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Umani Ronchi. Here we discover this excellent native variety hailing from the valley of the Esino River. It has a delicate aroma but can age well - a rarity in Italian whites. For the reds the main variety include Montepulciano (the grape variety, not the village in Tuscany!) as well as Sangiovese and Cabernet. The reds of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno are attractive, brambley wines with great potential for ageing such as those from Moroder. For other outstanding wines we visit two new rising star estates (where there are also stunning views), Le Caniette and Poderi San Lazzaro. In the Marche we stay ½rst in Macerata with its beautiful Loggia dei Mercanti and Torre del Orologio which has splendid views from the top of the tower. We continue to the attractive, largely medieval town of Ascolo Piceno, one of the unknown jewels of Italy. Marrying food with wine is never far from the mind in Italy and the Marche has its more-ish Vincisgrassi (a local type of lasagne) and stuffed olives amongst many other tempting dishes.
Classic Wine Journeys
Le Marche
Ravenna & the Marche
Sunday 26 - Friday 31 October
We introduced this tour last year and all who went, including the wine guide, were genuinely bowled over by the beauty of the region, the towns, and the quality of the wines and food. We begin in the Emilia-Romagna with Terre Rossa, the outstanding domain of the region for lunch with the Vallania family. We stay in Ravenna which replaced Rome as the most important city in Italy when Rome declined and fell. The legacy of the time are the mosaics in the Tomb of Galla Placidia, one of the last great Roman matrons, and the slightly later, monumental mosaic of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his court. These are perhaps the most important works of art in the west to survive from this era. Le Marche is a beautiful, relatively undiscovered region of Italy that nestles between the Adriatic sea and the Apennine mountains and has beautiful landscapes, dotted with many secret villages. One of the most dynamic of Italys wine regions, the Marche has extremely old wine traditions. However, the current crop of winemakers are very forward thinking and the wines of the region are getting better and better each year. Exciting new developments have taken place with the creation of new DOCs such as Of½da Rosso, where the wines are made from Montepulciano and Cabernet grapes. We visit two of the top producers of Verdicchio; Garofoli and
The Good Shepherd from the tomb of Galla Placida.
On the last day, we have a spectacular drive over the Appenines to arrive outside Rome. Here we visit the Frascati estate of Colle di Catone for our ½nal lunch together. The Wine Guide is Derek Smedley MW
Outline Itinerary
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Flight BA2560 Gatwick 08.30 / Bologna 10.40. Visit & lunch at wine estate. 4* hotel in Ravenna. Guided tour of mosaics. Lunchtime in Pesaro. Wine visit. 4* hotel, Macerata. Dinner. Visits & lunch in Marche. Visits & lunch in Marche. 4* hotel, Ascoli-Piceno Visits & lunch in Of½da, Marche Visit & lunch near Rome. Flight BA2541 Rome 18.15 / Gatwick 19.50.
Includes
Direct scheduled ¾ights, all taxes, coach, 5 nights 4*, breakfasts, 6 meals with wines, visits & tastings. Extend your stay in Rome. Wine Guide & Tour Manager.
Travel Price £ pp Sole occupancy Deposit £ pp Room Upgrade
36
Flight
1399
180
250
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