Wine Tasting - Wine Tours in Italy

More than 100 labels are being selected for the wine tasting OltreCentovini, will be held May 14 in Casteggio, Oltrep򠡲ea, North Western Italy.

All the wines are from Oltrep򦬴;/strong>, an area located along the the banks of Po river, in a southern corner of Lombardy, set among Emilia, Liguria and Piedmont. It’s mainly a lowland with just a few sweet hills ranging between 200 and 300mt altitude.

This wine tasting will be featuring different themes: autochthonous vine species Croatina and Barbera, the two souls of Pinot Black, the sweet corner: from Moscato to Malvasia, the aged white wines, and IGT from Pavia province. The cost of tasting , which includes pairing with local food, is euro10.

- Event details -
When: May 14 - h. 2.30 - 7.00 PM
Where: at Certosa Cant? Via Circonvallazione -
Casteggio (province of Pavia) - Lombardy. (See Map)
How to get there:
-from motorway Torino - Piacenza (A21), exit Casteggio;
-from motorway Milan - Genoa (A7) exit Casel Gerola, than take motorway A21, exit Casteggio;
-from Pavia take ss Giovi or ss 617.

The province of Avellino, also called Irpinia, is one of those areas in the Southern Italy, not so well known from foreign travelers.

Even though it is close to famed and heavily visited areas, such as Naples, Pompeii, Sorrrento, few know the picturesque places located in this part of Campania, and maybe, even fewer know about this land as a zone for production of quality wines.

Guided excursions by train, planned for Sunday, May 14, on the ancient Avellino-Rocchetta Sant’Antonio railway route, will offer a unique opportunity to discover the great wines and flavours of this area of Campania. Visits to cellars, historical sites, and of course, tasting sessions of local wines and specialties - to not miss the caciocavallo cheeses of Calitri, will be included.

The Avellino-Rocchetta Sant’Antonio route was so called “wine rail”, because in the ancient past had been serving the wine production areas of Irpinia. Now it is dismissed.
Trenitalia, will resume this wine route exclusively for the food & wine festival “Terra Mia” taking place from May 12 to 14, in the town of Atripalda, province of Avellino.
Ticket price for ride on the wine route:10 euro (see details).

For ‘Spring of Prosecco’ series, we suggest a couple of events in the Prosecco area, started on May 5 and run through May 14.

In the town Combai is taking place “E’ Verdiso” from 5 to 14 May 2006.
It is a festival devoted to the authoctonous vine Verdiso.
An opportunity to get acquainted with all the different local Verdiso wines: still, semi-sparkling, full sparkling and “passito”.

The city of Vittorio Veneto is hosting a typical local Wine exhibition (from May 05 to 14).
From the city centre, the exhibition reaches the museums of its historical centres Ceneda and Serravalle and their characteristic taverns, where it is possible to taste traditional local dishes and wines.

The Spring of Prosecco 2006 complete calendar (Source: PrimaveraProsecco.it)

Vidor 04 - 19/03
Santo Stefano 18/03 - 02/04
Guia 25/03 - 09/04
Col S. Martino 25/03 - 17/04
San Giovanni 31/03 -09/04
Villa di Cordignano 08 - 17/04
S. Pietro di Barbozza 15- 25/04
Miane 21/04 - 07/05
Saccol 22/04 - 01/05
Fregona 21/04 - 01/05
Refrontolo 22/04 - 07/05
Combai 05 - 14/05
Vittorio Veneto 05 - 14/05
S. Pietro di Feletto 27/05 - 04/06
Conegliano 11/06
Jesolo 1-2/07

Spring of Prosecco is a series of wine exhibits and festivals scheduled from March through June in the land famed for the production of Prosecco wine.
The area involved, is a strip of land in the north of the Marca Trevigiana, in Veneto, about 50 km north of Venice. (See on the map)

These spring feasts of wine mark the formal presentation to the public of the last vintage wines.
The wines which are celebrated are not only the well-known Prosecco and Cartizze Doc, but also many other jewels of the local oenology like the Refrontolo Passito Doc, Torchiato, Colli di Conegliano and Verdiso. (Source)

A tour in this land offer a chance to appreciate the Altamarca wines and the opportunity to enjoy landscapes and sightseeing that spring makes even more rich in charm and atmospheres.

- The Prince of the area: Prosecco of Conegliano Valdobbiadene

DOC wine since 1969, Prosecco is a white, including three types: still, semi-sparkling and fully sparkling.
The dry variety has a pleasantly bitter taste with a light body, is particularly

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