What to look out for on a wine tasting holiday to Piedmont, Italy.

Hey everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well. Can you believe that summer is nearly over now! This year has gone past so quickly. Today I’m writing about how to gain the most of a wine tasting holiday. Coming from a travel and tourism background I find all of this so interesting. When you see photographs and read about it, it just sounds so idyllic. That’s because they are usually in the most beautiful and sometime remote locations where it’s calm and peaceful.
*Disclaimer – This is a sponsored post – All words are my own*

As you might have seen I have been working with an independent wine shop over the past few months. I have been very lucky to taste and review some of the most delicious award winning wines. They scout out winemakers themselves and visit the wineries to make sure that the wine is the best you can get.
You may have recently read that Italy is now exempt from the FCO advice of non essential travel meaning you can book yourself a beautiful getaway.

Italy is famously known for its wines as well as its unique cuisine and if you’re planning a trip which includes Wine Tasting then it’s worth doing a little research before you travel. Piedmont is a region in Italy that sits on the borders of France and Switzerland – it sits at the foot of the Alps. It’s famous for eggy pasta dishes and red wines like Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco.

Beware of tourist traps – you could end up splashing the cash for quite a low quality of wine. It is always worth checking before you book. A good way to check is by seeing if they’ve won any awards, for example Decanter or Tre Bicchieri. Although it takes a little longer to plan your trip the wines will be of the best quality and you won’t be completely surrounded by other tourists.

If you’re looking for an authentic experience then you could find somewhere local to stay for the duration of your wine tasting trip. Agriturismo is the word to learn for this. Think farmhouses which have been converted into stylish b&bs of course run by families who can give you tips to discover some true local gems. A lot of these spaces can be quite luxurious – with swimming pools, mountain views and on site orchards to stroll in. This would make the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city or if you’re like me and live in a busy town.

If you want to know the best places to visit and stay it’s always worth asking the wine makers since they live and work there, they will know a great deal about the place. As Independent Wine work directly with a lot of these Italian wine makers – they have got some absolutely brilliant recommendations. They have visited these places themselves so have first hand experience. They have a really in depth article “A wine-tasting getaway to the land of Barolo, Arneis and Moscato: where to stay and what to taste” – I urge you to read this if you are planning a trip to Italy anytime soon or in the future. They have some fantastic tips on there from where to stay, top places to eat, which wineries to visit and which wines they have available to taste.

There is so much to see of Italy and I cannot wait to explore all of its beauty in the future with my family.

Laura x