Hello Italy!

[SLM]

Heading to Italy for 30 days of pizza and wine. Planned stops are, in order, Naples, Sardinia, Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Bologna. For those who have been, do you have any favorites we might want to try? Especially wineries or vineyards?

 

[heatherd]

We had great Montepulciano on the Amalfi Coast near Positano and also in Rome. Enjoy your trip!

 

[joeswine]

Heading to Italy for 30 days of pizza and wine. Planned stops are, in order, Naples, Sardinia, Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and Bologna. For those who have been, do you have any favorites we might want to try? Especially wineries or vineyards?

Italy is the place where the food and wines are spot on, I've been to Italy 4 times. but Spain is the real spot.

 

[balatonwine]

Spain is the real spot.

Lived now in Europe for 20 years. Lived in Switzerland, now in Hungary, been to (in no particular order) :

France
Germany
Austria
Italy (saw the Pope)
Belgium
Netherlands
Liechtenstein
England
Ireland
Poland
Czech Republic
Slovakia

But where I really wanted to go for years is Spain. But still have not made it. What is wrong with me???

 

[Rice_Guy]

yes, hello italy!

I am wondering where to visit in northern Italy this August with nine other couples from the Prairie Vinters Club and some from Fermenting Friends in LaCrosse. The group will be staying at Campodolcino (Lombardy region), a few kilometers from Switzerland.

We can arrange day trips with vans. The closest valley with wine production seems to be Sondrio or possibly lake Como. Google would lead me to believe that Lombardy region has 70,000 hectares of grapes but this may be mainly traditional smaller vineyards/ wineries not interested in tourists.

Where does one start researching? What are Italian wineries like?

 

[SLM]

yes, hello italy!

I am wondering where to visit in northern Italy this August with nine other couples from the Prairie Vinters Club and some from Fermenting Friends in LaCrosse. The group will be staying at Campodolcino (Lombardy region), a few kilometers from Switzerland.

We can arrange day trips with vans. The closest valley with wine production seems to be Sondrio or possibly lake Como. Google would lead me to believe that Lombardy region has 70,000 hectares of grapes but this may be mainly traditional smaller vineyards/ wineries not interested in tourists.

Where does one start researching? What are Italian wineries like?

It appears no one is familiar with that region. Curious as to why you chose that destination. In the north I hope to visit Barolo one day based on the recommendation of a trusted winemaker, but that is several hours from your location.

In my experience, Italian winemakers are very hospitable. Small vineyards have sometimes been family owned for generations. The owners are passionate about their craft and love to tell their stories. My most memorable tastings have been at hole-in-the-wall vineyards that I would never have found if not for local recommendations. If they're not used to visitors you may need to get someone to make you an appointment. And then you may need to track them down out in the vineyard.

Wine and American $ are universal languages. Who would turn away 20 wine drinking tourists? Just don't be stingy. Compensate them for their time and buy their wine even if it's not that good. And have your google translate ready.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Yes, why the Lombardy region ? The purpose of two weeks in Italy wasn’t for visiting wineries, this has been mentioned as an add on. There is one winery/ distillery which has been scheduled in the Piedmont region after the airport. Extra wineries were talked about but those more knowledgeable haven’t organized yet. It would be a shame to be an hour and a half away and not spend a day looking at traditional winemaking. I am on the learning curve and think “that spot” is only 30 miles as the crow flies but google tells me that in Italy one follows the valley south before going east. ,,, yes why?

A guess on my part is that the good visits are small and traditional, ,,, and if I wanted large stainless tanks there are several in this state and the wine club rents a bus for a tour every year. Looking on the web there are places which take visitors and do wine and food. There are companies that start in Milan which provide transportation and schedule the day. Well now that I have let google pick a driving route I see the issue in dealing with a company from Milan. ,, Oh well learning curve, ;(