Perfect combination - Truffles and Wine

WESTERN Australia’s truffle season is upon us and we wanted to put the region’s newest 4-day truffle hunting and wine travel package on your radar. Available now through the end of August, this gourmet experience takes place in Margaret River – the heart of Western Australia’s most unique food and wine destination. 

The Margaret River region boasts over 120 wineries and is also home to stunning beaches along the Indian Ocean. During the hunts, travelers can meander through an enchanting canopy of truffle trees with the companionship of highly trained truffle dogs in search of the rare and delicious Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum). 

These exclusive truffle hunts are a must for foodies and those who want the ‘farm-to-plate’ experience in one of the world’s premium Black Truffle regions, and are only held on The Truffle & Wine Co.’s farm in Manjimup, Western #Australia. It is one of the few truffières in the world that allow a select number of people each year to participate in the rare privilege of a #trufflehunting experience.

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Ultimate Winery Experiences

ULTIMATE Winery Experiences #Australia is thrilled to announce the inclusion of two new members to the collection – Jackalope at Willow Creek Vineyard, on the Mornington Peninsula and Mandoon Estate, located in the Swan Valley. Both properties offer luxury boutique accommodation, further enhancing UWEA’s suite of experiences. 

Luxury boutique hotel, Jackalope, opened in April 2017 to widespread excitement and acclaim, immediately earning one of Australian tourism’s most revered accolades – Australia’s Hotel of the Year at the annual Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Awards.

Mandoon Estate is the first Swan Valley winery in the UWEA collection. Western Australia’s beautiful Swan Valley is a favourite of Perth locals, situated just over 25km from Perth CBD.

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Wine Country open for business

AS the threat from wildfires subsides, California’s #WineCountry communities now face the daunting task of healing.  Tourism is the Wine Country’s lifeblood. Many residents and businesses, even those not directly impacted by the fires, lost weeks of work as fires forced evacuations and road closures. Visiting now will help these communities recover.

“We can all help: Now is the time to visit Wine Country,” said Visit #California President & CEO Caroline Beteta.. “If you’re already planning a trip, don’t cancel — Wine Country residents need your business now more than ever.”

Consider a trip this fall, when the weather is beautiful, vines show autumn colors and there’s plenty to see, taste and experience.  The region has more than 1,200 wineries, and fewer than 10 were heavily damaged. Most tasting rooms have reopened. And vintners expect the 2017 vintage to be excellent — 90 percent of this year’s grapes were harvested before the fires struck.

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Verdant vineyards from the sky

ONE of the Hunter Valley’s most popular resort properties, Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, is commemorating a very special milestone in style this month, by taking to the skies over the renowned wine region. The sprawling 25-acre Resort is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the launch of its very own hot air balloon, which is flying high to mark the occasion. 

In partnership with Balloon Aloft, the branded Oaks Hotels & Resorts balloon recently made its debut at the annual Hunter Valley Balloon Fiesta, where a kaleidoscope of brightly coloured balloons floated above the Hunter at sunrise, creating a sky-high spectacle for all to see. Following on from the four-day event, the Oaks balloon will now become a permanent addition to Balloon Aloft’s fleet over the next five years, offering Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort guests and other travellers the chance to experience the magic of hot air ballooning for themselves. 

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To Tuscany launches Chianti Classics trail

VILLA-BOOKING website To #Tuscany has created a free trail to mark the 300th anniversary of the delineation of the Chianti wine-growing area by Cosimo III de Medici. 

To Tuscany's '10 Chianti Classics' is a selection of new and recommended activities and experiences to help guests make the most of their holiday during this anniversary year … from wine-tastings to star-gazing and open-air concerts to ice-cream-making demonstrations.

A highlight of the trail is the chance to follow in the tyre tracks of the professional cyclists competing in the 2016 Giro d'Italia. Italy's premier cycling race will include a special time trial through the Chianti vineyards on May 15. 

There's also the chance to taste some of the best wines produced in the region and tour a world-class collection of art at Castello di Ama, where visitors can combine tastings of renowned vintages and see works by artists such as Louise Bourgeois and Anish Kapoor.

www.to-tuscany.com/10-chianti-classics 

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Stay on a vineyard

WINE TOURISTS have the chance to stay on a vineyard estate in #Puglia, #Italy.

Aria Luxury Apulia, which specializes in holiday homes to rent, has a five-bedroom luxury farmhouse surrounded by 200 acres of vineyards and olive groves. Masseria Amaranto is a restored 16th century farmhouse with a large swimming pool in the heart of the Puglian countryside.

Chiara Tenuzzo, director of Aria Luxury Apulia says: ‘This is a dream come true for people with an interest in wine. You wouldn’t be able to rent a villa on an ancient wine estate with any normal travel agent. But as we specialize in luxury experiences in Puglia, we have direct relationships with property owners in the region, so we can offer these incredible opportunities.’

The villa is within walking distance of the winery, a wine museum, and a 16th century castle, and it’s 15 miles from a sandy beach.

http://arialuxuryapulia.com/puglia

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Picture Credit: arialuxuryapulia.com/puglia

See Sicily … in a vintage Fiat 500

SOLOSICILY, the Sicilian #villa specialist, is introducing vintage tours for its guests in classic Fiat 500s, visiting film locations, vineyards, and towns and villages in eastern #Sicily.

The two half-day tours are accompanied by a tour guide driving his own Fiat 500.  The first tour – 37 miles – takes guests around the most notable film locations from The Godfather trilogy, with a stop at the famous Bar Vitelli, and a return journey along the coast to Taormina.

The second tour visits the wine areas on Mount Etna.

Prices for the vintage tours with a tour guide are approximately £696 for two vintage cars (four to five people).

Guests can also rent a vintage Fiat 500 without a pre-arranged tour and discover the sites under their own steam.

SoloSicily has a collection of more than 40 hand-picked villas in Sicily.  

www.solosicily.com 

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