Archive for 'Wineries & Breweries'

  

Friday, January 28, 2022
Scenery in Langhe

Italy is home to several regions and endless destinations that boast the most incredible scenery and delicious culinary delights that are born in picturesque and fertile landscapes. In particular, one of the most beautiful areas to visit if you want to fill your eyes and stomach with lovely delights has to be Piedmont. Positioned in the north-western corner of Italy, near the border with both Switzerland and France, this is a region that is overlooked by majestic Alpine peaks and is composed of rolling green hills, dense forests, endless and carefully manicured vineyards, pretty medieval towns, elegant cities, and lots and lots of amazing local culinary specialities. Just find a vacation rental in Piedmont and spend a glorious holiday in Italy eating well in the most picturesque of settings. Head to Cuneo for their rum-flavoured chocolates, discover Asti and Alba and their famous truffles, visit the town of Bra in which the Slow Food movement was born and indulge in it yourself, and be sure to pencil in some time to visit the Langhe Hills...


Langhe is the hilly part of Piedmont, the almost too pretty to be real area that you see pictured in guides and articles and postcards from the region most often. It is also one of the most wonderful gastronomic destinations in all of Italy and is where Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, and Nebbiolo wines were all born, where delicious cheeses can be procured at every turn, and where yet more delicious truffles can be scavenged and devoured. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 due to its cultural landscapes and traditions in winemaking that date back centuries, this is one of the foodie destinations par excellence in Italy and, yet, for many international travellers considering their next vacation in Italy, it is a name that is not all that familiar. Despite this, we would argue that anyone serious about culinary travels in Italy should find a villa in Piedmont and plan a trip to the Langhe area to sample the cornucopia of wonders that await there. 

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Posted in: Food and Wine, Northwest Italy, Piedmont, Pretty Views, Tourist Attractions, Wineries & Breweries

  

Monday, September 6, 2021
We've noted before that if you find a villa in Sorrento and spend time in the area, you're going to encounter limoncello sooner more likely than later. The famous lemon-flavoured liqueur is iconic and one of the most famous foodie products in the area that is almost always served after meals out in the area so, even if you have never tried it before, you'll quickly become acquainted after a holiday in this part of Italy. If it proves to particularly tickle your fancy or you want to get your hands on some to bring home as great foodie souvenirs (the best kind!) for the neighbour who kept an eye on your house and watered your plants then you should definitely make a point to head to Limonoro Fabbrica Liquori Di D'Esposito Ciro.     Read More
Posted in: Activities, Campania, Food and Wine, Shopping, Southern Italy, Wineries & Breweries

  

Monday, September 21, 2020
If you have found yourself a vacation rental in Verona and you are planning on spending time in that famously most romantic of cities, you're likely looking to plan out some equally romantic activities to enjoy while you are there. Once you have done all of the classics like visiting Juliet's balcony, Romeo's house, the pretty jewellery box-like Church of Sant'Eufemia, dining in any one (or several) of the endless candlelit restaurants in town, and then going to wander through the truly picturesque streets of the historic core of the city, then you might decide to head out of town for a few hours and to plan a visit to one of the nearby wineries to sample some of the delicious wines from the Veneto region.

An excellent option among the many wineries of the Veneto is the Cantine Bertani in the famously stunning Valpantena. From the Greek for, “Valley of the God,” and known in Verona as the, “Valley of all Wines,” this area has long been home to grapevines and the Romans are recorded as having been totally enamoured by the flavours of the wines coming from the valley, believing the soil of Valpantena to be ideal for growing grapes. The area has also long been known for its beauty, with a rich history of written records of this such as when Francesco Corna from Soncino noted in his “Fioretto de le antiche croniche de Verona e de tuti i soi confini” (“Choice passages from the old chronicles of Verona and surrounding”) in 1477 that this area was, “an idyllic valley marked by springs and dales, delightful fountains and vineyards which abound in Valpantena”.     Read More
Posted in: Food and Wine, Must See Attractions, Northeast Italy, Veneto, Wineries & Breweries

  

Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Beautiful and historic wineries that are located in the most extraordinary settings are not unusual in Tuscany but, though there are many and many that we have discussed in this blog on numerous occasions in the past, there are many more excellent examples that we have yet to discover and for visitors to the region to discover. So, if you're a serious wine-lover who is thinking of planning a vacation sometime soon, there can be no doubt that Tuscany makes for a truly idyllic and perfect holiday destination to go and see where great Italian wines are made, taste wines, learn about them, buy and ship bottles home, and to engage in a vibrant and ancient wine culture.

One particularly scenic and lovely winery in which one can do all of the above and more besides is the beautiful Castello di Monsanto. While the Castello di Monsanto actually dates back to the middle of the 18th century and wine production in the area goes back centuries, it is in the last fifty years that the estate has become home to the Bianchi family and their beloved wines. Located in Barberino Val d'Elsa, in western Chianti Classico, a bit northwest of Castellina in Chianti, this incredible historic castle was where founder Aldo Bianchi, a native of San Gimignano who had first left Tuscany before the Second World War to seek fortune elsewhere in the North of Italy, found himself at a wedding. Taking in the amazing views across at his hometown of San Gimignano, over the hills of the Chianti Fiorentino region, and right to Monte Amiata and the Apuan Alps from the terrace of the castle, Aldo fell in love. Within a few months, he owned the Castello di Monsanto.     Read More
Posted in: Central Italy, Chianti, Food and Wine, Localities, Tuscany, Wineries & Breweries

  

Thursday, February 27, 2020
Abruzzo is likely a name unfamiliar with many international tourists considering a vacation in Italy. Nestled between the worlds of the industrialised and cosmopolitan north of Italy and the relaxed and sun-drenched south, Abruzzo is a beautiful region with lots to offer, despite being a hidden gem. The very same wild and mountainous qualities of her landscape that meant Abruzzo has never developed economically or culturally quite the way other parts of Italy have are also what make the region utterly picturesque and magic. This is where you will find the biggest concentration of protected land in the country, some of the last pockets in which large wild fauna can be found readily in Europe, some larger industrialised towns, and pretty little villages still alive with tradition, all set amongst rocky peaks, lush meadows and hills, large lakes, and a long and beautiful coastline. In addition, you will find a wine region that produces delicious wines that are nourished by this rich, diverse, and bountiful landscape. So, if you’re looking for a relaxing holiday full of tasty wines and pretty views, a vacation rental in Abruzzo is an excellent idea.     Read More
Posted in: Abruzzo, Central Italy, Curiosities, Food and Wine, Must See Attractions, Pretty Views, Tourist Attractions, Wineries & Breweries