Here’s great news for wine lovers and anyone interested in the world of wine. Offers of food and wine served outdoors are on the rise in response to the demand for activities that put people in touch with nature and offer a chance to get out of the city for a day.

Food and wine tourism focuses on getting to know wine-producing areas and local cellars. Winemakers in these areas offer various activities, in addition to wine tasting which make an indispensable contribution of economic development throughout Italy.

For both experts and neophytes alike, visiting a cellar, getting to know the producer and his philosophy, learning about vineyard and vinification techniques and understanding the effort and enthusiasm behind each bottle of wine are all fantastic opportunities.

This is not a marketing strategy, it is communicating essential information to the client–useful knowledge to help in choosing products that reflect his or her taste as well as ideas about responsible, sustainable production.

We can no longer make excuses–we now know that we are what we eat and drink.

What can Piedmont contribute to satisfy this thirst for knowledge?

Here are some activities we recommend you try:

• Guided visits to wine estates, with tastings accompanied by local products.
• Spa and beauty packages using products derived from grapes, with their anti-oxidising and anti-inflammatory properties;
• Visits to local vineyards, as well as exploring and trekking in them to enjoy nature and the area’s magnificent panorama;
• Cellar and vineyard lunches that pair traditional local cuisine with typical wines of the area;
• Scooter tours with stops in various cellars and wine shops;
• Harvests open to tourists, so that they can participate in this unique experience firsthand;
• Bicycle and electric bicycle tours for exercise that respect the surrounding region;
• Truffle hunts with a truffle hunter and his dog, to discover all the tricks of the trade and observe a trained dog in action;
• Artistic and cultural activities such as installations and design-oriented cellars, many of them built with environmental considerations in mind.
• Yoga in the vineyard, to relax and exercise in the midst of breathtaking scenery;
• Vineyard picnics.

 

 

For this last activity the first picnic booking site, Picnic Chic, has been established.

This platform helps picnickers to find restaurants, gastronomy shops and cellars that offer special experiences, such as picnic baskets with local products ready for tasting outside.

A simple solution to the job of organising a day out.

These experiences combine the discovery of new places, both close to home or further afield, with support for small Italian businesses that now more than ever are in need.

It’s also the rediscovery of small villages and the beauty of Italy envied the world over.