Join us on a moveable feast as we live the life dolce vita along
the fabled wine trails of the "Strade del Vino" of the Langhe,
the Black Rooster in Chianti and the oldest vines of Umbria.
June
2-13, 2008 - Cost: $6,525.00 per person
Double Occupancy, Exclusive
of Airfare
Tour is also available for Piemonte or Tuscany only
•
June 2, 2008 - Arrival Piemonte
•
5 Night Luxury Ensuite Accommodations
•
Exclusive Wine Tastings
•
Vintner Gourmet Dinners & Wine Pairing
•
Castle Cooking Lesson & Dinner
•
June 7, 2008 - Arrival at Tuscany Villa
•
6 Night Private Ensuite Lodging
•
All Meals & Unlimited Wines at Villa
•
Castle Wine Tours, Tastings, Cooking Lessons
•
June 13, 2008 - Departure
TRAVEL ICONS
Dream Come True
From local trattorias to gourmet feasts, to the sophisticated wines of this region, this journey is a food lover's dream come true.
You'll be treated like royalty in a beautiful castle in the Barolo wine vineyards and later relax in our secluded villa in the Tuscan hills, Indulge yourself and on a wine odyssey that would even make On this once in a lifetime tour, you'll get to experience the best of Italian Wines. Pour yourself a glass of something wonderful and read all about this food and wine extravaganza.
The Vino
Our
wine experts will open doors to private cellars for visits and
tastings. Mark Lasky, wine educator and Italian wine expert at
Beaunes Wine Bar in Florida will guide us the entire way. To add
to the merriment, Giulio our Tuscan partner joins us when we arrive
in Tuscany.
Piemonte is just the beginning. In this northwestern region of Italy, June is abuzz with gastronomic activity and we think it is the best time for a food and wine lover's visit. Imagine sitting across a bountiful dinner table, filled with regional foods, with the winemakers themselves. Listening and interacting with them about life in the vineyards. Hear and feel the passion and taste it in their wines. These are real down to earth people who produce some of the most amazing wines on the planet. Small producers like Castello di Neive, Dante Rivetti, Claudio Icardi and Giacomo Borgogno just to name a few, are all here and will welcome you into their hearts as well as their homes.
Most of the wine produced
here is of exceptional
quality. Barbaresco: a
refined dry wine that
is one of the region's best. Barolo:
called the king of reds
and is considered one of Italy's top two wines Nebbiolo
d'Alba a rich, full and dry wine. The best Nebbiolo grapes
are used to make the
Barbaresco and Barolo wines. Spumanti: a sparkling wine that puts
Asti on the map for many travelers. Sweet and fruity, this wine
makes a wonderful apero before your meal.
Expect nothing but greatness. Tuscany is also home to some of the finest wine in the world. The richness of the sun baked soil produces millions of gallons of wine and countless wineries. There has never been a better time for drinking Italian wines than right now. Italy has enjoyed several years of great harvests and people are realizing how fantastic the wines are from all over the country. Italian wines are being produced at the highest quality levels in years so having an insider's knowledge to lead us the way is priceless.
Special day trips to visit Umbrian vineyards, considered to be the most picturesque in all of Italy and home to the area known as the "classic" zone, the oldest and most well known wine-producing land in the Orvieto province is a highlight. As is meeting new legends like the small producer Andrea Franchetti whose making stellar wines and one of the most sought after Super Tuscans the outstanding Tenuta dell'Ornellaia.
Manga
Loosen your belt buckles because eating in Italy means enjoying the complete meal...and the Piemontese adore their complete meal! The table is graced by infinite antipasti, the best beef in Italy, eaten raw, fine cheeses, anchovies, pickled fish, "crostini" and seasonal vegetables with Bagna Cadna. After agnolotti or polenta with rich truffle sauce we move to meat courses. The region is a meat eater’s delight with beef, lamb, hare, venison, pheasant, partridge, chicken, duck, and river fish.
Eating well along our journey is guaranteed whether in our castle or one of the local gastronomic food shrines. A lunch at the Osteria de la Rosa Rossa features famous snail dishes made with wild mushrooms, homemade gnocchi with a velvety sauce of cream and Castelmagno, or a beautiful plate of cured leg of lamb with arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, drizzled with fruity extra-virgin oil.
Our final evening in Piemonte we visit a very special and charming hideaway where sumptuous foods are meant to not be hurried but savored along with their fine wines. This philosophy is the founding stone of the Slow Food Movement and why foodies near and far make a pilgrimage to this well loved Baroque classic for their food and wines.
Tuscany as we know is a revered food lover’s paradise and our villa on the outskirts of San Gimignano is perfect for lavish feasting. Grilled meats are a beloved treat, especially the revered Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a two-pound T-bone quickly charred over a wood-burning flame.
In our Tuscan villa kitchen you may join our chef in the kitchen for pasta lessons and preparing some Tuscan favorites like Duck Breast in Ragu with Baked Mascarpone Polenta or the Torta Pasta Pie, layered with homemade sausages, ham, mushrooms, tortellini, cheese, pine nuts and spices. Try your hand at rolling pasta for tagliatelle with roast chanterelles and cream or the decadent zucotto soaked with hazelnuts, chocolate and liqueurs.
Several tasty, authentic food items to pick up or sample while in Orvieto include lumachelle (snail- shaped rolls with ham and cheese), tortucce (fried bread dough), anise seed or almond biscotti, chickpea-chestnut soup, rigatoni prepared with nuts and chocolate, and mazzafegate (sweet or salty sausages). At Vinosus, the local Trattoria is a fine example of Umbrian cuisine and Lucca, the owner, will proudly tell you the secret to life- three bottles of Orvieto Classico wine.
More Fun on the Menu
Of course, no Vagabond Gourmet tour is complete without a serving of fun, so we’re being joined in our Tuscany kitchen by our friends and local chefs.
Donatella has been cooking her entire life. In fact, making everything from scratch the old-fashioned way is her specialty. Roll up your sleeves and see if you can roll the pasta as thin as Donatella can? No pasta machines here! The lunch we’ll prepare together of Tagliatelle with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Tortelli with Spinach Ricotta and Sage Butter, Gnocchi Nudi and Cantuccini is delicious classic Tuscan fare that will have you looking for a rolling pin in San Gimignano later.
Viola will show you how to make bread from scratch, using the products on her land. There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh bread pulled right out of the oven, is there? In one form or another, bread has been one of the principal forms of food for man from the earliest of times. Here in Italy, there is no exception. Like ages ago, the making of fresh bread is a tradition that has passed from generation to generation, and Viola secrets will be passing on to you.
Delicious rustic breads with rosemary and olives and pizza with fresh mozzarella, squash blossoms, and vegetables are on today's menu. She’ll also share some tips on using old bread so it doesn't go to waste. Lunch with Viola is next with; you guessed it, bread and pizza.
Another great option
is Pienza considered the "Jewel of the Renaissance" is like an ancient fairytale village whose streets are heavy with the fragrance of Pecorino. A true gourmet's dream is wandering the shops filled with mushrooms, pastas, honeys, jams, cheeses and oils!
The towered city of San Gimignano is most of Tuscany's most charming villages and another treasure trove of gourmet shops and delicious discoveries. The frescos at the Museo della Collegiato are nearly worth the trip. And if you haven't already bought enough goodies to take home try the balsamic or hot chili chocolates from the candy shop.
Sleep in Style
Our luxurious Piemonte accommodations are located right in the heart of the Barolo and Barbaresco wine producing areas. The area is called Le Langhe and it is home to about 750 wineries that produce 2 of the 10 most important wines in the world. Rooms are all ensuite and decorated with rich fabrics, antiques; beautiful gardens and what's best are the delight owners whose knowledge and warm hospitality are celebrated by all who have stayed in this gem.
The Tuscan estate consists of a large elegant villa with several formal sitting areas, two huge wood fire places in the dining room and living rooms. The separate dependence also has a sitting area, fireplace and has recently been restored in its original style. The bedrooms are furnished with classic Tuscan furniture, armoires, queen sized beds and the bathrooms are new with showers, bidets and dressing mirrors. The villa has been carefully restored to its original style of elegance and grace. The accommodations are a classic yet rustic style is pure Tuscan. There are oriental rugs throughout, with marble accents, travertine and high quality fixtures. However, special care has been given to modern comforts. Satellite television, telephone a laundry room and swimming pool are among these.
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From local trattorias to gourmet feasts, to the sophisticated wines of this region, this journey is a food lover's dream come true.
You'll be treated like royalty in a beautiful castle in the Barolo wine vineyards and later relax in our secluded villa in the Tuscan hills, Indulge yourself and on a wine odyssey that would even make On this once in a lifetime tour, you'll get to experience the best of Italian Wines. Pour yourself a glass of something wonderful and read all about this food and wine extravaganza. 
Our
wine experts will open doors to private cellars for visits and
tastings. Mark Lasky, wine educator and Italian wine expert at
Beaunes Wine Bar in Florida will guide us the entire way. To add
to the merriment, Giulio our Tuscan partner joins us when we arrive
in Tuscany.
Expect nothing but greatness. Tuscany is also home to some of the finest wine in the world. The richness of the sun baked soil produces millions of gallons of wine and countless wineries. There has never been a better time for drinking Italian wines than right now. Italy has enjoyed several years of great harvests and people are realizing how fantastic the wines are from all over the country. Italian wines are being produced at the highest quality levels in years so having an insider's knowledge to lead us the way is priceless. 
Loosen your belt buckles because eating in Italy means enjoying the complete meal...and the Piemontese adore their complete meal! The table is graced by infinite antipasti, the best beef in Italy, eaten raw, fine cheeses, anchovies, pickled fish, "crostini" and seasonal vegetables with Bagna Cadna. After agnolotti or polenta with rich truffle sauce we move to meat courses. The region is a meat eater’s delight with beef, lamb, hare, venison, pheasant, partridge, chicken, duck, and river fish. 
Tuscany as we know is a revered food lover’s paradise and our villa on the outskirts of San Gimignano is perfect for lavish feasting. Grilled meats are a beloved treat, especially the revered Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a two-pound T-bone quickly charred over a wood-burning flame. 
Viola will show you how to make bread from scratch, using the products on her land. There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh bread pulled right out of the oven, is there? In one form or another, bread has been one of the principal forms of food for man from the earliest of times. Here in Italy, there is no exception. Like ages ago, the making of fresh bread is a tradition that has passed from generation to generation, and Viola secrets will be passing on to you.
Our luxurious Piemonte accommodations are located right in the heart of the Barolo and Barbaresco wine producing areas. The area is called Le Langhe and it is home to about 750 wineries that produce 2 of the 10 most important wines in the world. Rooms are all ensuite and decorated with rich fabrics, antiques; beautiful gardens and what's best are the delight owners whose knowledge and warm hospitality are celebrated by all who have stayed in this gem.