Soutern Italy Wine Tour

Southern Italy Wine Tour

Terremobili introduces the first interregional tour dedicated exclusively to the discovery of the native wines of Southern Italy.In accordance with Terremobili’s commitment to excellence and integrity, this tour is a journey through Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia in the search of the best producers of local wines. Wine tastings of the highest level, charming lodgings and evocative ancient cities are all guaranteed components of this one-of-a-kind experience.

his is the ideal trip for true wine connoisseurs: it is designed for travelers whose curiosity and commitment to wine push them constantly to experience new flavors and places. Guests will be offered the opportunity to taste native wines that have been cultivated here for thousands of years. Wine is the ultimate focus of this journey: the tour is organized around vineyards that have resisted globalization, operating with respect to the environment and local traditions. Some of these wines have begun to gain wider appreciation in the international market, such as Nero D’Avola, Inzolia, Aglianico, Primitivo di Manduria and Negroamaro; others are small treasures yet to be fully discovered.

The tour brings guests into the vineyards and inside the winemaking process: the choice of vines, the terroir, the process of winemaking and much more. Each tasting will be the finale to an experience that will deepen your knowledge of every step of production.

You will stop at many marvelous historical and cultural centers which are untouched by large-scale tourism: Catania and its Mount Etna volcano, the Baroque cities of Ragusa and Modica along with the Sicilian interior, Lecce and the Murge Plateau in Puglia, and Matera with its caves (the “sassi”). The charming lodgings are carefully selected for their high level of hospitality. We also choose the restaurants due to the proprietors’ knowledge of fine wine, the presence of regional tradition and the overall excellent cuisine.

This innovative tour covers four separate regions of Southern Italy, fulfilling Terremobili’s objective of removing any filters between travelers and their destination. In order to do this, we have chosen to travel by automobile. While this means that certain days will involve a good deal of driving time, it also provides guests with true contact with these regions and their beautiful landscapes. We believe that the tradeoff is worth it.

Your guides are Pasquale Porcelli and Nicola Campanile, two journalists and experts in the field of eno-gastronomy. They personally organize Radici 2008, which is the final stop on this tour: a festival featuring the native wines of Puglia and Basilicata, showcasing more than a hundred local wine producers and directed towards wine experts.

Take a look at the online detailed road map

TNapoli

Bari

TarantoLecce

Catanzaro

Messina

Catania

Arrival

Departure

SiracusaRagusa

Palermo

Sicily

Calabria

Puglia

BasilicataSalerno Potenza

Foggia



Departure for Ragusa, a Baroque jewel of a city

featuring elegant and crumbling churches and

mansions, each spectacularly elevated on rocky

outcroppings.

Transportation to the hotel, Hotel Villa del

Lauro, a 19th century villa located in the center

of Ragusa. The Hotel is an ideal example of the

Baroque architecture for which the city is

famous, featuring arched passageways and

frescoed walls.

Dinner at the Ristorante la Fenice in Ragusa,

serving modern Sicilian food in an elegant

atmosphere.

Ragusa

Day 2°

Take a look at the road map

Next the group will visit the Azienda Agricola

Gulfi, which is located below the town of

Chiaramonte Gulfi about 500 meters above sea

level. Along with the centennial olive groves,

guests can enjoy Nero d’Avola, which has always

been cultivated in the Iblean hillsides, along with

the Frappato and local varieties of white grapes

like Albanello, Carricante and Moscatello. The

visit will be accompanied by a discussion of the

battle against vine disease, followed by a wine

tasting.

Azienda Agricola GulfiChiaramonte Gulfi

Visit to Modica and the Cioccolatificio Rizza, a

world-famous chocolate workshop that is

normally closed to visitors. The unique chocolate

of Modica is made according to a tradition that

was passed from the Aztecs to the Spaniards,

and brought to Sicily during the 16th century.

Modica

Southern Italy Wine TourDay 3°


Visit to Azienda Agricola C.O.S, a vineyard that

is run according to the biodyanamic theories of

Rudolf Steiner, producing its grapes without any

chemical treatments. Guests will visit the farm

and vineyard and learn about natural wine

fermentation processes. Then they will taste

wines ranging from the Phitos (made from Cera-

suolo grapes and aged in 400 liter semi-

underground amphorae) to the Contrade Labirin-

to, Vastunaca and Pojo di Lupo.

Azienda Agricola C.O.SComiso

Return trip to Catania and overnight stay at

Katane Palace Hotel. Guests will eat dinner at

L’Osteria Tre Bicchieri restaurant, located in an

18th century mansion and owned by the Benanti

family (whose vineyard will be visted the

following day). The chef, Laquilangelo, prepares

regional cuisine with an imaginative touch: diners

can enjoy squid ink pasta with seafood ragu or

fish roulade with lemon beans, along with a

regular catch of the day. The restaurant’s bread is

baked from organic grain grown on the Benanti

farm.

Catania

During the visit to Azienda Agricola C.O.S.,

guests will be accompanied by the accompli-

shed Chef Carmelo Floridia who will cook lunch

on the spot from greens and vegetables that he

will pick on-site, along with local products. The

lunch will also be attended by a local cheesema-

ker who will bring a selection of his cheese for a

tasting.


Departure for Calabria. Arrival at Tropea, located

on the Costa Degli Dei, Calabria’s most beautiful

coastline, rich in pinnacles and hidden coves.

The culture is a glorious mixture that bears the

historical mark of the Greeks, Romans,

Normans, Swabians, Anjouins and Aragonese.

Tropea is an ancient small town perched on the

cliffs above the sea.

Accommodation in Villa Antica Tropea, a

traditional baron’s villa that was built in 1906 and

recently renovated into a luxury hotel. Dinner at

the L’Approdo in Vibo Marina, which specializes

in refined dishes featuring Calabrian seafood.

Tropea

Day 4°


Departure for the Azienda Vinicola Benanti in

Viagrande, a vineyard that cultivates Nerello

Mascarese, Nerello Cappuccio, Nero D’Avola,

Carricante, and Minnella grapes on the slopes of

Etna. Tour of vineyard and discussion of climate,

soil, and the life cycle of the grape, followed by

tasting of native wines.

Azienda Vinicola BenantiViagrande


Departure and visit to the Cantina Librandi at

Cirò Marina, a vineyard with a high level of inno-

vative production. Guests will visit the wine cellar

and the important experimental vineyard which

hosts 100 varieties of native Calabrese grapes.

This was created in an attempt to reconstruct the

origins of several native vines and recreate cha-

racteristics that were lost after centuries of culti-

vation. Cirò wine, which is made here, was

famously awarded to winning athletes at the

Ancient Greek Olympics.

The visit will culminate with a tasting of the

Cantina’s wines, with special attention to the

wine of Mantonico grapes.

Cantina Librandi Cirò Marina

Day 5°


Check in to Valle Rita, an organic farm and 14th

century manor house located in the hills of

Ginosa. The structure is divided into different

apartments and also features a tennis court and

swimming pool.

Dinner at Masseria Petrino Restaurant in

Palagianello, a renovated villa that specializes in

the catch of the day. Guests can choose

between creative dishes like ziti with amatriciana

sauce, pecorino cream and crunchy guanciale or

spaghetti with basil and grouper ragu.

Ginosa


Transfer and visit to the Cantina Attanasio, a

small family owned vineyard that houses its

equipment in an 18th century mansion. Guests

will visit the premises and taste the two labels

produced here, a Primitivo and a sweet Primitivo.

Cantina AttanasioManduria

Transfer to Lecce, which may be Puglia’s most

important city of ancient art and culture. The old

city center mixes centuries-old artistic influences

with a lively collection of cultural events and

cafes. Check in to Palazzo Personè, an elegant

and historical hotel located in Lecce’s city center.

It is right next to the stunningly beautiful Basilica

Santa Croce, one of the city’s most famous mo-

numents.

Dinner at Alle due Corti, which offers old-

fashioned “rustic” dishes which have been

re-imagined by the owner, Rosalba De Carlo.

Guests can enjoy “broken” pasta with potatoes

and meatballs and chicory-artichoke stew.

Lecce

Visit to the Cantina Accademia dei Racemi in

Manduria, named for its dedication to the study

and preservation of wine traditions. Visit to vine-

yard and wine tasting, with particular notice paid

to wines made from Primitivo and the lesser

known Ottavianello and Susumaniello grapes.

Cantina Accademia dei RacemiManduria

Day 6°



Transfer and visit to Azienda Cantele in Guagna-

no, which has been run by the Cantele family for

three generations. Guests will tour the vineyard

and visit the newly built winery, which is made of

traditional white local stone. The visit will be con-

cluded with a wine tasting. The two most

noteworthy wines are the the Amativo, a wine

based on a mix of Primitivo and Negroamaro

grapes, and the Alticelli, one of the most recent,

exciting white wines to be created in Puglia.

Azienda CanteleGuagnano

Transfer to Conversano, a small jewel of a city

located between the Murge and the Adriatic Sea

and surrounded by fields of olives and vineyards.

Guests will check into Corte Altavilla, a

Medieval-influenced hotel with elegant rooms

distributed throughout charming dwellings in the

historical center.

Dinner at Pashà , a family run restaurant speciali-

zing in traditional Pugliese food with an exciting

twist. Antonello Magistà will explain the cuisine

and wine while his mother, Maria, oversees the

creative kitchen, with offerings such as mussels

with tuna caviar and green-tomato soup with

mozzarella and anchovies.

Overnight stay at Corte Altavilla.

Conversano

Visit to the Cantina Valle dell’Asso in Galatina,

and visit to the vineyards of Piromàfo. The land in

this region is nicknamed after the Greek piromàfo

as it is believed to be able to resist fire damage.

Here the sun is like fire: the grapes receive 2,800

hours of sun contact during 1 year – thousands

more than a French vineyard!

Visit to the wine cellar and tasting, with special

attention paid to wines made from Negroamaro

grapes.

Cantina Valle dellʼAssoGalatina

Day 7°



Departure for Matera, an ancient city that was

created when Paleolithic nomads decided to use

the natural caves of the Murge plateaus for shel-

ter. Many of these cave dwellings have now been

renovated into stunning hotels and restaurants,

giving the city a magical and unique atmosphere.

Guests will arrive at Hotel Sant’Angelo, a care-

fully renovated hotel of over 1400 square meters

including cave dwellings, pathways, stairways

and courtyards.

Matera

Dinner at the Le Botteghe Restaurant which

specializes in succulent meat dishes. Angelo

Giannella is pleased to offer diners an experience

in a renovated “sasso”, with offerings such as

roast lamb with potatoes and eggplant meatbal-

ls. Dinner will be accompanied by a presentation

of the Basilicata section of the tour, with a special

description of the Aglianico del Vulture grapes.

Visit to the historical center of Conversano.

Departure for the Cantina Barsento, situated

near the evocative and ancient town of Noci. The

area is particularly known for the presence of

“gnostre” in the village: these are semi-enclosed

alleyways between houses that were traditionally

used as gathering spaces for the community.

They constitute the overlap between public and

private life.

Guests will visit this small, family-owned vine-

yard and learn about the origins of Primitivo

grapes: the Primitivo “Gioia del Colle”. Tasting of

the vineyard’s special Primitivo wines.

Cantina Barsento Noci

Day 8°



Transfer to Andria, a historically rich town located

at the base of the Murge Plateau and surrounded

by fields of olive trees and vineyards. It is also the

site of the UNESCO protected Castel del Monte,

a 13th century castle with a stunning octoganal

shape. Accommodation at Lama di Luna, a

restored 18th century farmhouse with luxurious,

environmentally friendly furnishings. Guests can

relax in the surrounding nature, which includes

180 hectares of farmland and orchards.

Andria “Radici 2008”Minervino Murge

In the afternoon guests will depart for the Masse-

ria Barbera to participate in the third edition of

Radici, a festival of native grapes and wines to

Puglia and Basilicata.

At 17:30 there will be a convention of producers,

enologists, journalists, restaurateurs and con-

noisseurs. After an awards ceremony for the win-

ning wines of the festival, the tasting tables will

open.

The event will conclude with a Gala dinner with

open tasting of all the native wines of the festival.

Return to Lama di Luna for overnight stay.

Transfer to Barile and visit to the Azienda

Vinicola Paternoster, located along the Vulture

Mountains. Guests will first visit the original wine

cellar, which is located in ancient caves in the

town center. Then they will depart for the new

winery for a tasting: the green crests of the

Vulture mountains provide a stunning backdrop.

Particular attention to be paid to the wines made

from native Falanghina, Fiano, Aglianico del

Vulture grapes. The three selections of Aglianico

Sinthesi, Don Anselmo and Vigneto Villa Rotono

are already recognized among the best Italian

wines.

Azienda Vinicola PaternosterBarile

Day 9°



Bari

Transfer from hotel to Bari Palese International

Airport. Departure.

Terremobili is the first Mediterranean tour operator

to be founded by small local entrepreneurs.

Terremobili accepts a limited number of people

and offers travel and holidays based on

established itineraries and quality accomodation

at reasonable prices. We like to have a personal

relationship with our travelers and offer first-hand

knowledge of the area in which we live.

Terremobili is to be found in Dalmatia, Sardinia,

Sicily, Calabria and Puglia.

Terremobili is a brand of GH Impresa Turistica.

GH Impresa Turistica is a collection of businesses:

the companies and tourism services managed by

GH constitute a network of Mediterranean tourism

that is based on a strong relationship with each

region. GH is a group that works online, through a

horizontal, de-centralized, elastic structure. A full

range of tourism-related activities are carried out

in each region: research, consulting, tour

operating, management and brokering of real

estate. In this sense, GH is a business of

businesses.

Soutern Italy Wine Tour

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