Taste and Travel

Carissimi amici,

Did you know that wine is being made in all 50 states? With the number of wineries that have popped up around the country in the past decade, it’s easy to integrate a local wine tasting into your US domestic travel.

Why should wineries be added to your travel itineraries? Because grapes are an expression of terroir, the land where they were grown and wine contains a bottled expression of its origin. That’s an amazing souvenir, plus wine ages, so you can reminisce about your trip for years to come.

We’re used to getting our wine from stores, restaurants, or bars, so I can understand how walking into a winery tasting room can feel a bit intimidating. But no matter where you find yourself in the world of wine, remember that the wineries are happy to welcome you! You are creating memories, word of mouth and probably posting your location on social media… so grab your line up of little cups and let me offer some easy advice to get the most from your traveling tasting experience:

1. When choosing which wines to taste, ask for your server’s favorite. She or he has likely tasted them all and knows which wines are top favorites among visitors.

2. Ask which wines they have been making the longest – practice makes perfect! For example, if you’re in New York: go for the Cabernet Franc or Riesling.

3. Ask to try their Cabernet Sauvignon: most serious US winemakers are at least experimenting with Cab Sauv. It’s a familiar grape that any wine drinker has had before, so this gives you a chance to understand a winery’s uniqueness. (Remember, I’m talking about the USA here – don’t make this request in Burgundy or Alsace!)

4. Get the winemaker’s story: winemakers are often quirky characters and come from all walks of life. Everything from the winery’s foundation to their labels to the tasting room décor probably has an interesting background.

5. Don’t only visit the best known or highest-end wineries of the area. If you’re in a wine region, you will have lots of options but also stop at some of the smaller places, you could find a diamond in the rough or at the least, have a better understand of where you set your bar for wine quality. It all comes down to the yum or yuck test: do you like it or not?

As a worldwide wine traveler, I love sharing my knowledge and stories with fellow wine lovers. It’s one of the reasons why I founded Immerse Italy. How about participating in wine class with me? My classes are engaging, memorable social experiences where you learn and connect with others. No need to go anywhere - let me bring the winery to you. Find out more at www.immerseitaly.com – you’ll be surprised how Italian New World viticulture is!

Un abbraccio,

Lisa