France would be a clear top pick for a huge variety of culinary experiences and certainly one favourite is a ‘fly, wine and dine’ indulgence. The South of France and Loire Valley have a rich culinary heritage and compact wine regions. Taking a chopper to a Loire Valley vineyard would be a good start. Moving onto a château in Burgundy, or perhaps Bordeaux and ending on Côte d’Azur provides great variety. Tuscany or Piedmont in Italy and Rioja or Catalonia in Spain could easily provide excellent alternatives. Further afield, Barossa Valley in South Australia, Central Otogo in New Zealand and Napa Valley in California are superb for wine lovers and certainly suitable for chopper food and wine hopping. This kind of experience can be done over a few days, even one day, or for a whirlwind epicure, one meal – it’s been done!

Castles and grand villas go well with food and wine. Staying in the same suite as Winston Churchill did a few times, in a fine castle all to yourself, being waited on hand and foot and played to by the finest of bagpipe players, is a great way to experience Scotland. You can also wade in River Awe with an award winning ghillie to catch your dinner and, of course, enjoy a Haggis experience with a hands-on workshop and delicious lunch to follow.

In Italy, there are many stunning grand villas, not only to stay in, but also to hire for a sensational evening with friends. Degustation menus with wine pairing can easily be arranged, on occasion with world-renowned chefs and your gourmet experience could be enjoyed with entertainment provided by some of the country’s finest opera singers.

Champagne is a stunning area of France. There are many ways to enjoy it and its delicious produce, such as an exquisite river cruise over a few days in the area, with visits to some of the finest champagne houses. Dinners can either be prepared by your own chef on board, or private gala dinners can be arranged in some of the more prestigious and oldest Maisons de Champagne. On land, if you wish to stay in your own villa or château, it’s possible to organise your very own ‘Champagne host’ who will take you on a journey through the history of champagne whilst you enjoy all the champagnes being discussed – your very own MasterClass!