Tourism, Wine and Wine Tourism
Wine skills in the service of tourism
Tourism is the focus. The worlds of wine and tourism lived in separate areas until a few years ago, which, by chance, touched each other in the restaurant. At present, everything has changed. Several studies show that the export of wine and the desire to discover new territories support each other in a virtuous loop. This circular action enhances the satisfaction of travellers and the economy of the producing countries. In this renewed context, as a tour leader with wine skills, I act as a local wine guide to help guests connect the wines with the territories they are visiting.
I take travellers to the wine regions, back to the “origin” of Italian wines over the centuries. I design original itineraries in the Lugana and Valtenesi regions at Lake Garda. The most famous Franciacorta and Valpolicella regions allow the traveller to enjoy the most authentic and “local” aspects of any designations of origin. Tasting is always the final experience, both in the winery and at the restaurant. I recommend completing the tasting in the restaurant, and suggest pairings of local food with the correct wines when travellers are real gourmets.
As a wine specialist, I use my expertise and sensitivity to personalize advice for tour operators and wine lovers about wines, wineries, destinations, and experiences according to their tastes and expectations.
I work closely with wine importers to identify the most suitable wineries and products for their assortments according to their market positioning and goals when they offer wine travel to Horeca and private customers.
The Services
A long professional commitment to wine promotion and sales marked my life between the late 1990s and the first twenty years of the new millennium. From there, the intuition was born to complement the traditional tour leader activity with wine expertise, adapting it occasionally to meet the needs of operators and wine lovers.
With this in mind, below I tell you what I can do for my partners in tourist hospitality:
Tour Leader
Do you need a tour leader for your customers in Italy on a specific tourist itinerary? Contact me, and let's discuss what you need, in which areas of the country, and at which times of the year. We will discuss the expectations of your guests and we will arrange the guide according to your specific goals. Besides of Italian, I speak English and German to help guest feeling more comfortable during their experience.
Outdoor Guide
It is a well-known fact that nowadays guests do not just expect to visit our country but to experience the lifestyle of the various regions first hand. Out of personal sensitivity, I am close to this need and love to accompany guests on outdoor experiences: hikes and excursions with tasting are an opportunity to experience a place with all our senses in operation, immersing ourselves completely in a place, with few filters and with the desire to be fully involved in the experience.
Sommelier
Tasting is a wine experience. As a sommelier, I help operators build the ideal experience for their guests, answering all guests' questions, even those they would never dare ask. A solid background in Italian wines and extensive experience in wineries of different sizes and productions allows me to recommend wineries and wines best suited to the experience and to guide guests in the tasting.
Wine Walking Tours
Planning a wine walking tour is like bringing to life all the strengths on a route to match the production in that territory and its Denomination of Origin. Thanks to wine walking tours, appellations are no longer just words on labels; on the contrary, territories come to life thanks to guests' walking tours.
Food & Wine Experience Designer
Are you looking for innovative and non-obvious experiences? Thanks to my network of contacts and acquaintances, I can help you find them. From a picnic to the ideal venue for a corporate event to a wedding party, there are more wines for everyone! From cooking classes with pairings to wine walks, wine is everywhere, and our abilities shape the incredible offer of styles into a fascinating experience for our guests.
Tailor-made Wine Events
Are you ready to embark on a journey of creating a tailor-made wine event? Whether it's for a small or large group, I'm here to help you bring your vision to life. Let's discuss your needs and the unique offerings of wineries and farms in different regions. Remember, each wine appellation has its own distinct characteristics, and we can design an event that showcases the wines you love. Don't wait, contact me today to start planning your exclusive wine event.
Wine Hospitality Trainer
Training our young people to be hospitality managers is one of the activities that keeps me busy when I am not leading tours in our country. Their place will be in the cellar, but their gaze will have to go far beyond the wine and turn to the people, i.e., guests, families, children, hoteliers, and all those who love wine and look forward to experiencing it right where it is born. New wine hospitality managers must host specialists in an environment where wine is relevant.
Cases and success histories
I do not produce wine, but I do many other activities with and for wine: I sell, present, promote, explain, tell it. Many more tour operators know that wine is part of the wonders of Italy. They are often hidden or little perceived. I help you to discover the best experience.
WITHOUT WINE WHAT’S KIND OF HOLIDAY IS IT?
A kind lady contacts me in the middle of summer and asks me for help. She rents luxury holiday homes. She needs to purchase wines for the customers, who will spend their holidays on the lake for a few weeks. Aware of the extraordinary variety of territories and wines available around Lake Garda. I formulate a wine assortment almost at zero km, however complete and exhaustive of the local excellences. Spumante Metodo Classico in Franciacorta, whites still wines in Lugana, red wines in Valpolicella, rosé wines in Valtenesi aka Riviera del Garda Classico. A few steps to a “local” yet complete wine list. All the wineries are open to visits, and you can purchase cellar-door.
MADE IN ITALY: WHERE TO START FROM
A Japanese company searches for an Italian company to introduce to their country. It tells me the characteristics and the value to be transmitted. I formulate an export strategy for the winery which matches the import partner. IA thousand-year wine history in Italy is a strong point, but this is not enough. A winery that targets foreign markets must be dynamic, motivated, and motivating for its business partners. It must transmit its link with the territory and at the same time be strongly oriented towards innovation, new languages, and new consumer targets. In our time, the importer is a trading partner, and partners draw together all long-term market prospects.
TRANSFORM WATER IN WINE
For our culture, the first miracle of Jesus Christ is the wedding at Cana. And that tells us the importance of wine for a wedding banquet. Little by little, the bride and the groom are becoming more attentive and sensitive to every detail of their marriage, realizing how important the choice of wine is for their banquet and not only. Many of them choose to offer as presents a particular bottle of wine together with the traditional confetti. Finally, in case of having foreign guests among the guests, I propose to them the visit with tasting to a winery of the region. For all these choices, I am happy to offer my expertise. I believe the wine selection of a wedding must be as accurate and aware as all the other details of an unforgettable day.
