TLDR: This post explains why working with a specialized wine and food travel advisor gives you access to authentic experiences with winemakers and chefs, saves you time on complex planning, provides expert support when travel issues arise, and offers the personal human connection that online booking can’t replicate.

You’ve been scrolling through Instagram, saving posts of sun-drenched vineyards in Tuscany, cozy wine bars in Paris, and those perfect cheese-and-wine pairing photos from the Rhone Valley. You’re ready to experience it yourself, but when you start researching, you’re overwhelmed. Which wineries should you visit? Should you really rent a car to drive around Tuscany, especially if you’re going to a few vineyards? Should you get a villa as a homebase or change hotels every few days? You need a food and wine travel advisor!

Here’s what I know: planning should be as enjoyable as the trip itself. That’s why I became a wine and food travel advisor! I love helping clients explore destinations through the one thing that truly reveals a place’s soul: its food and wine.

Understanding a Destination Through Its Terroir

Anyone can climb the Eiffel Tower or take a tour of the biggest winery in the region, but when you sit down with a fourth-generation winemaker in Chianti and hear how their family has worked the same land for over a century, or when a chef in Lyon explains why this particular region’s butter makes all the difference in their cuisine, that’s when you truly understand a place.

This is why I’m passionate about being a wine and food travel advisor who gives you experiences that connect you with the people, traditions, and stories behind what’s in your glass and on your plate. You won’t just visit Italy, you’ll understand why Sangiovese thrives in Tuscan soil. You won’t just eat in France, you’ll meet the sommeliers, chefs, and winemakers who are keeping centuries-old traditions alive while pushing boundaries with new techniques.

My Approach: Structured, Balanced, and Human

I’m a direct person: I have clear expectations, and you’ll know exactly what to expect from me. That might sound formal, but you hired me to make your trip easier, not harder. I don’t overwhelm you with fifty hotel options or flood your inbox daily. Instead, we have structured video chats throughout the planning process, clear communication via email, and a balanced approach that gives you what you need without the noise.

One client described it perfectly: “Kathryn has been incredibly open and flexible while drafting together the itinerary and during my travels she was always easy to reach and ready to help. Professional, reliable and easy to work with.”

This is exactly what working together looks like with me: responsive, professional, and always focused on creating the experience you actually want.

The Wine and Food Travel Advisor Process: Simple and Collaborative

We start with a video chat to understand your wine travel dreams, then I create a custom proposal that we refine together until it’s exactly right. Once you approve it, I handle all the bookings. This includes hotels, experiences, transportation, and airfare. You can be as involved as you’d like throughout the process, and when it’s time to travel, all you have to do is show up.

Why Even Planning-Lovers Should Work With Me

You might be thinking “But I love planning trips” and I completely understand. Planning can be fun, and research is enjoyable when you’re excited about a destination.

But here’s the reality: Do you want to spend four hours on hold with an airline when your flight is delayed and you’re about to miss your connection to Nice? Do you want to frantically search for alternative accommodations at 11 PM when something goes wrong? Do you want to wonder if that beautiful winery you found online is actually worth visiting, or if you should have booked the other one instead?

You can still be involved in planning as much as you’d like, but I’m here to advise, handle the logistics, and solve issues before you know there’s any problem. More importantly, I have the connections and relationships that transform a good trip into an exceptional one. You don’t have to read 47 reviews and hope you made the right choice. I only book experiences I know are outstanding, either because I’ve been there myself or because I have trusted relationships with the people running them.

My Wine Knowledge Working for You

A few years ago, I took the Court of Master Sommeliers Introduction to Wine course as a fun learning opportunity. I genuinely love wine and wanted to deepen my understanding. Just last month, I completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 in Wines and received my certificate, which is the first step in the sommelier journey. Combining formal training with genuine passion is what sets me apart as a wine and food travel advisor.

This training means when we’re planning your trip I can guide you toward regions and experiences that match your interests. If you’re a Sauvignon Blanc lover (I’m partial to French and New Zealand myself), I know which Loire Valley producers you need to visit. If you’re curious about Beaujolais beyond Nouveau, I can connect you with natural winemakers doing fascinating work in the region.

My wine education helps me ask the right questions and make recommendations that go beyond “this winery has good reviews.” I understand what you’re looking for because I speak the language of wine.

Mistral Winds Story; Starting as a Wine and Food Travel Advisor

When I was considering starting my travel company, I took a trip to the Rhone Valley. I fell in love with the region, not just the wines (though the Côtes du Rhône definitely helped), but the way the landscape, climate, and culture all work together to create something special.

The Mistral wind blows through the Rhone Valley and keeps the grapes dry, protecting them from disease and helping create the wines we love. It’s a force of nature that shapes everything about the region. My husband is a meteorologist, so the connection felt perfect. 

Mistral Winds Travel was born from that trip. I wanted a business built on helping others discover the powerful connection between place, climate, culture, and the food and wine that define a destination.

Real Relationships in Real Places

Through attending specialized European travel conferences I’ve built genuine relationships with hoteliers, restaurant owners, and experience providers throughout Western Europe. I’ve met independent boutique hotel owners and general managers from renowned properties. These aren’t transactional relationships, they’re connections with people who are deeply passionate about hospitality and their regions.

These relationships mean I can arrange private tastings that aren’t publicly available, recommend the perfect small hotel that matches your style, and ensure that if something unexpected happens, I have people who will help make it right.

Who I Work Best With, As a Wine and Food Travel Advisor

As a wine and food travel advisor, I love working with wine enthusiasts at every level:

Just Want to Experience a Vineyard or Two

Maybe you wouldn’t call yourself a “wine aficionado” but you’d love to visit a beautiful vineyard while exploring Europe. You want that classic experience of sipping wine with a view of the vines without making it the entire focus of your trip. Perfect! I can weave in a vineyard visit or two alongside other experiences you’re excited about.

Wine Lovers Ready to Explore

You enjoy wine and want to travel to experience it at the source. You’re curious about regions, excited to meet winemakers, and ready to taste wines you can’t find at home.

Serious Collectors and Industry Professionals

Maybe you already have relationships with specific vineyards or importers and know exactly which producers you want to visit. Perfect. I’ll handle the hotels, ground transportation, and logistics while you focus on the wine experiences you’re looking forward to.

Busy Professionals Who Want It Done Right

You don’t have time to research wineries and hotels for hours or coordinate complex international logistics. You want someone knowledgeable to handle everything so you can simply enjoy your trip.

The Destinations I Know Best

I’ve traveled extensively throughout wine regions and have met wine makers through tasting events throughout the US. This travel and the connections I’ve made help shape my recommendations.

My personal wine preferences run toward Chianti, Sangiovese, Beaujolais, French and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and white and red Burgundies. If these are your favorites too, we’ll get along wonderfully. Even if you’re a devoted Barolo drinker or Malbec enthusiast, my training and connections ensure I can plan an incredible experience for your palate.

Support When You Need It Most

Travel is unpredictable, which is why having a food and wine travel advisor makes all the difference. Flights get delayed. Weather changes plans. Sometimes you arrive somewhere and realize you want to stay an extra day because it’s that special.

When you work with me, you’re never alone in handling these situations. Clients have specifically mentioned my responsiveness: “Super responsive, especially with some last-minute changes we needed to make and provided great recommendations!”

I’m reachable throughout your trip, and also give you contact information for my contacts who are in-country with you. I monitor your flights, and I handle problems before they become your problems. This support is especially valuable when you’re navigating a foreign country, dealing with language barriers, and just want someone to fix the issue so you can get back to enjoying your vacation.

The Human Element in an Automated World

Here’s something I think about often: in an age where you can book almost anything online with a few clicks, working with another human being has become a rare experience. It’s a special kind of service when you have someone who knows you, understands what you want, and is personally invested in making sure your trip is everything you hoped.

You’re not just booking a trip through me. You’re working with someone who has explored Chianti, tasted wines in the Rhone Valley, explored trattorias of Rome, and understands what makes these experiences magical. I will answer your questions, adjust as needed, and celebrate when you send photos of the perfect sunset over the vines.

That personal attention and human connection isn’t just nice to have, it’s what enhances a good trip to an exceptional one.

Ready to Explore Wine Country Together?

Whether you’re dreaming of wine bars in Paris or visiting family-owned wineries in Tuscany, working with a wine and food travel advisor ensures you create a trip that connects you with the heart of these destinations. From exploring Burgundy’s Premier Cru vineyards to experiencing South African wine alongside incredible cuisine, I’d love to help you create a trip that connects you with the heart of these destinations through their food and wine.

You don’t have to figure this out by yourself, spend hours researching and hoping you’ve made good choices, and handle problems alone when they arise. Let’s work together to create your wine and food travel experience. An experience that introduces you to winemakers, chefs, and locals who will help you understand these places in ways that guidebooks never could.

Ready to start planning? Answer questions in my inquiry form and I will be in touch! We’ll schedule a video chat so we can have the first conversation about where the wine will take you.

🌐 Visit: mistralwindstravel.com
📱 Follow along: @mistralwindstravel for travel inspiration

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Frequently Asked Questions Answered:

FAQ 1:

Q: Do I need to be a wine expert to use a travel advisor?

A: Not at all! I work with everyone from casual wine lovers who just want to visit a vineyard or two during their European trip, to serious collectors with existing winery relationships. Whether you’re curious about wine regions or already know your favorite varietals, I’ll create an experience that matches your level of interest and knowledge.

FAQ 2:

Q: Why use a travel advisor if I like planning?

A: Even if you love planning, a travel advisor handles the stressful parts you don’t want to deal with, like spending hours on hold with airlines during flight delays, solving problems at 11 PM when something goes wrong, or wondering if your choices will actually be good. Plus, I have insider connections to arrange experiences and reservations that aren’t available to the general public. You can still be as involved as you’d like in the planning process.

FAQ 3:

Q: How does working with a travel advisor work?

A: You’ll submit an intake questionnaire, then we’ll have a video chat so I can understand your wine travel dreams and preferences. Then I create a custom proposal that we refine together until it’s exactly what you want. Once you approve it, I handle all the bookings. When it’s time to travel, all you have to do is show up.

FAQ 4:

Q: What support do you provide during my trip?

A: I’m reachable throughout your trip and monitor your flights proactively. If any issues arise, I handle them before they become your problem. This is especially valuable when you’re navigating a foreign country and just want someone to fix the issue so you can get back to enjoying your vacation.