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.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

moralcompasstravel.info

Check out our newest travel site for special deals, insiders’ tips at tidbitts.com: http://www.tidbitts.com/karen-rubin/where-in-the-world

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.
For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

moralcompasstravel.info

Check out our newest travel site for special deals, insiders’ tips at tidbitts.com: http://www.tidbitts.com/karen-rubin/where-in-the-world

CellarPass Offers New Online Search for Tasting Room, Food and Wine Events, Reservation and Ticketing Service

You know “you have arrived” when you show up at a trendy winery or artisanal distillery tasting room and your name is listed on the plaque out front.

That’s the “cherry on top” of a great vacation, and it’s one of the fringe benefits of an innovative web-and app-based service called CellarPass, the first online tasting room and food and wine events search, reservation and ticketing service.

Visitors need never again be turned away or forced to wait to taste at the most in-demand wineries, breweries and distilleries. The CellarPass service allows users to book their own experiences when it suits them, right from a computer, tablet or Smartphone in advance or even on-the-go. CellarPass member destinations greet their reservation guests in their own special way, too: some offer a special bottling with a tasting flight, add chocolates to a tasting, or announce their visit on a plaque out front. CellarPass gives visitors an instant “in,” and they love it.

The best part – the service is free to travelers.

How CellarPass works: With just a few simple clicks or swipes of a finger, wine, beer and spirits lovers can search the venues they want to visit, consult actual visitor reviews, reserve tasting and tour times, map locations, and even navigate directly to the destination with turn-by-turn directions delivered right to their devices. More of a last minute planner? With CellarPass’ “Nearby” function, iPhone and iPad users can view offerings within a specified distance from their exact location and book on the go.

With the recent launch of CellarPass’ ticket service, users also have access to a menu of special tastings, pairing dinners and other exclusive wine country events – all in one place.

CellarPass helps make a dream food and wine vacation hassle-free. Check it out at www.cellarpass.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Tuscany Wine and Bike 2014 Wine & Culinary Tours Lets You Savor Wine, Land & History at the Pace of a Bicycle

Tuscany Wine and Bike itineraries offer a triple helping of understanding the wine, land and history of Tuscany while experiencing the beauty of an outdoor excursion © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Tuscany Wine and Bike (TWB) announced their new 2014 Wine Tasting & Culinary Biking Tour Itineraries effective April 26, 2014 through September 27, 2014. Led by local freelance oenologist and Winemaker Carlo Travagli and cycling enthusiast Luca Casini, TWB tours trek on mountain bikes across the provinces of Siena, Firenze, Pisa and Pistoia through the scenic, historic Chianti Wine Region of Tuscany.

“Each itinerary is actually a ‘triple itinerary’ that provides our guests with an understanding of the wine & cuisine, area & geography, and the culture & history of the places we will explore,” says Travagli. “I created these tours to give people an intimate look at my home — this extraordinarily beautiful, dynamic agricultural and world renown wine growing region.”

On the TWB TOUR, participants will awaken their senses through the vibrant colors, intoxicating scents, and breathtaking sights as Tuscany’s most robust seasons dramatically unfold before them. Cycling through fragrant olive groves, rolling vineyards, vibrant sunflowers fields, majestic woods, and other fascinating scenic spots, participants will uncover the most authentic aspects of Tuscany, often missed and overlooked by visitors using conventional means of transportation.

Additionally they will:  

Discover the Pearls of Tuscany, the historical points of interests, churches and buildings rich with art, centuries-old villages and towns as they follow paths and ancient roads like the “via Francigena.”

Experience Tuscan life, people, culture and places traveling through towns and farmlands, with opportunities to stay overnight.

Learn about one of the world’s most famous winemaking regions, the microclimates, viticultural areas and revered varietals, and the role of its landscape and history.

Savor the distinct flavors of the countryside including the local harvests, cherished honey, succulent olives & oils, sumptuous salumi, handcrafted cheeses, and enjoy the regional artisan products and cuisine of TWB select regional partners.

Taste regional wines among the vineyards and cellars while visiting local estates, receiving both lessons and guided tastings by Travagli, an award-winning winemaker of Chianti, Chianti Classico (Gallo Nero Black Rooster), Sangiovese, and IGT Super Tuscan wines.

No rigorous physical conditioning is required for the majority of the TWB itineraries.

“Most of our itineraries are designed for tourists without extensive athletic training.” Travagli stresses. “It’s for pure enjoyment and we try very hard to match each itinerary with the interests, comfort level, and ability of our guests.”

However, for both intermediate and advanced cyclists, Travalgi and Casini have designed several challenging itineraries including the 7-day Bio Week Tour.  The Bio Week Tours have additional activities such as cooking lessons, donkey treks, and urban bike tours. Customized Tours are also available.  For more information, visit the Tuscany Wine and Bike website, Email TWB or call (+39)333 9206700.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

Savory Affair Introduces Behind-the-Scenes Food-Wine Tours of Napa Valley and Tuscany

The Savory Affair, a New England-based boutique event planning and design firm, is offering two extraordinary food and wine travel experiences for 2014. Combining the service of The Savory Affair with the vineyard connections and wine knowledge of sister-company, The Savory Grape, each trip offers a personalized, behind-the-scenes look at the epicurean worlds of Napa Valley, California and the Tuscany region of Italy.

The Napa Valley trip is August 1 – 6, 2014, a perfect time of year to escape the heat of the East Coast and enjoy the comfortable temperatures of Northern California. In order to provide a more tailored, individualized experience, this trip will host only 10 guests and be personally guided by The Savory Affair and The Savory Grape proprietor, Jessica Granatiero.

“This will be an amazing opportunity to go behind the scenes to meet the families and vintners, while learning more about the intricate process of winemaking,” stated Granatiero.   “From the accommodations to the daily itineraries, we have designed a first-class experience and will show you Napa in a way few experience.”

Accommodations will be provided by Andaz, a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Napa and walking distance to many great shopping and restaurants.

The Napa trip includes:

• 5 night, 6-day stay in the Andaz Napa
• Breakfast daily in the Andaz Farmer’s Table Restaurant
• Lunch daily, except travel days
• 2 organized group dinners-welcome dinner at Carpe Diem and closing dinner at the home of Rob & Kat MacDonald
• Hands-on, interactive pesto-making demonstration and class with wine, at the Culinary Institute of America
• Insider visits, tours and tastings at six different vineyards
• Transport to and from all vineyard activities and dinner

Then in October, Granatiero is partnering with Chef Kaitlyn Roberts, founder & owner of Easy Entertaining Inc. for Savorying Italy tour of Tuscany that promises to be an insider’s guide to the best vineyards and dining in Italy.  Guests will experience an epicurean education with cooking classes and wine tours lead by Chef Roberts and Granatiero.

The six night, six-city tour will start on October 5, 2014, with guests arriving at the Villa Daniella Grossi, a restored 17th century luxury villa located in the hills of Lucca, on the morning of October 6. The trip includes an elaborate breakfast each morning prepared by Chef Roberts, followed by a tour and tasting at top Tuscan vineyard lead by Granatiero. Each afternoon, guests will return to Villa Daniella Grossito enjoy hands-on cooking and wine pairing lessons from Chef Roberts and Granatiero.  At night, guests will dine on five gourmet dinners, including three at the villa with custom wine pairings, two off-site in the city of Lucca and one in the beautiful city of Florence.

The Savory Affair has been organizing and hosting unique local, national and international travel experiences for two years.

To view a downloadable brochure for either trip, visit www.thesavoryaffair.com/vineyards.

To book, contact Ann Petronio, at Annie’s Escapes Custom Travel Planning at 401-270-4834.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

Gift of Travel: Food & Wine Trails Offers ’12 Trips of Christmas’

Looking for the ultimate holiday gift for the food & wine lover who has everything? Food & Wine Trails, a 29 year-old culinary travel company based in Sonoma County, is offering 12 food and wine focused vacations as gift-giving ideas. Each of the “Twelve Trips of Christmas” include culinary activities or extra amenities, such as a free wine tour, cash to spend on culinary shore tours, a private car and driver shore excursion, or even a free hotel night.

“Culinary travel is more than just eating and drinking on vacation. It’s about immersing yourself in the culture, cuisine, and traditions of a particular region,” says Food & Wine Trails President Larry Martin, “Each experience is unique: you could take a private cooking class with a local chef, dine on food prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, have a guided tour and tasting at the region’s best wine estates…the possibilities are endless.”

Food & Wine Trails “Twelve Trips of Christmas” list features both cruise and land tours all over the world. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or a sophisticated home chef or wine collector, we have a vacation that any food and wine lover would love.” promises Martin.

#1 Trip 12-Night New Zealand wine cruise hosted by three top Oregon wineries with airfare, complementary gratuities and a $100 shipboard credit.
#2 Trip 7-Night cruise on Portugal’s Douro River with a $400 shipboard credit.
#3 Trip 9-Night “Flavors of Italy” land tour with first class hotel accommodations.
#4 Trip 14-Night Trans-Atlantic “Golf, Wine & Food” theme cruise from London to Boston with $500 shore excursion credit .
#5 Trip 10-Night F&WT’s President’s cruise with winery host Rochioli Vineyards with up to $440 in free benefits.
#6 Trip 5-Night biking tour through Northern California wine country on custom titanium bikes.
#7 Trip 8-Night Southern Spain cruise with daily wine tastings and two free wine tours.
#8 Trip 6-Night land tour discovering the delicacies of the Spanish region of Andalusia that includes wine with meals and a hands-on cooking class.
#9 Trip 7-Night Bordeaux wine cruise hosted by a Napa Valley’s Conn Valley Vineyards with up to $308 in free benefits.
#10 Trip Travel package to 2014 Hawaii Food & Wine Festival with free hotel nights.
#11 Trip 11-Night South African Winelands tour with special visits to former homes of Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.
#12 Trip 10-Night “Pearls of China” wine themed cruise with free private car and driver shore tour.

For more information about F&WT’s “Twelve Trips of Christmas,” call 800-367-5348 or visit http://www.foodandwinetrails.com. Please note some offers are time sensitive.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

 

Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail in Michigan Introduces 3 New Touring Loops

The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail in Michigan is introducing three new touring loops: the Northern Loop, Sleeping Bear Loop and Grand Traverse Bay Loop.

The number of wineries in Michigan topped the 100 mark in January. Twenty-five of them – fully one-quarter – are along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, the state’s oldest and largest.

“The growth in wineries in Leelanau Peninsula has been amazing, and our loops have been developed to make it easier for visitors to plan trips through wine country,” states Trail President Matt Gregory. “The main goal is to offer an enjoyable experience for people to explore our wines and tasting rooms and to unlock the hidden treasures of Michigan’s Wine Coast.”

The Northern Loop covers the northern half of the peninsula and holds ten wineries located in and around the villages of Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport and Omena and iconic destinations like the Grand Traverse Lighthouse and Fishtown.

The Grand Traverse Bay Loop stretches from just outside Traverse City to Suttons Bay along the east side of the peninsula and features nine wineries and the Leelanau Bike Trail.

The Sleeping Bear Loop consists of six wineries in the western half of the peninsula from Glen Arbor to Cedar to Lake Leelanau and boasts the stunning beauty of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Visitors can pick up a Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail brochure with a handy map at any of the wineries and various regional businesses. The brochure and maps are available online at www.lpwines.com. The trail has also released a free iPhone app for easy access to Leelanau wineries, lodging, restaurants and more.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Access Trips has new culinary tour highlighting best of California wine country culture; partners with Sonoma Film Festival

From exclusive cooking classes with Sonoma’s top chefs to private vineyard tours and tastings, Access Trips brand new five-day culinary tour is a foodie fantasy in the heart of California’s Wine Country. The new tour offers access to some of Sonoma’s most renowned local restaurants, chefs and vintners, as guests learn to cook with organic, locally sourced ingredients that change seasonally and showcase the best of California cuisine.

Nestled in a lush valley with trellised vineyards climbing the surrounding hills, and bound by a central plaza and a historic Spanish mission, Sonoma is arguably one of the most beautiful towns in California. Offering a quaint, intimate alternative to the usual tourist trails in Napa, Sonoma is a mecca of cultural and culinary treasures awaiting discovery.

For the ultimate California experience, Access Trips has partnered with the Sonoma International Film Festival to offer a discounted three-day, three-night Film Festival VIP extension package for guests on Access Trips’ first Sonoma Culinary tour departing April 7, 2013. The tour’s July departure was also timed to dovetail on Destination Race’s Napa to Sonoma half marathon on July 21, 2013.

California Wine Country Culinary Tour
Five-days from $2,590 pp

From once-in-a-lifetime cooking classes with Sonoma’s finest chefs to wine, cheese and chocolate truffle tastings and a tour of one of California’s oldest family owned vineyards, Access Trips’ California Wine Country Culinary Tour is a gourmand’s dream. Indulge your palate during sumptuous meals at top Sonoma restaurants, Café La Haye and Harvest Moon Café, before enjoying exclusive cooking classes led by such big names as Harvest Moon Chef Nick Demarest. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, olive groves and rolling vineyards, visit Stone Edge Farm for a multi-course cooking class with acclaimed chef, John McReynolds, and learn tricks to add variety to recipes at home. Discover the local farmers market, take in the sites during a hike along the Glen Ellen Reservoir and relax poolside at the luxurious, boutique, Macarthur Place – Sonoma’s finest Inn and Spa.
http://www.accesstrips.com/sports/culinary-tour/

Sonoma International Film Festival VIP Package
Three-days from $2,000 pp

Get in touch with your inner movie star during Access Trips’ three-day, three-night Sonoma International Film Festival extension. Enjoy VIP-access passes to all films, filmmakers, and discussion panels, and of course, exclusive parties with the best in California wine and cuisine! Savor your red carpet moment at the red carpet gala, where you’ll find out which celebrity will be honored by the association. The main festivities are in the Sonoma Plaza, just four blocks walking distance from Macarthur Place, your luxurious inn and spa. Book the Film Festival package along with the California Wine Country Culinary Tour and receive 10% off both the tour AND the extension, for a total savings of $459 per person. Space is limited to just 12 guests.

Access Trips is a leading adventure travel  operator specializing in exotic learning vacations to 13 countries worldwide. This company offers a wide range of small-group outdoor sports and culinary-focused trips that are expertly designed to allow guests to experience a new culture, learn new skills or fine-tune existing ones, and revel in the splendor of their destination. Based in San Francisco, California and launched in 2001, Access Trips’ impressive portfolio includes cooking, surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing, and multisport itineraries. Regardless of the focus of the activity, Access Trips caters to a variety of skill levels, serving the novice as well as the expert in a relaxed, non-intimidating setting with the help of world-class instructors and multilingual guides. For more information about Access Trips and the adventure tours available, visit www.accesstrips.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Food & Wine Trails Offers 12 New Cruises for 2013

Food & Wine Trails has released details of 12 new food and wine cruises for 2013, filled with opportunities to drink the best wines, experience great meals and travel with top wine and food personalities.

Among the highlights:

• A multi-course, wine-paired dinner at Chateau Smith Haut-Lafite in Bordeaux hosted by star Napa winemaker David Ramey who has previously worked in Bordeaux – on the Oceania Nautica June 13-20 Lisbon to London cruise.
• A vertical library tasting of Duckhorn’s acclaimed Merlot, with founder Margaret Duckhorn – on the June 26 to July 3 Azamara Journey Rome to Monte Carlo cruise.
• A private wine-maker hosted luncheon at a top Chateauneuf-du-Pape winery served by a Michelin starred chef on the Azamara Journey July 3-11 Monte Carlo to Barcelona cruise.
• A tour of the Grgich family winery in Croatia with Violet Grgich – on the Oceania Riviera Sept 7-19 Venice to Barcelona cruise.

The value of a Food & Wine Trails cruise becomes apparent when viewed against a comparable land-based culinary vacation. Whereas a typical price for a land-based wine program is $4,000 to $5,000 per week per person, the price of a similar length Food & Wine Trails wine cruise starts at $2,274. This includes the cruise cost with transportation to and within Europe, all meals and entertainment, plus an exclusive to the group wine experience with winemaker dinners, parties, receptions and educational wine tastings.

The mission of Food & Wine Trails is to provide authenticity, value and access to the world’s best food and wine travel experiences. Each program is led or organized by a recognized local culinary expert to provide the guest with insight, access and a behind-the-kitchen (or cellar) door experience. Food & Wine Trails is the tour division of the HMS Travel Group, a 25-year-old company based in Santa Rosa, California. The company designs culinary travel programs for enthusiasts and for the creme of the food and wine world, producing programs for Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and many of America’s top food magazines and wineries. Larry Martin, the president of Food & Wine Trails, is a wine collector, vegetable gardener and the Northern California Regional Governor for Slow Food, an international food advocacy organization. The editors of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine have chosen Martin as World’s Top Wine Travel Specialist for three consecutive years.

Contact Food & Wine Trails at 800 367-5348, or info@foodandwinetrails.com. A complete list of 2013 wine cruises can be found at www.foodandwinetrails.com/cruises.

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Food & Wine Trails 2013 Wine Cruises Include One Featuring Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia Wine Events

Food & Wine Trails has announced their 2013 wine cruise series, with eleven adventures hosted by top California wineries and one hosted by one of Italy’s most famous wineries.

The 2013 California winery hosts include V.Sattui Winery, Martinelli Vineyards & Winery traveling with Foxen Winery, Mira Winery traveling with Ideology Cellars, Ramey Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, Sojourn Cellars, Duckhorn Vineyards, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Grigch Hills Estate and Cameron Hughes Wine.

On their Fourth Annual Wine Voyage, FOOD & WINE Magazine has partnered with the Italian Super Tuscan Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia. One of the few wineries in the world to receive a perfect 100/100 score from Wine Spectator, Ornellaia will be providing their wines for the onboard events including tastings and a wine-paired dinner.

These cruises sail the Mediterranean between April and October, because according to Food & Wine Trails President Larry Martin, “It’s the ancestral home to today’s wines and the best time of year to visit. When combined with the region’s natural beauty and popularity of the Mediterranean lifestyle and diet, it is no wonder that the Med has always the most popular destination for the food and wine lover.”

All Food and Wine Trails’ cruises include a private onboard wine program, and extras such as free or included gratuities, a $100 early-booking shipboard credit and discounted or free airfare from the US to Europe. Each cruise is held on a small to mid-size Oceania Cruises or Azamara Club Cruises ship, and is hosted by winemakers or winery principals.

Martin explains, “It’s important for us to offer great content and personal access to the movers and shakers of the wine-industry. All our programs not only include private tastings of library and current vintages, exclusive group parties, and winery hosted dinners, they also allow the guest to visit top wine estates while in port for private tours and luncheons. This makes each wine cruise a unique and educational experience.”

Stateroom prices for Food & Wine Trails’ 2013 wine cruises start at $1985 per person (double occupancy) with departures from April 21st with V.Sattui Winery through October 11th with FOOD & WINE Magazine and Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia.

Food and Wine Trails, 707A 4th Street, Santa Rosa CA 95404, 707-526-2922, foodandwinetrails.com.

For more travel features, visit:

www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures