La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

Venice to Amarone

Amarone, Soave, and Italy’s Northern Renaissance

Slide Show:

Venice, our meet-up spot, is ideal for a pre-tour stay
We head to Padua to see GIOTTO’S ARENA CHAPEL, which helped launch the Renaissance.
The Basilica of St. Anthony, patron saint of doctors, is another landmark in PADUA, home to Europe’s first medical school.
Then we continue to the town of SOAVE, with its fab castle…
…and fabulous winery: PIEROPAN
Our host is co-owner Teresita Pieropan
PIEROPAN still uses the old-style bamboo racks to dry their grapes before pressing.
This drying technique goes back to Roman times
These grapes are destined for their divine passito Soave.
The stoney soils that make PIEROPAN’S single-vineyard cru so exceptional
Finally, we arrive at our accommodations: MUSELLA, a winery and cozy B&B.;
MUSELLA’s line-up includes a delicious Amarone
Thumbs-up to relaxing at the end of a long day!
Hope you’re hungry! There’ll be platters of grilled meats to accompany your Amarone.
Day 2 begins with a walking tour of VERONA
Our guides shares a bit of Roman history
The Romans left behind a coliseum, which now hosts opera singers rather than gladiators.
Renaissance frescoes dress up the palaces facing VERONA’s Piazza delle Erbe
And VERONA’s famous pink marble is embedded with sea fossils everywhere.
“Yep, Verona’s my kinda town!”
Afternoon features a winery visit to either Stefano Accordini of ACCORDINI…
…or TOMMASI, both excellent family-run estates
Or else, we might see ALLEGRINI’s splendid Villa della Torre
Cat got your tongue? Or guide Claudio Bisio?
At ALLEGRINI, we get briefed on the valleys of Valpolicella…
…and explore the villa’s cellars
Comparing notes
So many wines. But fear not! We provide a list of everything you drank during the entire tour.
Day 3 takes us to the eastern hills – the new zone for Amarone. Here, TENUTA SANT' ANTONIO
Harvest at TRABUCCI, also on the eastern side
The estate manager at TRABUCCHI welcomes our group
Harvest workers lay out the clusters to dry
Fill 'er up!
Day 4 takes us to LAKE GARDA and the fortified town of SIRMIONE
LAKE GARDA sunbathers
There's a gelateria on every corner of SIMIONE
BERTANI, the oldest Amarone winery, is also featured on this tour
Our host pours 2 Ripasso and 2 Amarone, from different valleys
1973…a great year to graduate from high school!
Yours for the night! The villa grounds where we have our farewell dinner.
Asparagus risotto, perfect with minerally Soave
Here’s to old Amarone and new friends!