Day 1 - Tuesday, April 03:
Participants will meet at Milano Linate airport (LIN) where we will board our private coach to travel southwest to Alba, the main city of thePiedmont region. After check-in at our four star hotel, we’ll gather to enjoy an aperitivo and welcome dinner. (Overnight Alba).
Day 2 - Wednesday, April 04:
We’ve come for the wine. Let’s get to it! Barolo is considered by many to be the king of wines and this will be our first opportunity to taste for ourselves. After breakfast this morning, we’ll be off to a unique winery - at the highest altitude in the Barolo region – to visit the cellars and taste the wines of the Vaira family. From here, we’ll visit the town of Barolo itself for lunch in a typical osteria. After lunch, we’ll regroup for a VIP visit to the Lirano hills, 400 meters above sea level, to discover four more wines of the Barolo region, these ones organic. Dinner on your own. (Overnight Alba).
Day 3 - Thursday, April 05:
Often called the younger brother of Barolo, Barbaresco will be our focus today. We’ll visit a family-run winery in the highest township of the region with stunning views of the Langa hills. We’ll enjoy a vineyard walk, cellar tour and tasting here, then make our way to the main piazza of Barbaresco for a visit to the Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco – in a 19th century church. After lunch on our own, we’ll make one final stop at a four-generation Green Experience vintner to learn about their production methods to preserve the biodiversity of the region. And of course, there will be tastings. Dinner on your own. (Overnight Alba).
Day 4 - Friday, April 06:
After breakfast this morning, we’ll check out of our hotel and finish our Piemonte tour with a stop in Canelli to visit a winery with a UNESCO World Heritage designation. 150 years old, the cellars here are spectacular - as are the sparkling wines and artisanal vermouths. We’ll have lunch at the lovely wine bar associated with the winery, then we’ll make our way to the Lake Garda region to the five star luxe
Villa Cordevigo for a relaxing couple of nights. Tonight, we’ll enjoy aperitivo and an eight-course tasting dinner at Oseleto, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the property. (Overnight Cordevigo).
Day 5 - Saturday, April 07:
Today, we can choose between several activities at the resort. Villa Cordevigo’s wines, from the Villabella vineyards, are considered to be some of the best and we have a private vineyard walk and tasting with the winemaker. Then, we have 2 options to participate in a hands-on cooking class with Chef D’Aquino or Nonna Aldo and sit down to dine on the results! This Relais Chateau property also has a spa. Dinner on the property at Oseleto or at Bistrot Cordevigo. (Overnight Cordevigo).
Day 6 - Sunday, April 08:
After breakfast this morning, we depart for lovely Verona. On the way, we have an exclusive visit to one of the most stunning and renowned estates of the Italian wine world. The gardens, park, villa and cellars will all be part of our tour and we’ll finish with tastings accompanied by cheeses and charcuterie produced exclusively for this estate. Then, after checking in at our four+ star,
centrally-located hotel, we’ll take a private orientation tour, walking, to learn the history of this beautiful, romantic city. Our guide will leave us at an osteria where TJ will offer some fine wines. You’ll be on your own for the rest of the day to explore, relax, shop and dine. Lori will be happy to suggest restaurant possibilities. (Overnight Verona).
Day 7 - Monday, April 09:
We’ll have a leisurely morning in Verona, and then make our way to Lazise on Lake Garda for a seafood lunch in a lovely small town. Renowned for their fresh fish, significant wine cellar and outstanding hospitality, this family has been serving its devoted locals since 1951. TJ will recommend our wines. After lunch, we have a private visit to a winery with an interesting twist. At the top of TJ’s list of vineyards to visit, this winery is “proud to present the Olfactory Gallery, a new eno-sensory tasting, which is the first of its kind in Italy. In this tour you can put your olfactory memory to the test, an all-embracing experience, where this neglected sense becomes leading character again.” We are going to add additional tastings with finger food to enhance this whole wine adventure. (Overnight Verona).
Day 8 - Tuesday, April 10:
Late this morning, we make our way out of Verona southwest to the small town of Veraggio sul Mincio for the sole purpose of a pasta lunch. This town is responsible for providing tortellini to the Pope; they even send a chef to the Vatican to make sure these special morsels are prepared properly! We’ll have a light lunch here, with TJ advising us on our wine selections, before moving on for an afternoon on Lake Garda. Sirmione is a delightful town on a peninsula extending up into the lake. We’ll board our own private boat for a lake tour featuring Isola del Garda and complete with aperitivo and buffet. Upon return to Verona, you’ll be on your own for dinner. (Overnight Verona).
Day 9 - Wednesday, April 11:
Today, TJ will offer some options for further wine-tasting. Lori has a list of day tours available from Verona. You’ll otherwise have the day free but we will meet later in the evening for an aperitivo followed by a short walk to our farewell dinner at a beautiful restaurant built in a former church. This will be our chance to retell the week’s best stories, drink our last Northern Italian wine and indulge in some of the best food Verona has to offer. (Overnight Verona).
Day 10 - Thursday, April 12:
After breakfast and check-out, all participants will be driven, in our private coach, to the Venice airport, where you can catch your flight or extend your vacation! Arrivederci e buon viaggio!
