Tour: Cheese And Wine Tasting In The Italian Alps
Fabri has just sent me some great photos and information about one of his wonderful new programs. If you like cheese (and we KNOW you like cheese) this is for you! In Fabri's own words, "this excursion provides the opportunity to taste local produce and understand how it is manufactured but also gives the chance for the customer to step back in time."
The Maggiore Discovery team will transport you to a tiny medieval village, really just a hamlet, located about 45 minutes north of Stresa, nestled in the Alps only minutes from Switzerland. On this trip you will visit an ancient dairy, a winery, see incredible views of the Alps on three sides, and tour a 15th century church that can be opened just for you!
The dairy and winery operations are family run by a man and his nephew. The well-restored village and all the buildings can be explored before the tasting and guided tour begins. The latteria, the dairy, still contains some of its original equipment and a collection of medieval artifacts. The winery, while small, proudly displays the DOC classification on their wines and is of particular interest because they grow a grape very specific to this small region. The tasting of the cheese and wine takes place in the beautifully restored grappa brewing kitchen, dating from 1598. And in the basement of the structure, the cantina, the wine is aged in wooden casks, while just across the road, the roof of the old cold storiage can be seen; the room itself is 30 meters below the ground. The 15th century church, normally kept locked and seldom used for services, will be unlocked just for you and your group.
This tour takes about half a day. It includes transportation, the wine and cheese tasting, access to the village buildings and church, and an accompanying Maggiore Discovery tour guide. American tourists can feel an extra little bit of pride here... many of the medieval structures nestled in the valley have been lovingly restored by a group from Oregon University, and are still regularly visited and maintained by them. The price of the tour for 2011 is 25 Euro per person. For more information you can contact us, or Maggiore Discovery directly at: info@maggiorediscovery.com.
Category Article day trips, food, Tours
