, Ardres Lakes
The town has been uncertain as to whether it was holding its Christmas Market this year, but finally we know that this will be held on the date above.
To thank you for your business through the year, and by way of a bit of fun, we will host a free wine tasting in our shop, followed by, on the Ardres lakes, a four course lunch served with six great wines.
After lunch, the Christmas Market in the centre of Ardres lifts off properly and you can visit the stalls, taking in mulled wine along your route.
All of this is 65€ per person and to book your places at both events of the day, please respond on ardres@boursot.co.uk.
Saturday 21 September
Boursot’s Wine Dinner at Restaurant Le Channel, Calais
The first of our Autumn dinners will be at the excellent Restaurant Le Channel in Calais and the theme for this will be “Simply Lovely Wines for Autumn and Winter” which will be hosted by Guy Boursot.
The warmth of reception as well as the quality of food are exceptional at this restaurant, arguably Calais’ finest. 5 courses and 6 wines for 89€ per head.
In Calais we do not have any arrangements with hotels but there are plenty to choose from. The nearest is the Holiday Inn within 150 metres.
Please let us know of your interest in this dinner so we can pencil you in early. Email ardres@boursot.co.uk to book or for further details.
Saturday 12 October
A South African Wine Tasting & Dinner at Hôtel La Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
As you should know by now, Boursot’s has launched a new selection of South African wines from various high quality and innovative wineries around the Cape. South Africa’s quality reputation is riding high, the wines offer extra-ordinary great value and in the main these wines are unique to Europe.
We will have at least one South African flown in to guide you through the wines and during the afternoon, you can taste many of them. That evening on the terrasse of the Michelin starred restaurant we will enjoy at least 6 wines with the background to each being explained.
The all-in ticket price for the 5 course dinner with 6 wines, water, coffee and all entertainment will be 96€ per person.
We have block-booked bedrooms so please say if you should like a room from our allocation. Other hotels are also available nearby.
We expect very strong demand for this dinner and so we recommend you book early.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 2 March
Wines of the Rhône at Restaurant Le Channel, Calais
We have not used Le Channel for some years now but a recent experience confirmed just how high the quality of this restaurant’s cuisine is. Its reputation as Calais’ best restaurant is well deserved.
Guy Boursot will host this evening and there will be six wines served with four courses, not to mention amuse bouche before and treats afterwards! He will talk about and serve several wines from the Rhône, fast becoming France’s most loved wine region.
There are several hotels within easy walking distance of the restaurant - the closest being the Holiday Inn. We do not have any special arrangements here so leave you to make your own bookings.
The price of this dinner will be 95€ per person to include everything. There are many things to do in Calais, such as visiting the Rodin exhibition or the lace museum.
Saturday 20 January, 2024
Tasting & Blues Buster Dinner at Hotel la Sapinière, Wisques
Our Blues Buster Dinner has been popular over several years at a few different venues. The Hotel la Sapinière, close to bustling and attractive Saint-Omer, provides great food and is cosy.
At 4pm, Guy Boursot will host a tutored tasting of 8 wines, explaining why the selected wines taste as they do.
With 4 courses of fine cuisine served with 6 Boursot wines, in convivial company, this should help to recharge you for the few remaining winter weeks.
Over dinner Guy will provide a light-hearted talk with vinous anecdotes and experiences from his many years in the wine business in the UK, France and more recently in Ireland.
The price for both the tasting and the dinner is 98€ (about £84) to include everything.
We have block-booked a selection of rooms so please say if you should like one from our allocation, available on a first-come, first-served basis:-
89€ for singles, 113€ for doubles and 132€ for a double and 143€ for a twin suite. All with breakfast extra at 13€ per person
Saturday 16 September The Value of Wine across the World, presented by Guy Boursot
Over some decades wine has polarised into two distinct categories – for drinking and for investment. We will discuss how, why and where these markets are going.
Does wine have value in respect of our health? And with an ever-widening palette of regions producing wine, is global demand enough to sustain all these countries?
Guy Boursot will talk about these and other matters in his capacity as an accredited wine writer and will produce a selection of newer style wines for the evening.
We will enjoy at least 6 different wine styles over an excellent 4 course dinner. The venue is still to be finalised but is expected to be in Wimereux.
Dinner tickets will be c90€ each for all food and all wine, water and coffee.
We will block book bedrooms so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 14 October The Innovative Wines of Château de Fontenille in Bordeaux at Hôtel Château des Tourelles, Le Wast
Whilst many lesser properties of Bordeaux are suffering owing to falling demand, Château de Fontenille in the hamlet of La Sauve in the Entre Deux Mers is doing well. Owner Stéphane Defraine has built a following through his innovative wines.
His judicious use of Sauvignon Gris, Malbec and Petit Verdot are gaining him accolades like no others in the area.
Fontenille produces a full range of wines from the fabulous sparkling Crémant, through dry whites, various reds and sweet wines.
We will enjoy at least 6 different wine styles over an excellent 4 course dinner.
Dinner tickets are at 90€ each for all food and all wine, water and coffee.
We have block booked bedrooms at 104€ per double, breakfast included so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 25 November – The Extra-Ordinary Range of Organic Wines from Domaine Bassac in the Languedoc at Hôtel La Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
Domaine Bassac is one of the innovative domaines producing organic wines of very high quality. Its selection of wines expands each year as the domaine finds wider acceptance.
We will try a range of at least 6 different styles from Bassac over an excellent 4 course dinner.
Dinner tickets are at 93€ each for all food and all wine, water and coffee.
We have block booked bedrooms at 160€ per double, breakfast included so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 22 April
Boursot’s Wine Dinner at Hotel la Matelote in Boulogne sur Mer
Our next extravaganza will be held at La Matelote on the sea front in Boulogne where you can be assured of comfort and fine cuisine. There is also an indoor swimming pool and health facilities.
There will be an afternoon wine tasting when you can try several different wines and have the wines’ backgrounds explained informally by Guy Boursot.
Dinner will be four courses, six wines and all entertainment. Price for both events is 96€ per head. We have block-booked several bedrooms and upgraded you to superior rooms at a special 165€ per room, breakfasts included. Or if you prefer, there is the inexpensive Opal Inn, 100m along the sea front but we leave it to you to make your own booking there.
Please let us know of your interest in this dinner so we can pencil you in early.
Saturday 21 January Tasting & Blues Buster Dinner at Hotel la Sapinière, Wisques
Our Blues Buster Dinner has been popular over several years at a few different venues. The Hotel la Sapinière, close to bustling and attractive Saint-Omer, provides great food and is cosy.
At 4pm, Guy Boursot will host a tutored tasting of 8 wines, explaining why the selected wines taste as they do.
With 4 courses of fine cuisine served with 6 Boursot wines, in convivial company, this should help to recharge you for the few remaining winter weeks.
Over dinner Guy will provide a light-hearted talk with vinous anecdotes and experiences from his many years in the wine business in the UK, France and more recently in Ireland.
The price for both the tasting and the dinner is 96€ (about £83 at today's rate) to include everything.
We have block-booked a selection of rooms so please say if you should like one from our allocation, available on a first-come, first-served basis:-
79€ for singles, 103€ for doubles and 122€ for a double or twin suite All with breakfast extra at 13€ per person.
This event may be booked now. Click ardres@boursot.co.uk. to book or for further details.
Saturday 10 September
Boursot’s Wine Dinner at Hotel la Matelote in Boulogne sur Mer
We hope you will be pleased to be back at this great venue with its excellent cuisine. Four courses, six wines and all entertainment for an all-in price of 89€ per head. We have block-booked several superior bedrooms at 160€ per double room, breakfasts included. Or if you prefer, there is the inexpensive Opal Inn, 100m along the sea front but we leave it to you to make your own booking there.
We have invited a producer from the south of France to come and talk but are awaiting confirmation because it’s harvest time.
Our guest list has been filling steadily, so we suggest you declare interest so we can block off any requirements for you. Email ardres@boursot.co.uk. to book or for further details.
Sunday 3 July Mid-Summer Tasting followed by Lunch at La Bonne Auberge, Ardres
Guy Boursot will host a tasting and a fun customer lunch in Ardres.
From 11am there will be a tasting in the shop of some recent arrivals. Thence to lunch at La Bonne Auberge which is famed locally for its high quality yet reasonably priced meals. There you will have four courses preceded by a bubbly, and accompanied by two whites served side by side, two reds side by side and a sweet wine at the end. Over lunch Guy will talk a little about the background of these wines and about the current news from the wine world.
If you would like to take part in this pleasurable day at the all-in cost of 47€ per person, go to www.boursot.co.uk/secure.html which sends us an encrypted email and where, in the notes box, you can write the number of people you’d like to book for.
Sunday 5 December
Ardres Christmas Market Lunch at La Bonne Auberge, Ardres
Ardres holds its Christmas Market this weekend each year. To thank you for your business through the year, and by way of a bit of fun, we host a free wine tasting in our shop, followed by a four course lunch served with six great wines.
All of this is 62€ per person and to book your places at both events, or to enquire about where to stay in the area please drop us a line on ardres@boursot.co.uk.
Saturday 27 November:
The Wines of the Loire at Chateau des Tourelles by Guy Boursot
Château des Tourelles at Le Wast offers exceptional value and high quality cuisine.
The Loire, as France’s longest river, encompasses a wide variety of wine styles from Muscadet in the far west to Sancerre in the east. We will take a cross section of wines and serve these with suitably matching food and Guy will explain what makes each of these wines different.
Dinner tickets are at 89€ each for four courses, many wines and all entertainment!
We have block booked bedrooms so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 30 October
Boursot’s
15th Anniversary Dinner
at Hôtel Château de Cocove
June 2006 saw the opening of Boursot’s Wine Collection in Ardres. Of course much has changed during these last 15 years, and Guy Boursot will talk about some, of the changes un the wine world since
This sparkling occasion provides a good opportunity to get away and enjoy a bit of luxury in the sumptuous setting of this château hotel just 10 minutes from Ardres: www.chateaudecocove.com
You can enjoy four courses, six wines and all entertainment for 90€ per head.
As usual we have blocked off bedrooms at the hotel so please let us know if you should like to have a room from our allocation.
E-mail on ardres@boursot.co.uk to book or to hear more details.
Saturday 25 September: The Sheer Variety of Bordeaux at Hôtel La Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer by Guy Boursot
The food as well as the value at this hotel is exceptional. Bordeaux has been in the wine news quite a lot this last year, so we will look at what it is that has made this area so special as well as where it is going in these modern times.
With your four courses, you will be served a contrasting selection of wines from all around the area.
A few dinner tickets remain at 90€ each for four courses, many wines and all entertainment!
We have block booked bedrooms so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk for more details or to reserve your places.
Saturday 18th January: The Boursot Blues Buster Dinner at Hotel la Sapinière, Wisques near Saint-Omer
January is when most of us need some cheering up and Boursot’s Blues Buster Dinner has been popular for achieving this over several years now. With four courses of fine cuisine served with six wines, all in convivial Brit company, it should recharge you for the remaining winter weeks.
Over dinner Guy Boursot will provide a light-hearted evening with vinous anecdotes and experiences from his many years in the wine business both in the UK and in France. He will also introduce you to some more unusual wines that you might not have normally considered, and talk after dinner about the latest goings-on in the wine world and what we might expect on the market over the coming year.
The Hotel la Sapinière, 5 minutes off J3 of the A26 motorway and is close to the La Coupole missile and space museum at Saint-Omer. This venue has been recommended by some of you, and having eaten there recently, we were impressed by the food’s high quality and presentation. The hotel recently changed hands but the ex-proprietor is still head chef, thereby ensuring the continuing quality of cuisine.
The price per ticket is 79€ (about £68 at today's rate) to include 4 courses, 6 wines and all entertainment.
We have block-booked a selection of rooms so please say if you should like one from our allocation, available on a first-come, first-served basis:-
96€ for a double room / 122€ for a double suite / 122€ for a twin suite
All with breakfast extra at 13€ per person
Sunday 8 December: Ardres Christmas Market - Tasting at the Ardres Shop and Lunch at La Bonne Auberge
This event always has a great atmosphere - perhaps because of all that "vin chaud" consumed around the stalls or perhaps because of our free wine tasting in our cellars before lunch! The quality of cuisine at La Bonne Auberge is very high and we will be in a private dining room where we will have bubbly, two whites, two reds, and a dessert wine to finish. At the lunch Guy Boursot will introduce the wines being served and then conclude by talking a little about the year's goings-on behind the scenes of the wine world.
The price of our three course lunch with six wines will be just 64€ (about £55) and may be booked now through ardres@boursot.co.uk.
You can book now for any event shown above. These are the intended event dates but we also have details of other dinners planned in 2019 in case you wanted to check these against your diary.
Friday 22 November: Bourgogne Faiveley Dinner at Hôtel Château de Cocove
We welcome Philippe Ochin, director of Faiveley, one of the best reputed producers of Burgundy. He will introduce his wines over dinner, which will focus on the prestigious wines of the Côtes de Nuits and de Beaune. Talking us through (in English of course!) the various differences between the wines, he will also explain how the Burgundy market continues to rise in global importance with all the natural consequences of that. After a lifetime in Burgundy, Philippe is well qualified to answer any question you may wish to throw at him.
Tickets are 95€ per person to include four courses, six great wines and an evening of fun. Write to ardres@boursot.co.uk to apply or to enquire of further details.
Please note that this dinner is on a Friday evening.
We have block-booked rooms at this pretty chateau (www.chateaudecocove.com) so please say if you should like a specially priced room from our allocation. All is offered on a first come, first served basis.
Saturday 26 October: “Brexit 2 – The Sequel”: Hôtel Château les Tourelles
Our last (!) Brexit dinner in March comprised a lot of hilarity. We have now been told yet again “this is it”, so ... (no further comment necessary here!)
It is safe to say that the food as well as the value at this hotel is exceptional. Guy Boursot will present a selection of wines that will reaffirm to you just what value you can still get on the other side of the Channel where there is next to no duty to be paid on wine. He will show off wines that are between £5 and £15 per bottle cheaper in France than in the UK, whatever the British media may (not) tell you!
For this special occasion, during the afternoon there will also be a tutored tasting of a dozen wines at the hotel. These will be from contrasting areas of France and Guy will unravel some of the complexities and show off flavours from some of the less understood wine regions. The cost of this tasting will be 10€ per person.
Dinner tickets will be 75€ each for four courses, six wines and all entertainment!
This is expected to be a popular dinner and so we urge you to book early on ardres@boursot.co.uk. We have reserved a number of bedrooms so please say if you should like a room from our allocation.
Saturday 21 September Domaine de l’Arjolle Dinner at Hôtel La Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
Geoffroy de la Besnardière, one of the partners of this innovative domaine in the Languedoc, is back to talk about how his winery is at the forefront of modern winemaking while using naturally controlled viticulture. For example you may have noticed that they have introduced Zinfandel and Carmenère vines to their vineyards, and are always on the lookout to create new wines of great interest.
We have block booked bedrooms at this hotel with Michelin starred cuisine. The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and hammam so you can unwind even further!
This will be a spectacular evening of interesting wines, great commentary and excellent food - tickets are available now at 89€ per person.
For all our events we charge 50% of the event in advance to secure your places with the last 50% being payable on the day of the event. To book, please go to our encrypted page on www.boursot.co.uk/secure.html. Regarding the hotel you would of course settle with reception directly when you check out.
E-mail ardres@boursot.co.uk to book or for more details.
Sunday 7th July: Mid-Summer Lunch at the Moulin d’Audenfort: precise detail to be confirmed
This is always a fun lunch at this old mill house set on the banks of river Hem, which runs through the beautiful rolling countryside about 10 minutes south of Ardres. In the past we have enjoyed our reception bubbly in the gardens before going through to the main dining room. The food is good and the rooms are simple but it is tranquil and the only disturbance comes from the babbling water flowing past.
To accompany the lunch Guy Boursot will talk you through six wines that make ideal Summer drinking and talk about current hot topics in the wine world. It will be fun.
We have asked to block bedrooms and are awaiting the auberge’s confirmation.
The four course lunch, water and coffee included, will be 55€ per person and tickets are available now.
Saturday 22 June: Dinner at Hôtel Château des Tourelles, Le Wast: “The Global Evolution of the Wine Business” with Laurent Cagnat
As our guest speaker this evening we have Laurent Cagnat who has a lifetime experience all around the wine world. Apart from being a good friend who speaks impeccable English, he makes a lot of sense and will be able to answer any question you may have about wine and its trends.
This hotel château, whilst being quite modest, has a good reputation for the quality of its cuisine. Rooms too are reasonably priced at 98€ per room with breakfasts included. We have blocked off a number of bedrooms, so do please say if you would like one from our allocation.
Tickets are available now at 84€ per person to include four courses, six wines and all entertainment.
Saturday 23rd March: “A Pre-Brexit Extravaganza!” Gourmet Dinner and A Tour de Cuisine at Hôtel la Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
Just before the end of March seems at the moment to be an opportune moment to enjoy a French Gastronomic Dinner when we will be pairing higher priced wines with a higher level of menu! Both should be memorable.
On this Saturday, we are adding two additional events. During the afternoon, chef proprietor Stellio Lestienne will offer you a glass of wine and then lead you “verre en main” on a tour of his Michelin starred kitchens. As you are coming via us, there will be no cost to you. For what it’s worth, Stellio used to chef at The Waterside in Bray and so speaks good English!
There will also be a tutored tasting “Ten Summer Wines” given by Guy Boursot at the hotel that afternoon. There will be a contrast of styles and Guy will explain what makes each of them different.
You might also wish to take advantage of the hotel’s indoor pool and hammam which are free to guests.
The all-in price of this very special 4 course dinner with 6 wines will be 95€ (currently approx. £85).
To book, please click www.boursot.co.uk/secure.html and please indicate the number of people in your party and which of the additional Saturday events you would like to attend. We charge 50% of the ticket price now with the final 50% being payable on the day. You will receive a confirmation from us when you book.
Saturday 26th January: The Boursot Blues Buster Dinner: “Off Piste” with Guy Boursot at Restaurant le Cygne, Saint-Omer
January is when many of us need a bit of cheering up and Boursot’s Blues Buster Dinner has been successful in achieving this over several years now. A good dinner with four courses and six wines in convivial company in a lively town, a million miles away from Blighty, should meet all your expectations and recharge you for the remaining winter weeks.
Over dinner Guy Boursot will introduce you to some more unusual and surprising wines that you might not have normally considered and talk after dinner about the latest goings-on in the wine world and what effects they might bring to the market over the coming year.
The Restaurant Le Cygne, close to the impressive cathedral in the old part of Saint-Omer, has long been a favourite. After a change of ownership in 2016, the quality of cuisine remains high and we will be taking the restaurant’s vaulted cellar for our private dinner for around 30 of you.
The price per ticket is 76€ (about £68 at today's rate) to include 4 courses, 6 wines and all entertainment.
Accommodation is inexpensive at the Hotel Ibis within easy walking distance. We have not booked any rooms but you should not have any problem on availability for when you wish to book. If there is a problem, then do get in touch and we can make other suggestions in town.
Sunday 2nd December: Ardres Christmas Market Lunch at La Bonne Auberge, Ardres
Our Christmas Lunch always has a great atmosphere, perhaps because of all that “vin chaud” consumed around the stalls! Our lunch will start with a bubbly reception, followed by two contrasting whites, two contrasting reds and a sweetie at the end and as usual, Guy will talk a little about the wines being served and then conclude by talking a little about the year’s goings-on behind the scenes of the wine world.
The price of our three course lunch with six wines will be just 62€ (about £55) and may be booked now through ardres@boursot.co.uk.
Saturday 17th November: Dinner at Château de Cocove: The Wines of the Rhône with Guy Boursot
With so much high quality Rhône wine on the market and at such reasonable prices this is an area that, drop for drop, offers exceptional value for money and especially when compared with some of the more classic regions of France. Guy will talk you through a contrasting selection of wines from Lirac, Crozes-Hermitage, Rasteau and Châteauneuf du Pape and will explain just what it is that makes each of these wines taste different. Tickets are available now at 85€ per person to include four courses, six wines and all entertainment.
We have block-booked rooms at the château (148€ per double/twin and 123€ per single, with breakfasts included) so please do say if you’d like a room from our allocation.
This dinner may be booked now through ardres@boursot.co.uk.
Saturday 27th January The 2018 Blues Buster Dinner: "The Warming Wines of the Rhône" presented by Guy Boursot at Hotel la Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
January traditionally is the time for our Blues Buster dinner, when most of us need some cheering up. This year we will be at the Michelin starred Hotel la Matelote on the sea front in Boulogne where we can be assured of some excellent food, friendly service and a cosy atmosphere. There is also a swimming pool and hammam.
There will be a four course dinner served with six wines and Guy Boursot will be presenting "The Warming Wines of the Rhône" looking at the continuing rise in popularity of the wines from this important viticultural area. He will also tell you some background to the wines being served that evening and will explain why they taste as they do.
We blocked off superior rooms at the hotel for you so please let us know if you would like one from our allocation. Your special rate will be 120€ per double room with breakfasts included, representing a significant reduction over their normal rates. The all-in price of the evening is just 79€ (about £69).
Saturday 21st October: 11th Anniversary Dinner at Château de Cocove.
Speaker: Author and Journalist Stephen Bates: "Memorable Past, Present and Future Vintages as a Political Observer".
Many of you will recall that the late Simon Hoggart entertained us as our guest speaker at three of our anniversary dinners. One of Simon's colleagues and friends at Westminster was Stephen Bates who has been a journalist and political correspondent for more than 40 years, reporting from 40 countries (and the EU) for the BBC, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and - for 22 of those years - for the Guardian. From the green benches at the Commons to the restaurants of Brussels, he's seen it all and remembers enough of it to make an entertaining evening.
Tickets are 84€ (about £73 at today’s rate) per person and this includes four courses, six wines and all the entertainment. It will be a great evening.
Sunday 3rd December: Ardres Christmas Market Lunch at the Restaurant François Premier, Ardres
So easily accessible from Britain, the town of Ardres always injects some fun and colour into an otherwise grey time of the year.
As last year, the annual Turkey Festival held about 20 minutes away in Licques, will NOT be happening on the same day but on the following Sunday. So, in place of that entertainment, we will have wines available to taste in the cellars under our Ardres shop from 10.30 on the morning of Sunday 3rd and then we will go across to lunch at 12.30 at the François Premier which hardly needs any introduction, being one of the finest restaurants of this area. Being situated on Ardres’ main cobbled square, you will be in front of much of the afternoon’s action, so you may be able to watch some of it from the warmth of the restaurant!
The informal three course lunch will be preceded by a bubbly reception and then accompanied by a further five Boursot wines, and everything costs just 64€ (around £56 at today’s rate). I will tell you about the backgrounds of the wines being served as well as talk about the wine world’s highlights over the last year.
We suggest you "do" the Ardres Christmas Market after lunch by which time everyone’s spirits will have been warmed up! Père Noel is normally found to be abseiling down the outside of the church at around 6pm, throwing goodies to many of the local children gathered below!
Saturday 18th November: Dinner at Hotel La Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer.
Speaker: Frantz Vènes, owner of Château Massamier la Mignarde in the Minervois which won International Wine Challenge’s "Best Red Wine of the World" in 2005 will talk of the new methods being used in this most exciting area of the Languedoc and the difficulties caused by recent weather patterns.
This sea-front hotel has excellent food and in addition has an indoor pool and spa facilities. We have blocked off a number of bedrooms for our dinner and rooms are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please let us know as soon as you can.
Tickets are 84€ (about £73 at today’s rate) per person and this includes four courses of fine cuisine provided by the Michelin starred Lestienne family, six wines and all the entertainment. Judging by Frantz' last performance, this will be a fact-filled, informal but highly entertaining evening.
Saturday 23rd September: Hôtel Chateau des Tourelles.
Speaker: Guy Boursot: "How much of our tasting and wine appreciation is truly sensory?".
At this four course, six wine dinner I will talk about the various means that can be used to present wines to make us believe they are better than perhaps they might be. This naturally leads into the question of how much of our tasting and wine appreciation is truly sensory.
Tickets are 79€ (about £69 at today’s rate) per person and this includes four courses, six wines and all the entertainment – and it is an entertaining talk!
Saturday 25 March ":What’s in a label?" Boursot’s Spring Wine Dinner at Hotel Château de Cocove near Ardres
The evening of the spring equinox is an appropriate moment to celebrate the arrival of the new season, and where more attractive to do that than the lovely setting of Chateau de Cocove which you can see on www.chateaudecocove.com?
Guy Boursot will host this dinner and look at the meaning of the wine label and discuss the importance of the presentation of a wine bottle. It is an interesting and light-hearted talk which takes you through various names and several common fallacies so that in future you may be better able to judge the true contents of a bottle.
Our wine dinner will have 4 courses, 6 wines and all entertainment – all for just 79€. Make this a perfect getaway weekend, for a change of scenery yet just 10 minutes away from Ardres. We have blocked off bedrooms at the hotel so please let us know if you should like to have a specially discounted room from our allocation.
Saturday 28th January The Blues Buster Dinner: ":A Brief History of Wine": presented by Guy Boursot at Hotel la Matelote, Boulogne sur Mer
January traditionally is the time for our Blues Buster dinner, when most of us need some cheering up. This year we will be at the Michelin starred Hotel la Matelote on the sea front in Boulogne where we can be assured of some excellent food, friendly service and a cosy atmosphere. There is also a swimming pool and hammam
There will be a four course dinner served with six wines and Guy Boursot will be presenting ":A Brief History of Wine": going all the way from Greek times to the modern day. It is a talk that is always well received. He will also tell you a little bit of background to the wines you will be drinking during the evening.
In addition, we have arranged that chef Stellio Lestienne, who has cheffed in several parts of the world including the Waterside Inn at Bray, will present in English a 90 minute cooking demonstration. He will show you how our dinner is put together, cooked and presented. It should be a good and perhaps useful look into some of the secrets behind creating a perfect evening! To those attending our dinner, this will be free of charge.
We have blocked off superior rooms at the hotel for you so please let us know if you would like one from our allocation. Your special rate will be 115€ per double room with breakfasts included, representing a significant reduction over their normal rates. The all-in price of the evening is just 79€ (about £67)
Nick Newman talks about "The Wipers Times": Dinner at Hotel Château de Cocove on Wednesday 28 September 2016
It is particularly appropriate in this centenary year as well as with our geographic proximity to Ypres and the Somme, that we have invited our friend Nick Newman to talk about a play that he wrote with his Private Eye partner Ian Hislop. This was shown again recently on BBC2 and for those of you who missed it, here is a very brief résumé taken from the BBC’s website. It also starts on the British stage in September.
"When Captain Fred Roberts discovered a printing press in the ruins of Ypres, Belgium in 1916, he decided to publish a satirical magazine called The Wipers Times - "Wipers" being army slang for Ypres. Full of gallows humour, The Wipers Times was poignant, subversive and very funny. Produced literally under enemy fire and defying both authority and gas attacks, the magazine proved a huge success with the troops on the western front. It was, above all, a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. In his spare time, Roberts also managed to win the Military Cross for gallantry."
We will enjoy a 4 course dinner with 6 wines and the ticket price will be 79€ per head to include everything. We have blocked off rooms at the hotel, so please let us know if you would like a room from our allocation. We expect this to be a popular event and so urge you to respond quickly.
Saturday 17th October 2015: "The Highs and Lows of winning Best Wine of the World" by Frantz Venès of Château Massamier la Mignarde at Hotel Les Trois Mousquetaires
Frantz Vènes, the owner of the highly rated Château Massamier la Mignarde, talked about "The Grands Crus of the Minervois" as well as the highs and lows of having one of his wines elected the International Wine Challenge's Best Wine of the World in his category.
The six white, rosé and red wines served during the four course dinner provided by the ingenious David Wojtkowiak, chef patron of Les Saveurs du Parc at Les Trois Mousquetaires in Aire sur la Lys, were magnificent and culminated in his top wines Domus Maximus and Les Garouilhas 2012 which we think it safe to say put a smile on to everyone’s face!
Saturday 14th November 2015: "A château owner's view of the Bordeaux market" with Pierre Brousse of Château Kirwan, 3ème cru Margaux at Hotel Château Tilques
Pierre Brousse-Schyler introduced the evening, which started with a small vertical tasting of Château Kirwan, 3ème cru Margaux and its second wine, Charmes de Kirwan. During dinner, we then enjoyed a further five wines, finishing with a still young tasting 2000 Château Kirwan.
Pierre answered several questions about the current state of the Bordeaux market which had over-inflated with its 2010 harvest, and talked about the more pragmatic approach needed for the area’s future.
We organise three main types of Event for our customers.
Boursot's Wine Collection has Underground Vaulted Cellars under its Ardres shop where you can entertain your friends or clients. A talk or a wine tasting can be arranged here if you wish and most customer preferences can be catered for easily enough.
Local cheeses, patés, salads and French bread can be provided if you wish to complement the wines with some light food.
The capacity of the cellar is 35 people, depending on event format, and costs are remarkably low, starting at the equivalent of £5 per head. Please call or e-mail Boursot's to discuss your requirements.
Boursot's Wine Collection Vaulted Cellars
Your group can receive a Talk on wine or a Tasting either in the UK or at the venue where you may be staying locally in France. With Guy Boursot's many years of experience, you may be guaranteed an entertaining yet informative presentation (see Testimonials on the Speaker Page). For an estimate, or simply to discuss possibilities, please contact Guy Boursot.
Tasting at a house in Kent for 22 people
Boursot's Wine Collection hosts Gourmet Lunches and Dinners for its customers. These are held (in English) in various well reputed restaurants in the Pas de Calais area and winemakers or principals are invited to come and talk about their wines. These Lunches and Dinners have been acclaimed as being really enjoyable and of superb value.
Paul Bouchard explaining some finer points at Atlantic Dinner 2007
