Long Island Wine County Marks 50th Anniversary with First “Locals Week,” Exclusive Deals, Events

Long Island Wine Country is hosting their first annual Long Island Locals Week, offering exclusive deals for Long Island residents at dozens of participating wineries across the region. LIWC’s Locals Week is the first of a year-long series of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of winemaking on Long Island – from intimate “10-mile” wine dinners with renowned chefs to grand celebrations. (Photo: Discover Long Island)

RIVERHEAD, NY — Long Island Wine Country (LIWC), a dynamic community of the region’s 57 district wine producers, will host their first annual Long Island Locals Week, offering exclusive deals for Long Island residents at dozens of participating wineries across the region. Locals Week starts Friday, March 24 and runs through Sunday, April 2, 2023, offering deals from two-for-one flights to complementary tours and tastings with the owner of the oldest winery in the region.  LIWC’s Locals Week is the first of a year-long series of events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of winemaking on Long Island – from intimate “10-mile” wine dinners with renowned chefs to grand celebrations.

“2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of Long Island Wine Country. With our Golden Anniversary on the horizon, we are excited to celebrate first and foremost with our home community,” said Melissa Rockwell, Board Member at Long Island Wine Country & Direct to Consumer Sales Manager at Sparkling Pointe.

“Long Island Wine Country is a treasure to our region and a key driver of Long Island’s $6.3 billion annual tourism economy,” said Discover Long Island President and CEO, Kristen Reynolds, CDME. “As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of wine making on Long Island, Discover Long Island is excited to partner with Long Island Wine Country on an array of events and activities that highlight the evolution and sophistication of our many award-winning producing vineyards that all Long Islanders can be proud of.”

Long Island Wine Country is proud to extend a special invitation to fellow Long Islanders to visit and experience the multitude of world-class wineries in their own backyard, with offers and experiences that are only available to them.  Attendees are asked to show their driver’s license or proof of residency to enjoy access to select offerings at a wide host of Long Island wineries, including VIP experiences, complimentary tastings, discounts, winery tours and more.  Visit www.liwines.com/liwc-locals/ for a complete list of participating wineries and the exclusive offerings at each.

Since 1973, Long Island wine growers have been dedicated to producing wines of the highest quality, providing environmental & community stewardship, and preserving this magical place that is our home. LIWC’s mission is to inspire, sustain, and promote Long Island wine.

“Everyone should have the chance to experience their community to the fullest. That is why we have created Long Island Locals: to encourage our neighbors to explore all that their home wine country has to offer. We look forward to welcoming back many of our loyal guests, meeting new ones, and giving them the special attention they deserve. We are so grateful for hometown support!” Rockwell said.

For more information on Long Island Wine Country, visit www.liwines.com. 

To be the first in the know about special upcoming wine country events and more, sign up for Discover Long Island’s bi-weekly Insider’s newsletter here.

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Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Sept. 16-19

The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, Sept. 16-19, 2021, features a series of specially designed culinary experiences paired with chosen wines and cocktails. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

NEWPORT, R.I. – For the second year in a row, the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival will expand into the local restaurant scene with a series of specially designed culinary experiences paired with chosen wines and cocktails.

These unique dining experiences will be hosted by participating restaurants on select dates from Sept. 16-19, 2021.

Participating establishments include The Grill at 41° North, Nomi Park Restaurant at the Wayfinder Hotel, Midtown Oyster Bar, Cara at The Chanler, The Dining Room at The Vanderbilt, Giusto at Hammetts Hotel, 22 Bowen’s, the Hotel Viking’s Garden Room and Gurney’s Newport.

“Our Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Program is a great way to celebrate the return of dining out,” said Trudy Coxe, CEO and Executive Director of The Preservation Society of Newport County, which has hosted the festival in the Newport Mansions every year since 2006. “Newport is fortunate that its restaurant scene has survived the COVID crisis, and we hope food and wine lovers will come out and support these wonderful establishments.”

The presenting sponsor of the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Program is BankNewport, one of the Preservation Society’s longtime Partners in Preservation.

“We are pleased to be partnering with the Newport Mansions to present the 2021 Wine & Food Festival with a world-class restaurant program,” said Wendy Kagan, BankNewport Executive Vice President/Director of Employee and Community Engagement. “Helping to promote restaurant events that recognize their chefs and the festival’s spirits and wine sponsors maintains the bank’s continued commitment to our community.”

For details including dates, times and how to make reservations for these events, visit the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Program webpage at www.newportmansions.org/events/wine-and-food-festival/restaurant-program-2021.

Other events in the 16th annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival are sold out, including two wine dinners and a Sunday brunch at Rosecliff, along with a series of 23 tasting seminars at Rosecliff and The Breakers Stable, Sept. 17-19.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information, visit NewportMansions.org.

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News Ways to Sip, Savor and Sightsee by the Sea in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia offers a multitude of diverse signature culinary experiences along its 4,500 miles of coastline.

NOVA SCOTIA  – Nova Scotia, which produces a quarter of Canada’s seafood and boasting a billion-plus dollar fish and seafood export industry annually, offers a multitude of diverse signature culinary experiences along its 4,500 miles of coastline. And, Nova Scotia is now closer to more U.S. travelers with new non-stop service to the capital city of Halifax from Chicago and Philadelphia beginning in June 2019, adding to the direct flights currently offered out of New York City and Boston.

Often a first stop for visitors, Halifax is home to the oldest farmers market in North America and has the notable distinction of having more pubs per capita than any other province in Canada among its many culinary charms.

New opportunities to “sip, savor, and sightsee” in 2019 incorporate experiences for active and adventurous travelers throughout Nova Scotia.

Here are a few highlights:

A Distillery Tour on Foot and by Boat 

Old Town Lunenburg UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to artisan distilleries with award-winning rum, colorful architecture, and traditional foods. Here, on foot and by boat travelers can explore the waterfront of the historic town with their taste buds. The Lunenburg Distilled: Culinary Adventure takes guests on a walking tour with an eighth generation Lunenburger to Ironworks Distillery, the first artisan distillery in the province. Listeners will gain insight on creating spirits and liqueurs from scratch. Afterwards, a boat tour with Heritage Fishing Tours drops visitors at an exclusive Dory Shop to sample traditional foods from the region. The tour ends with a seafood dinner onboard the Teresea D. Conner, a historic schooner from the Lunenburg waterfront. Price is $395 CAD per person. Dates available: June 19, July 14, August 21, and September 25.

Wine Blending on the Bay

A reflection of the region that’s shaped by the sea, Avondale Sky Winery’s crisp Tidal Bay was the first appellation wine of Nova Scotia. This year, guests can be a winemaker for the day with the Avondale Sky Wine Lab Adventure. A tour of the vineyard reveals rolling hills situated on the St. Croix River as it meets the Bay of Fundy, home to the highest tides in the world. Samplings are done in the tasting room and experimenting begins in the wine lab, where guests ultimately create their own Tidal Bay blend with a signature custom-made label. Award-winning winemaker, Ben Swetnam, will lead a blind tasting competition of the blends to crown the next master winemaker. The chosen wine is served at a gourmet, chef-prepared dinner for the group to enjoy. Price is $295 CAD per person. Dates available: June 22, July 6, July 20, and August 24. 

Hike, Eat, Repeat 

Active travelers work up their appetite for seafood by hiking, kayaking, and swimming during the Seaside Adventure & Beachside Feast. The day starts with a hike to the Kejimkujik National Park Seaside with Parks Canada interpreters, followed by a two-hour kayak tour through this unique and protected coastal estuary. Participants will fuel up with a lobster roll picnic and cool off by enjoying a swim on the white sand beaches. A final seafood feast will be served at the Quarterdeck Beachside Villas, and a night in a new studio loft at this luxurious beachside resort is included in the experience. The one day and one-night starts at $849 CAD per person or $1,600 CAD per couple. Dates available: July 3, July 22, August 24, August 28, September 7, September 18, and October 5.  

Coastal Helicopter Ride and Picnic 

For a birds-eye view of the stunning Nova Scotia coastline, travelers can journey by helicopter to a sommelier-led picnic on a private island. The Heli-Picnic Island Escape, a two-hour tour over Halifax to Sambro Island, is an opportunity to view the wildlife and coastline from a new perspective. After landing on a private beach, guests will indulge in Nova Scotia bubbly while exploring the hidden coves. The sommelier in attendance will lead a tasting picnic of local wines, smoked salmon, cheese, and chocolate at a lighthouse. Price is $575 CAD per person. Dates to be announced. 

Sunsets and Stargazing 

Storytelling, sunsets, seafood, and stargazing make up the Lightkeeper’s SeaFeast. The tour begins on a Cape Islander’s fishing boat that sets sail from the Yarmouth waterfront. The boat comes equipped with oysters, Nova Scotia wine, and stories with Tusket Island Tours. After landing at the Cape Forchu lighthouse, a chef prepares a lobster feast on the beach, and guests watch the sunset over the water while being entertained by Acadian songs. The tour goes on after the sun sets, with a dark-sky expert leading stargazers through a certified Starlight Tourist Destination. This experience is available on Thursday nights throughout July, August, and September. Price to be announced.

For more information about the province, visit Nova Scotia or call 1-800-565-0000.

For more information on the four provinces, visit these websites or follow on social media: 

New Brunswick

Web: www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca

Instagram: @DestinationNB

Twitter: @SeeNewBrunswick

Facebook: @DestinationNB

 

Nova Scotia

Web: www.novascotia.com

Instagram: @VisitNovaScotia

Twitter: @VisitNovaScotia

Facebook: @NovaScotia

 

Newfoundland and Labrador

Web: www.newfoundlandlabrador.com

Instagram:  @newfoundlandlabrador

Twitter: @NLtweets

Facebook:  @NewfoundlandLabradorTourism

 

Prince Edward Island

Web: www.tourismpei.com

Instagram: @tourismpei

Twitter: @tourismpei

Facebook: @tourismpei

 

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Jose Cuervo Devises Two New Cocktails to Hoist During Great American Solar Eclipse

Wherever you are for the Solar Eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017, two new cocktail recipes from Jose Cuervo might just be the thing to cap the experience. 

“This is the first time the country will experience a total blackout (in select locations) due to the total eclipse. It’s a Monday. So here’s that excuse to raise a glass in the morning or middle of the day, like you’ve always wanted.”

Total Especial Eclipse 

2 oz Jose Cuervo Especial

2 oz orange juice

1 tsp grenadine

1/2 oz. charcoal lemonade

Shake tequila and orange juice and pour into a rocks glass over ice. Mix charcoal lemonade and grenadine and slowly pour into the cocktail. Garnish with lime wedge. 

 

Dark Side of the Sun

2 oz Jose Cuervo Especial

3/4 oz lime juice

3/4 oz 1:1 simple syrup

1/2 oz Creme de Cassis

Shake tequila, lime and simple and pour into a rocks glass over ice. Top ice with Creme de Cassis and garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel. 

Share it with the hashtag @JoseCuervoTequila

 

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Lark Hotels’ Wine Weekend Getaways Feature Premier New England Sommelier

Wommelier Erica Archer of Wine Wise Events of Portland, Maine will lead Wine Weekend Getaways at The Attwater in Newport, RI and Whitehall in Camden, ME.

NEWPORT, RI –Lark Hotels, a collection of distinctive properties, is launching a series of Wine Getaway Weekends in partnership with sommelier Erica Archer of Wine Wise Events of Portland, Maine.

The first Wine Getaway Weekend will be held at The Attwater in Newport, RI on March 20-22, 2015. The weekend will focus on French wines and will include a tasting and spirited discussion of of dozens of wines presented in a series of regionally-focused classes. With each sip, participants will explore how grape varieties, climate, soils, viticulture, and vinification techniques influence different region’s wine quality and style. A selection of curated small plates will be paired with the wines, making for an experience that is equal parts educational and luxurious.

This all-inclusive weekend includes a two-night stay at the Condé Nast Traveler award-winning Attwater and all hotel taxes, daily breakfast, Bordeaux wine class, dinner at French-inspired Stoneacre Pantry, Burgundy wine lunch at the Attwater, and all meal taxes and gratuity. The weekend prices are from $770-$834 for one person and $1,241-$1,692 for two people depending on room type.

From June 12-14, Archer will host a sailing, wining, and dining adventure at one of Lark Hotel’s newest properties, Whitehall, in Camden, Maine.  Guests will be immersed in the world of fine wines while exploring this quintessential harbor town. Highlights include a wine sail on Schooner Surprise with refreshing summer whites, and an exclusive wine pairing dinner at the hotel’s new restaurant, Pig + Poet, with founding executive chef Sam Talbot (of Top Chef fame). The weekend will include a two-night stay at Whitehall and all hotel taxes, daily breakfast, a wine sail, wine pairing dinner at Pig + Poet, a wine and food walk around Camden, optional excursion to Cellardoor Winery, and all meal taxes and gratuities. Packages for the weekend range from $790 to $985 for one person and $1,237 to $1,626 for two people depending on type of room.

Archer is a true oenophile, having obtained high levels of certification in her field. In 2010, she was awarded the Wine Spirit and Education Trust Level Three Advanced Certification in Wines and Spirits (with merit), became a Sommelier in the American Court of Master Sommeliers, and received her Certified Wine Professional award from the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. Erica will take guests beyond a typical tasting with her intimate understanding of what makes each wine unique. And she’ll do it with her trademark sense of humor.

Lark Hotels is a collection of boutique hotels located in sought-after spots. Lark Hotels include Whitehall, Camden, ME; Captain Fairfield Inn, Kennebunkport, ME; 76 Main, Nantucket, MA; 21 Broad, Nantucket, MA; The Attwater, Newport, RI; Gilded, Newport, RI; Pomegranate Inn, Portland, ME; Ale House Inn, Portsmouth, NH; and The Break, Narragansett, RI.

Lark Hotels embrace the locations they are in, but in playful, unexpected ways. Think “sense of place” with imagination and a touch of mischief. Each Lark Hotel invites guests to experience modern luxury in the heart of an iconic destination, to feel the pull of a nostalgic getaway while surrounded by today’s amenities and to find attentive service when they want it and privacy when they don’t.

For information on Lark Hotels, the “On a Lark Club,” and the hotel collection visit www.larkhotels.com.

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Experience Winter in Wine Country and Celebrate the Holidays at The Meritage in Napa

The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif. is hosting a variety of events for the holidays, including an elegant New Years Eve dinner in its Estate Cave and Ballroom Celebration. The resort will also offer special dinners in its award winning restaurant, Siena. A new, Winter in Wine Country Package includes a wine blending experience at Judd’s Hill Winery.
Christmas Dinner, December 25 will include a savory four-course menu full of holiday cheer and tasty delights. Tickets and Info: MeritageResort.com/product/Christmas-Day-Dinner-Siena/

NYE Dinners and Ballroom Celebration, December 31
NYE with Siena with Ballroom Celebration includes a four-course meal. Ticket price includes dinner at Siena and entrance to the NYE ballroom celebration, which includes sweet bites, music, dancing, a champagne toast at midnight, and a cash bar for libations. Tickets and Info: http://meritageresort.com/product/new-years-eve-dinner-siena-ballroom-celebration/

NYE with Trinitas Cellars and Ballroom Celebration starts with a reception in the Estate Cave followed by a magnificent candle lit multi-course dinner. Each course will be paired with delicious Trinitas wines. After a delicious meal, join the big NYE Bash in The Meritage’s Ballroom! Registration is in the Estate Cave. Tickets and Info: http://meritageresort.com/product/nye-trinitas-cellars-ballroom-celebration/

NYE Ballroom Celebration includes entrance, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight. Enjoy live music by the Brian Cline Band. A VIP/Bubble Lounge is available, which includes access to the Bubble Lounge and bottle service (additional charge applies). Tickets and Info: http://meritageresort.com/product/new-years-eve-ballroom-celebration/

Rooms Special for All Holidays: Extend your holiday stay, book 3 or more nights and receive 30% off per night when using the discount code CHEERS14. Offer available through January 4, 2015. Visit MeritageResort.com or call 844.993.9628 for reservations.

Experience Winter in Wine Country: Winter is one of the best times to visit Napa Valley. Many wines have recently been released, restaurants and tasting rooms are less crowded and, although the vines are dormant for the winter, the hills and valleys are alive with mustard blossoms and greenery. Winter in Wine Country starts with in November and goes through early March.

Winter in Wine Country Includes:
• 2-night stay in a Guest Room
• Wine Blending Experience at Judd’s Hill Winery, includes three finished bottles of wine (up to 4 guests).
• 2 glasses of the wine of the week at The Commons: A Wine Bar
• 15% off Spa Terra treatment (excluding Saturdays)
• Breakfast for two at Siena
• Upgrade based on availability

Winter in Wine Country Reservations can be made by Clicking Here.

For additional information about The Meritage Resort and Spa visit MeritageResort.com.

The Meritage Resort and Spa is a four-diamond Napa Valley luxury resort set against a hillside vineyard. A destination unto itself, it features 322 Tuscan-inspired guestrooms and luxury suites, seasonal farm-to-table cuisine at the Siena Restaurant and wine tasting in the Estate Cave featuring Trinitas Cellars. Regain a healthful balance with curative treatments at Spa Terra—a lavish underground spa with steam grottoes, soaking pools, treatment alcoves and tranquil walls of water. The resort boasts the most comprehensive event and meeting space in the wine country, including the two largest ballrooms in the Napa Valley, the Estate Cave and three covered terraces. Crush Ultra Lounge offers guests a chance to relax with a full bar, sports entertainment and six bowling lanes.

For additional information about The Meritage Resort and Spa visit MeritageResort.com.
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Mango Bay Hotels Gear Up for Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival

The Mango Bay Hotel Group properties, Mango Bay Hotel and Island Inn Hotel welcome attendees of the annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival, taking place Nov. 20-23.

The Mango Bay Hotel Group properties, Mango Bay Hotel (www.MangoBayBarbados.com) and Island Inn Hotel (www.IslandInnBarbados.com), welcome attendees of the annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival, taking place Nov. 20-23.

This year’s edition of the annual festival will gather culinary superstars including celebrity chefs Tyler Florence, Marcus Samuelsson, Ann Burrell and Ed Baines to offer residents and visitors to the island the very best in food, wine, rum and culture.  For more information on the festival, visit www.FoodWineRum.com.

Mango Bay, located in the Holetown area on the famed Gold Coast of Barbados, is a short walk from the posh Limegrove Lifestyle Centre. Here vacationers can shop till they drop at global luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and Cartier.

The 76-room beachfront resort is known for its casual sophistication and all-inclusive value, an ideal tropical retreat.

A Mango Bay all-inclusive vacation provides hotel accommodations, all meals, afternoon tea, all local and brand name drinks including glasses of wine, use of the on-site gym, and nightly entertainment. Water skiing, kayaking, snorkeling, wakeboarding, pedal boats, a glass bottom boat ride and a catamaran trip to snorkel with the turtles are also included. Mango Bay is celebrating its 20^th anniversary in 2014 with discounted rates starting at $384 per room, per night, based on double occupancy, on an all-inclusive basis when booked directly.

For more information on Mango Bay, call (246) 432-1384, email reservations@mangobaybarbados.comor visit www.MangoBayBarbados.com.

The quaint, 24-room Island Inn Hotel is the perfect setting for a tropical vacation steeped with a rich, historic past, situated just footsteps from beautiful Carlisle Bay, less than one mile from the centre of Bridgetown and conveniently located near the UNESCO world heritage site in the Garrison Historic Area of Barbados, which also boasts numerous shops and nightlife options. The property amazes guests with its local past and chic décor.

An Island Inn Hotel all-inclusive vacation includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and all beverages (except specialty wines, champagne and bottled water) as well as in-pool scuba lessons. Rates start at US$350 per room, per night, based on double occupancy.

For more information on the Island Inn Hotel, call (246) 436-6393; email bookings@islandinnbarbados.com or visit www.IslandInnBarbados.com.

 

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4-Star Villa le Barone, Chianti, Italy, Features Wine-Tasting & Cooking Lessons

The charming 28-room hotel Villa le Barone is set amongst the timeless landscape of Chianti, and has been in the famous Della Robbia family since the 16th century.

Villa le Barone, the four-star luxury hotel in Panzano, Chianti, in the heart of Italy’s scenic region of Tuscany, offers guests the chance to enjoy a day of wine tasting and cooking lessons while vacationing in one of the most glorious and scenic regions of Tuscany.

What better place to enjoy a Chianti wine than in Italy’s own Chianti Region? Villa le Barone offers a memorable “Gastronomia Toscana” (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy) package which includes a welcome bottle of Prosecco and fresh flowers in the guestroom, an itinerary with or without a driver to explore the Chianti region, a large buffet breakfast, Tuscan dinner and a complimentary bottle of Chianti Classico or a free bottle of local grown extra virgin olive oil (agroqualità) as well as an option to take a local cooking class.

“When Villa le Barone was a farm at the beginning of the 20^th century, it produced Vin Santo, and the grapes were hung in what is now the Garden House,” explains Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, proprietor and descendent of the generation of family who have owned the historic hotel since the 1600s. “The traditional dessert wine possesses a beautiful amber color and touched with a lovely smell of dried fruit, apricot, honey and acacia flowers.”

“A good meal in Tuscany concludes with Vin Santo (Holy Wine) and Cantucci (sweet almond cookies) and is quite a treat,” adds Corso Aloisi de Larderel, co-proprietor of the 28-room historic villa. “Dinner under the chandeliers of our restaurant or on the terrace of our hotel is the right time to dip the cantucci into the Vin Santo in the Tuscan tradition.”

Set in the heart of Tuscany, between the historic cities of Siena and Florence, Chianti is noted for its wine, food, landscape, culture, and its inspiration for poets and painters, with its rolling hills of vineyards, olive trees, woods, farmhouses, and castles. Individual churches are surrounded by dark cypresses and impressive monuments throughout the quaint villages of the area.

From July 15- August 31, 2014 and October 1 – October 13, 2014, the Villa le Barone’s Gastronomy di Tuscany (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy package) ranges from €960 (approximately $US 1,305/$CA 1,340) for a classic room to €1160 (approximately $US 1,580/$CA 1,680) for a Historic Room or Junior Suite, for two people for three nights.

From September 1-30, 2014, prices range from €1000 (approximately $1,360) for a classic room, to €1210 (approximately $1,645) for a historic room or junior suite for two persons for three nights.

The cooking course is an additional €100 Euros (approximately $136) and includes two hours with a Tuscan cook, a souvenir apron and the meal that you have actually prepared to enjoy. Car and driver for a day trip through Chianti is an additional €380 (approximately $517).

Rich History

Villa Le Barone was built as a tower in the middle ages and was the seat of a Baronetcy, hence the name “Le Barone.” During the Renaissance, the tower was torn down and converted to a Villa, surrounded by its agricultural estate, where the renowned Della Robbia family spent summers.

After the World War I, Marchesa Maria Bianca Viviani Della Robbia managed Villa le Barone as a wine and olive oil estate. Maria Bianca was the granddaughter of François de Larderel, a French 18th century industrialist, who discovered and developed the use of geothermal energy in Tuscany.

Marie Bianca’s daughter, Duchess Franca Visconti, converted the Villa into a charming boutique hotel, keeping the refined and elegant atmosphere of a private house, while offering all the contemporary comforts and amenities.  Villa le Barone is now the property of Duchess Franca Visconti’s heirs, whom you will meet when you stay at Villa le Barone.

The charming 28-room hotel Villa le Barone is set amongst the timeless landscape of Chianti, and has been in the famous Della Robbia family since the 16^th century. The swimming pool, tennis court, fitness trail, fitness room and terraces are set amongst large rose gardens, with views over the surrounding countryside, olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti Classico. In the old winery, the restaurant serves traditional Tuscan food and of course, the world-renowned local Chianti wines.

For more information about the “Gastronomia Toscana” (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy package) or to simply learn more about the local wines in the area, to book a reservation, or to learn more about the variety of recreational activities one can enjoy at Villa le Barone, visit www.villalebarone.com.

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Southern Living Taste of Charleston & Charleston Restaurant Week Events Set for September

Charleston, SC, known for being a culinary mecca, is hosting two of the city’s most highly-anticipated culinary events this September.

Charleston Restaurant Week is set to take place from September 3-14, 2014. The city-wide event features nearly 150 casual and fine-dining restaurants offering specially-priced menus and offers. As the event draws nearer, more participating restaurants will be added and the September Restaurant Week menus will be added and updated. Reservations are strongly suggested where accepted. (Participating restaurants can be viewed on the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association’s website.)

The 34th annual Southern Living Taste of Charleston will take place September 26-28, 2014. The weekend features a variety of events including: Taste: Iron Chef, where local chefs compete at the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Palmer Campus in a heated head-to-head battle; Taste: Sweet & Southern, an upscale event on Historic Charleston Harbor at Harborside East; and Taste: The Main Event, a showcase of samplings from more than 50 local restaurants that takes place at picturesque Boone Hall Plantation. During the Main Event, guests will enjoy demonstrations and vignettes from Southern Living, live music, a children’s area, the legendary waiters’ race, and much more.

The Southern Living Taste of Charleston is a charity event and raises money for local charities including The Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, Hospitality Heroes, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Charleston County Schools Science Materials Resource Center. Tickets for all Taste of Charleston events are now on sale and can be purchased online through the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association’s website, or in person at the Downtown Charleston or Mt. Pleasant Visitor Centers, Boone Hall Farms or any Southcoast Community Bank.

The GCRA will host two more foodie events in January 2015. Charleston Restaurant Week will take place January 7-18, followed by the Lowcountry Oyster Festival coined the “World’s Largest Oyster Roast,” which will take place on January 25. For more information about these and other events orchestrated by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association, visit CharlestonRestaurantAssociation.com.

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O.A.R.S. Pairs Wine, Gourmet Dining With Multi-Day Rafting Expeditions

O.A.R.S.’ Wine on the River Series pairs vineyards and gourmet presentations with multi-day rafting expeditions.

Due to popular demand, veteran outfitter O.A.R.S. has announced a second departure of their six-day gourmet wine tasting trip on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River Sept. 5–10.

After selling out the company’s scheduled departure on Aug. 27, this brand-new trip combines world-class scenery and renowned whitewater with chef-prepared gourmet meals, award-winning Idaho wines from Ste. Chapelle Winery and blue-ribbon trout fishing.

Chef Eric Conte from Gnosh restaurant in Moscow, ID, will return for his second trip of the season with O.A.R.S. with a locally focused and seasonally minded menu. Conte is Idaho-raised and takes pride in using the ingredients and products that grow in his own backyard.

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho is the flagship program in the company’s season-long Wine on the River Series. The per person price for this trip is $2,282 and includes a scenic flight to the river, six days of rafting and five nights of comfortable camping, professional river guides and fishing guides, all rafting and expedition equipment, dry bags for personal gear, fresh and healthy breakfasts and lunches plus chef-prepared gourmet dinners and an assortment of Idaho wines. The trip begins and ends in Salmon, ID.

Guests from San Diego wrote about their experience on this trip from last fall, “We booked the Wine on the River trip down the Middle Fork thinking it would be a little more relaxing (late-season water levels, wine tasting each night). Our expectations were exceeded in every way!”

They were blown away by entrees of grilled Idaho trout with wild blackberry/nectarine salsa, Rocky Mountain Elk steaks with zinfandel demi glaze and caramelized shallots and more complemented with appetizers, side dishes and desserts such as Dutch Oven apple crisp with cheddar cheese and crème anglaise.

“That the chefs were able to produce this kind of food in the middle of nowhere is astonishing to say the least, and we are pretty accomplished foodies. Five stars in every way!” they added.

Other Wine on the River trips pairing choice vintages with river adventure and remarkable cuisine include a three-day/two-night Aug. 12 departure on California’s Tuolumne River featuring Boyle MacDonald Wines and Chef Chip Roberts at $949 per person; and a five-day/four-night departure on Sept. 14 on Idaho’s Snake River through Hells Canyon (the deepest gorge in North America) with Foppiano Wines and Chef Aaron Woo. The per person rate is $1,695 and this trip also includes a scenic flight from Lewiston, ID, to Halfway, OR, with spectacular views of Hells Canyon below.

O.A.R.S. has been providing whitewater rafting vacations since 1969, handling some 500,000 guests. Over the decades, the company has set the standard in first-class rafting, sea kayaking and multi-sport adventure, with destinations and unparalleled experiences on over 35 rivers and coastlines around the world. O.A.R.S. caters to active travelers of all ages and abilities with more than 75 itineraries, including one-day and weekend escapes. In 2013, for the seventh consecutive year, Condé Nast Traveler recognized Mindy Gleason, O.A.R.S. Reservation Manager and International Adventure Travel Consultant, as Condé Nast Traveler’s standalone Top Travel Specialist in the River Rafting category. In 2013 Outside, America’s leading multimedia active-lifestyle brand, named O.A.R.S. one of the top two outfitters in the world in its annual Active Travel Awards recognition program.

 

For more information, availability, reservations and a copy of the 2014 O.A.R.S. Adventures catalog call 209-736-4677 or 800-346-6277, email info@oars.com, or visit: http://www.oars.com/.

Follow O.A.R.S.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oars_rafting
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OARS.rafting
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/oarsweb
Blog: http://www.oars.com/blog/

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