New Wine Tours of Italy
If you want to discover Italy’s beautiful and varied landscape, but don’t fancy exploring on your own, then an organised tour could be just the thing. And if you’re keen on wine as well, then it’s worth checking out the 2008 Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours Worldwide programme. This year they’ve introduced a range of new tours including exclusive ‘wine academies’ and an expanded ‘reserve collection’, vineyard walks and gourmet programmes. Here are their new itineraries for Italian wine tours.
Campania & Naples
26-30 March 2008 for £1099 per person
This unique tour looks at the fascinating history of wine dating back to Roman times and includes a visit to the Villa dei Mistieri at Pompeii where the remains of the Roman winery can clearly be seen. A new vineyard has since been replanted and the tour includes a tasting of Mastrobernardino’s modern interpretation.
Mediterranean Wine Cruise
(this wine cruise runs each year, but they’ve introduced a new itinerary for 2008)
22 July –1 August 2008 from £4199 per person
For 2008 A&C have chartered the fabulous super-yacht ‘Ponant’ for an eleven day voyage from Nice to Venice, sailing round the Italian coast, calling in on Corsica, Sicily and the Croatian island of Korcula. They’ll be offering wine tastings on board as well as exclusive wine visits ashore
Gourmet Emilia-Romagna
18-21 October 2008 for £799 per person
Emilia-Romagna claims to be the culinary heartland of Italy – the university city of Bologna is so famed for its food that it’s often nicknamed la dotta e la grassa (the learned and the rich) and on this gastronomic and cultural tour, food takes centre stage. You’ll have a chance to try local specialities such as Parma ham, vintage balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese.
Florence Wine & City
6-9 November 2008 for £599 per person
Staying in a four star hotel close to the banks of the River Arno, the Boboli Gardens and Ponte Vecchio, the Renaissance city of Florence sits close to the beautiful - and much photographed - rolling hills of Chianti. This tour will include visits to both Chianti Classico and Chianti Rufina regions, and will then head south to the hilltop town of San Gimignano to appreciate classy whites.
Tuscan Wine Academy
10-15 November 2008 for £2199 per person
Part of the ‘Reserve Collection’, the Tuscan Wine Academy tour focuses on the greatest wine estates in Chianti, Montalcino and Bolgheri. Visiting the ‘super stars’ of the regions, staying on Tuscan estates and with exclusive tastings hosted by Jane Hunt, MW, the wine guide on the tour.
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