TOUR DESCRIPTION

 

From rolling, vineyard-covered hills that produce the storied Amarone wines, to ancient castles and villages that fringe Italy’s largest lake, we’re proud to add this brand-new tour to our portfolio. We’ll spend six nights at the *****Relais & Chateau Villa Cordevigo, a magnificently restored 18th-century hotel, just minutes from the eastern shore of Lake Garda and just a half-hour north of Verona city center. Highlights for our week in Veneto include a private walking tour of Verona, excursions by boat to explore Lake Garda, and top-notch dining including the table of the Michelin-1* Oseleta Ristorante at Villa Cordevigo. Of course, the trip will include fabulous winery visits and tastings at some of Veneto’s top addresses where we will discover the magic of the region’s signature Corvina and Garganega grapes.

 

Accompanying our group for the week will be recognized world wine expert Todd Ross, professional local guides, and internationally award-winning photojournalist Peter Martin, Managing Director of MARTIN KEEGAN TOURS, LLC.

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Sunday, Day 1 (Welcome to Veneto!) – Guests will be picked up at Valerio Catullo Airport, Verona, Italy, and transferred by shuttle to the Relais & Chateau Villa Cordevigo, our hotel for the week. After settling in, guests will have time to explore the grounds before joining our hosts and our local guide for a welcome reception and a wine-tasting introduction to Veneto wines! We’ll review our itinerary for the week at this time. Then, in the evening, we will gather at Ristorante Cordevigo at our country villa for a relaxing meal of delicious local fare.

 

Monday, Day 2 (Amarone! The Magic of Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone) –

Our first winery visit of the tour will be in the nearby village of Pedemonte, at Azienda Vinicola Farina, where we will enjoy an immersive vineyard and winery tour followed by a guided tasting of their six most-iconic wines served with a gourmet light lunch of local artisan products. After lunch we’ll meander 15 minutes northwest through the sprawling Valpolicella countryside to the hamlet of San Giorgio di Valpolicella, where we’ll pause for coffee before wending our way to the ancient and historic Cantine Marchesi Fumanelli, where more of the magic of the region’s wines will be revealed. Dinner tonight will be at Ristorante Cordevigo.

 

Tuesday, Day 3 (A Toe in Trentino) – After taking breakfast at Villa Cordevigo, we will embark for a half-hour drive north along the trace of the Adige River to the toe of Trentino, and a visit to the storied winery of Tenuta San Leonardo, housed in a thousand-year-old monastery. For the past three centuries, the Marchesi Guerrieri Gonzaga family have been its proud custodians. San Leonardo’s wines are uncompromisingly artisanal. Their reputation, especially for the estate’s signature San Leonardo red table wine, is international. For lunch, it’s just a short drive farther north to Casa Del Vino della Vallagarina, a charming wine-centric restaurant in Isera. From there, we’ll turn back south and toward Lake Garda and the town of Malcesine. There, we’ll explore the Castello Scaligero di Malcesine, perched upon a rocky crag overlooking the ancient town, before we board our coach for transportation back to or hotel. Dinner tonight will be at Ristorante Cordevigo.

 

Wednesday, Day 4 (Soave and Garganega Greatness) – After breakfast we will drive east of Verona to the wine region of Soave, and for a brief tour of its namesake city with its impressive medieval castle. Afterward, it’s just a few minutes away to our first wine tasting of the day at Azienda Agricola Le Battistelle where we will enjoy tour of the winery and a casual lunch surrounded by vineyards! After lunch we’ll visit the brilliant and historic Gini winery, who have been wine-growers in the region since 1570! and explore their amazing range of wines. Before dinner tonight we’ll enjoy a 30-minute boat tour around the southern portion of Lake Garda, before disembarking to enjoy more spectacular views of Lake Garda in nearby Sirmione, at the romantic Michelin-starred La Speranzina, with its mix of traditional and exotic ingredients and altogether mouthwatering flavors.

 

Thursday, Day 5 (A Day in Verona) – After breakfast we will embark for Verona where we will enjoy a curated private walking tour of the city taking in many of its most notable historic and architectural attractions including its ancient Roman amphitheater, bridge and gate; Verona’s Medieval castle and bridge; the Piazzas Bra’, Erbe and dei Signori, the Scaligere Arch; the Mercato Vecchio courtyard and, of course, Juliet’s house! Lunch today will be at Antica Bottega del Vino, a prestigious, centuries-old wine and “tapas” bar on a narrow street in the heart of the city. After lunch, guests will have the better part of the afternoon to explore Verona further on their own, to shop, check out the Shakespeare Interactive Museum, or simply stroll along the tranquil Adige River before we rendezvous and are carried back to our hotel. We’ll dine this night at Ristorante Cordevigo.

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Friday, Day 6 (Encore Valpolicella and Amarone) – Our final day of wine tastings in the region will take us to two more famous Amarone estates. After a hearty breakfast, we’ll board our coach for the short drive once again to Pedemonte, to visit the splendid Tommasi Viticoltori, one of the region’s most impressive estates. Afterwards it will be just a moment’s drive to Fumane and a curated lunch at Enoteca della Valpolicella, one of the area’s culinary jewels! Then, it’s just a brief drive to our tasting and winery visit of the afternoon at the mythical cellars of Giuseppe Quintarelli. Perhaps no other producer so-well-embodies the savoir fare of the region in its marvelous wines. As Kermit Lynch says, “It is impossible to speak about Quintarelli without superlatives. The name itself stands for so much: the family, the wines, a style, a tradition, a way of doing things. After all the time, effort, patience, and care that go into the making of a bottle of Quintarelli, it truly does mean so much more than wine.” Our farewell dinner tonight will find our group gathering at the table of Villa Cordevigo’s Michelin-1* Ristorante Oseleta where, over wine and an excellent meal, we'll share the memorable moments of our past few days together before saying Arrivederci; fino a quando ci incontreremo di nuovo.

 

Saturday, Day 7 – After an early breakfast, guests will be transferred by shuttle to Valerio Catullo Airport in Verona, for departures home or onward travel.

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*Itinerary may change without notice.