One of the many advantages of taking a river cruise in Europe is immediate access to small off the beaten path villages and experiences. This was my second river cruise with Viking - on both cruises I've maintained a balance between participating in the offered group tours and taking time to explore on my own. Today I felt like exploring at my own pace simply letting the day unfold. Walking a dirt path on the way to town, I took delight for … [Read more...]
Three California Roads Less Traveled
It's easy to argue that California is the land freeways and automobiles. And with its massive scale and incredible geographic diversity, there are plenty of scenic routes to explore. We've all heard of the world-famous drives, like the section of the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur or Mulholland Drive through the Hollywood Hills. While I have plenty of favorites, I'd like to share three lesser-known routes. There are, of course, many more … [Read more...]
Wine Tasting in Myanmar
When traveling abroad, I always seek out wineries whenever possible. To some, going wine tasting in Myanmar might be somewhat of a surprise - an anomaly and to an extent it is. However, there are two wineries in the country, (Aythaya Vineyard and Red Mountain Estate) both in the vicinity of Inle Lake. Red Mountain Estate Winery is located on the outskirts of the small town of Nyaungshe. As one arrives, one quickly sees vineyards lining the … [Read more...]
6 Reasons to Take A Food Tour in Alsace with L’Alsaciette
I visited the Alsace region of France for a quick weekend over the American Thanksgiving holiday. I flew into Geneva, Switzerland and then took a train to Basel before transferring to a local train to Colmar, France. On quick trips such as this, I avoid car rentals. I prefer to take advantage of public transportation and the deluge of culture that accompanies it. On this particular trip, I was really looking forward to trying the food and … [Read more...]
Verona’s Vaunted Valpolicella Wines
The Valpolicella in Italy's Verona province is renowned for ancient palaces, fabled villas, architectural jewels like Stelle Hypogeum Church, and Valpolicella wines that inspired Ernest Hemingway to write Across the River and Into the Trees. Preserving the region's longstanding collaborative wine making traditions, Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella (Valpolicella Wine Board) was founded in 1924 and now brings together over 80% of the grape … [Read more...]
New Australian tourism campaign to help attract international visitors to wine regions
Wine Australia has partnered with Tourism Australia in a $36 million marketing campaign in the USA aimed at boosting interest in Australia as a tourism destination. The unique campaign, backed by $1.5 million from the Australian Government's $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package (the $50m Package), was officially unveiled with a new ad broadcast to a TV audience of more than 100 million people during the 'Super Bowl' (Big … [Read more...]
Chile Producing Premiere Carmenere
Chile’s signature grape varietal arrived just before phylloxera hit Europe in the mid 19th century. With the country's new wine region just getting established, a few Carménère cuttings were imported and planted in the valleys of Santiago among Merlot vines. Despite the sparse rainfall and hot days, they immediately flourished in their new climate. Carménère was at first confused for “Chilean Merlot” until a 1994 DNA analysis revealed its … [Read more...]
Cannonball Wines Boldly Leap Into Distinctive Tastings That Don’t Break the Bank
Sitting down with wine industry veterans Dennis Hill & Yoav Gilat at a recent tasting I discovered more about their own history and the history of Cannonball Wines. They partnered in 2006 after noticing a gap in the market place - there were plenty of budget wines at varying levels of quality and also plenty of high priced wines. But very few premium wines (grown and made) that were priced at an affordable price. They decided to partner to … [Read more...]
The Oltrepo Pavese – Milan’s Secret Wine Region
Though frequently called the Tuscany of the North of Italy, the Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy, only 40 miles south of Milan, is fairly unknown abroad. Tourists pass the area closely when travelling to the real Tuscany, to Umbria or further south. This is a pity as the Oltrepò really offers something worthwhile for almost every tourist, especially food and wine lovers. The area offers smooth hills, medieval villages and castles, panoramic views, … [Read more...]
Good Beer, Good Cheer: 200 Years of Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volksfest
It’s a fine feeling to be a stranger at a big party and feel fully welcome. It’s an even better feeling when everybody at the party seems like they are having the time of their lives. And if the party goes on for 17 days straight, well, I guess that’s 17 days of good feelings—though you might want to nap now and then. In Stuttgart, Germany, they’ve been having a whale of a party for a mere 200 years or so. I was just at the 199th year, and … [Read more...]
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