From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car.

First Stop: Villa Almana in Cernobbio at Lake Como, Lombardia

Villa Almana

We stayed 2 nights at Villa Almana in Cernobbio, at the top of the hills.

Boat Trip to Como

Apero in Rovenna, a little village further up the hills.

Wine on the Terrace of Villa Almana

Second Stop: Bolgheri (Tuscany)

This was an organized group tour, led by wine journalist Giuseppe Lauria.

Relais di Biserno

We stayed 4 nights at Relais di Biserno, which is part of Tenuta di Biserno.

Day 1 in Bolgheri

We drove from Lake Como du Bolgheri, checked in, relaxed at the pool and had dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci.

Dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci

Day 2 in Bolgheri

Breakfast at Relais di Biserno

Tenuta Argentiera

The flagship Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore is a blend typically of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a small portion of Cabernet Franc.

Ventaglio wine-searcher average price: Euro 315

Winery tour and tasting.

Lunch

Osteria Magona

Michelin: Amidst vineyards and the renowned cypress avenue, Osteria Magona is a must-visit for meat enthusiasts and Tuscan regional cuisine aficionados. Impeccable are the famous soups, from ribollita to pappa al pomodoro, alongside gnudi and fresh pastas. The wine list offers ample room to various Bolgheri labels.

We run into Marco Balsimelli, the new Production Director of Ornellaia and Masseto, following the departure of Axel Heinz.

La Macchiole

La Macchiole was founded in 1983 by a young couple, Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli. They released their first vintage in 1987, with the first release of the flagship Paleo released in 1989.

At the time, Paleo was a Bordeaux blend, but in the 1990s, La Macchiole began to move toward making varietal wines. Campolmi passed away in 2002, and the estate has been run by Merli since.

Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting.

Tenuta del Nicchio: Il Nicchio and Lodovico

We went for dinner to Locanda dell' Aioncino, close to the Relais di Beserno. Preceding dinner was a tour of the Lodovico vineyard of Tenuta del Nicchio with Michela of Tenuta del Nicchio. At the dinner table we then tasted with Michela the two flagship wines of Tenuta del Nicchio, the latest project of Lodovico Antinori and his daughter Sophia, the 2021 Lodovico (Euro 500) and the 2021 Il Nicchio (Euro 280).

Lodovico Vineyard

Tasting 2021 Lodovico (Euro 500) and the 2021 Il Nicchio (Euro 280) at Locanda dell' Aioncino with Michela of Tenuta del Nicchio

Dinner at Locanda dell' Aioncino

Day 3 in Bolgheri

Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno at Relais di Biserno

Tenuta San Guido

Tenuta San Guido is much better known by the name of its most famous wine – Sassicaia. It is located in the Tuscan region of Maremma, and is has its own single-estate DOC appellation (Bolgheri Sassicaia) applied to its flagship label.

Sassicaia, one of the original Super Tuscan wines, is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. It is known for its supple texture, elegance and perfume.

Lunch at Enoteca San Guido

Ornellaia

Ornellaia is one of the foremost producers in the Bolgheri appellation on the coast of Tuscany. It is particularly known for making one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines, which shares the same name.

This Bordeaux-style blend is one of the original Super Tuscans. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The company was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, with the first vintage in 1985. From 2002 to 2005 the estate was co-owned by Robert Mondavi and Marchesi De Frescobaldi but, since 2005 Frescobaldi has owned it outright, along with the now separate estate Masseto.

Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting.

Dinner at La Pinetta (1 Star Michelin)

Michelin: By car you drive through a pine wood and practically reach the water's edge, facing a horizon of beach, sea and waves, to the left you’ll notice a small low house that almost looks like an ordinary beach establishment: actually, it is the historical fish restaurant of the Zazzeri family, Daniele in the kitchen and Andrea in the dining room. Always true to themselves, without any need to look for sudden modern changes of direction, the simplicity of the cuisine, which matches the vintage style of the rooms, is their absolute direction, both in the pairings and in the ultra-classic cooking techniques; as long as the quality of the fish (mostly local) and the comforting quality of the end result remain unchanged, it will always be a pleasure to recommend this place above the fashions.

Day 4 in Bolgheri

Grattamacco

Lunch at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci

7- course Dinner on a Long Table in the Streets of Bolgheri

Third Stop: Chianti Classico

We spent 4 days in the Chianti Classico Region.

Day 1 in Chianti Classico

We drove from Bolgheri to Chianti Classico.

Villa de' Ricci Rignana/ Fattoria di Rignana

We stayed 3 nights at Villa de' Ricci Rignana/ Fattoria di Rignana, close to Greve and Panzano, which used to be one unit but was devided recently due to family issues.

This place is truly a paradise. Tucked away from towns, it’s a little escape in the rolling hills. The whole villa is very clean and welcoming. And there is a tasty restaurant on the property so you don’t have to leave! (Trip Advisor)

La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante

La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante is part of the Rignana complex. It is a wonderful restaurant with a breathtaking view. We had dinner twice there (and would have had dinner three times there, but they close on Tuesdays).

Day 2 in Chianti Classico

Greve

Badia a Coltibuono

Barone Ricasoli

Villa de' Ricci Rignana/ Fattoria di Rignana

La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante

Day 3 in Chianti Classico

Fattoria di Rignana

Tasting and cellar tour with owner/ winemaker Cosimo Gericke.

Nina in Chianti: Rignana is a charming winery on the north-western edge of Panzano in Chianti, on the border with Barberino Tavarnelle. This idyllic vineyard is not only known for its breathtaking location, but also for its excellent wines. Cosimo Gericke, the current owner, took over the winery from his father at the end of the 1990s. He acquired the winery at the end of the 1960s and laid the foundations for the outstanding wines that characterize Rignana today. Cosimo continues this tradition with great passion and dedication.

Antinori nel Chianti Classico Winery

The Antinori family has been making wine since 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild. The cutting edge Antinori nel Chianti Classico Winery in the Tuscan heartland opened in 2012 after 7 years of construction. Using locally sourced materials, it blends into the landscape both visually and environmentally: surrounded by olive groves and oak trees, its roof covered in vineyards, the building appears as two graceful slits in the hillside; within, gravity-flow vinification and naturally cool cellars reduce energy consumption. It forms the headquarters of Marchesi Antinori.

Isole e Olena

Fattoria Nittardi

Badia a Passignano

Dinner at Locanda di Poggio al Sole

Fourth Stop: (Brunello di) Montalcino and (Vino Nobile di) Montepulciano

Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie

We stayed 2 nights at Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie, a leading producer of Brunello di Montalcino, 3 or so miles away from the village of Montalcino.

Day 1

Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie

Altesino

Argiano

Castello Banfi

Ristorante Sala dei Grappoli and Chef Dominico Francone (1 Star Michelin)

Pieve di Santa Restituta (Angelo Gaja)

Dinner in Montalcino at La Sosta Bistrot and Wine Bar

Day 2

Montepulciano

Cantine Conducci in the Center of the Village of Montepulciano

Poderi Boscarelli

Poderi Boscarelli is owned and managed by the De Ferrari Corradi family. The winery was founded in 1962 by Egidio Corradi, and his daughter Paola De Ferrari Corradi and her husband Ippolito De Ferrari significantly expanded the business. Today, Paola and her sons, Luca and Nicolò De Ferrari, continue the family legacy.

Our host was Luca De Ferrari, who showed us around.

Poliziano

Dinner in Montalcino at Teverna Grappolo Blu (Bib Gourmand Michelin)

Michelin: Accessed via a steep, narrow flight of steps, this restaurant boasts a traditional and friendly ambience. The cuisine is traditionally Tuscan (pici pasta with ragu and tripe are among the most popular dishes on the menu), while the interesting wine list includes a selection of Brunello wines arranged by year, as well as some top-quality vintage options which will delight wine-enthusiasts. The owner oversees the informal yet attentive service.

Fifth Stop: Lana in Alto Aldige

We drove from Montalcino in Tuscany to Lana in Alto Aldige and checked in at Hotel im Tiefenbrunn in Lana. we stayed there for 3 nights.

Hotel Im Tiefenbrunn in Lana

Day 1 in Alto Adige (Lana)

Weinkelterei Meran

Before dinner, we had a glass of sparkling wine at the Weinkelterei Meran.

Dinner at Restaurant Sissy (1 Star Michelin)

Michelin: Situated just outside the pedestrianised area of beautiful Merano, the main dining room of this restaurant has a welcoming feel and is decorated in attractive Art-Nouveau style. Here, owner-chef Andrea Fenoglio divides his time between the kitchen and front of house so that he can take time to chat with guests. His cuisine has solid classic foundations, with a good choice of dishes on the à la carte, plus a surprise tasting menu (Settepiatti ) which changes every year (as does the ceramic tableware on which it is served!). The cuisine is comforting and full of generous flavours, to which Fenoglio adds a light modern touch with his carefully chosen accompaniments and presentation. Whatever dish you choose, you can be sure of finding the perfect wine pairing for your meal on the skilfully constructed wine list.

Day 2 in Alto Aldige (Lana)

Meran

Up in the Mountains (by Car)

Up in the Mountains (by Cable Car and Chair Lift)

Light Dinner at Hotel im Tiefenbrunn in Lana

Day 3 in Alto Aldige (Lana)

Brixen

Kloster Neustift

Falstaff: Kloster Neustift is one of the oldest wineries in the world, as wine was already being produced here in 1142. Sylvaner, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling and Veltliner can be found in the Brixen valley basin at altitudes of 600 to 850 meters. Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are also cultivated. Blauburgunder, Rosenmuskateller and Vernatsch grow in Girlan, Lagrein and St. Magdalener in Bozen. The best grapes from the Stiftskellerei are used for the "Praepositus" wines, while the grapes for two single-vineyard wines made from Sylvaner and Pinot Noir grow in Neustift and Girlan.

Dinner in the Mountains at Restaurant Appolonia (Bib Gourmand Michelin)

Michelin: Following a road that twists and turns uphill, surrounded at first by vineyards and fruit trees and then by woodland, you climb to an altitude of 900m to reach this restaurant run by the Geiser family, who have been serving simple yet delicious regional (and Italian) cuisine here for three generations. With a focus on seasonal ingredients from the Alto Adige, the menus feature specialities such as potato rosti with beetroot, baked pumpkin, broccoli and porcini mushroom cream, as well as home-made tarts and sorbets. The beautiful views take in Terlano in the middle of the valley and the majestic Dolomites (including Sciliar, Catinaccio and Latemar) in the distance.

Day 4 in Alto Adige (Bozen)

Parkhotel Laurien in Bozen

In the morning we drove from Lana to Bozen and checked in at the Parkhotel Laurien, right in the center of Bozen.

Bozen

Klosterkelterei Muri Gries in Bozen

Muri-gries: MURI-GRIES is more than a winery. Within its historical walls, the daily round is guided by monastery life in combination with work in a busy cellar and the work on its own 35-hectare wine estate with vineyards in the best locations in and around Bolzano. History brought all this together more than a century ago. The routines in the vineyard and the cellar have always gone hand in hand. The work involved is highly specialized. At MURI-GRIES, the driving force is the desire to keep learning and continually enhance the quality of every single wine.

Ice Cream at Avalon

Since 1981, Paolo Coletto has been producing 100% handmade ice cream! 🍨

Without the use of powdered milk, artificial flavours, artificial colours or hydrogenated vegetable fats.
The Avalon ice-cream parlour awaits you with over thirty different flavours, each prepared with extraordinary care and passion. Almost all of them are gluten-free, with a large selection of lactose-free and vegan flavours.

Come and enjoy a unique experience!

Toma by Lisa

Toma by Lisa became our favorite wine bar in Bozen, close to ...

...the well-known Fischbaenke.

Dinner at Restaurant Lowengrube (Michelin-listed)

Michelin: This building has been home to a restaurant since the 16C, making it one of the oldest in Bolzano. Today, it houses an elegant restaurant that serves a combination of traditional Alpine cuisine and classic Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, such as carbonara tortelloni filled with parmesan cream and crispy bacon. The attractive wine cellar boasts a selection of approximately 1 000 wines from the region and elsewhere in Italy, as well as a choice of labels from further afield.

After dinner, the sommelier showed us the impressive wine cellar.

Last Glass of Wine of the Day at Parkhotel Laurien

Day 5 in Alto Adige (Bozen)

Firadori (wine-searcher)

Foradori is a wine estate in the Dolomites region of northern Italy, particularly known for its red wines from the Teroldego variety. The estate dates back to 1901, and has been owned by the Foradori family since 1939. Elisabetta Foradori has made the wine since 1984, and currently oversees the estate although children Theo, Myrtha and Emilio Zierock are progressively taking a more active role in the family business.

The overall estate covers 24 hectares (59 acres) of owned and eight hectares (20 acres) of leased vineyards in multiple small plots around the Campo Rotaliano plain in the dramatic Trento-Alto Adige region, roughly 100km (60 miles) north of Verona.

Roughly three-quarters of the Foradori vineyards are planted with the red Teroldego. The rest are planted to Manzoni Bianco, with small amounts of Nosiola and Pinot Grigio.

Foridori's vineyards have been farmed biodynamically since 2002 and were certified biodynamic by Demeter in 2009.

All of Foridori's wines are released as IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti. The range is led by two Teroldego cuvées: Foridori and Granato.

Foradori is sourced from around ten hectares (25 acres) of vineyards on sandier soils, and is aged in oak and cement tanks for 12 months. Granato, which means pomegranate, comes from four hectares (10 acres) of old pergola vineyards on more stony soils, and is aged in wood for 15 months.

The estate also makes four other Teroldego wines which are aged on their skins in amphorae, and varietal wines from Manzoni Bianco, Nosiola and Pinot Grigio.

Foradori's winemaking follows a philosophy of minimal intervention, which includes the use of indigenous yeasts, no temperature control and bottling without filtration. Production reaches around 160,000 bottles per year, over half of which is the Foradori cuvee.

Since 2014, the wines have been made by Foradori's son Emilio Zierock.

Alois Lageder

wine-searcher: Alois Lageder is a renowned wine producer in Alto Adige, Italy's northernmost wine region. The estate was established in 1823 and has been family owned and operated since. It makes a wide range of wines from both native and international grape varieties, including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Schiava and Lagrein.

The estate consists of around 110 hectares (272 acres) of vineyard land across the region, including plots in Magrè, Cortaccia, Bolzano, San Michele and Appiano. This diversity of vineyard, which covers a vast range of exposures, soils, and mesoclimates, means that Alois Lageder can have a wide range of grape varieties, depending on the terroir of the individual site.

The main range includes three product lines. The top wines (Masterpieces) come from some of Lageder's best vineyard sites. The selection features mostly single variety wines, though the intriguing Casòn duo are a Viognier-Petit Manseng, and a Tannat-based red blend.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Löwengang Chardonnay and Cabernet wines, special editions were bottled. These are blends of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 vintages.

Below this sits a range of single-vineyard wines from other vineyard sites, known as Compositions. There are around eight whites and three reds.

Thirdly comes the Classical Grape Varieties line of whites and reds, plus a rosé made from Lagrein. Most, but not all are monovarietal bottlings. The grapes are sourced from across the estate.

Alois Lageder also owns a pair of subsidiary brands, Riff and Terra Alpina. The company works with partner growers to source the fruit for these wines.

Cantina Kurtatsch

Weingut Hofstaetter

Elena Walch

Manincor

tasteatlas.com: Manincor is a family-owned winery located in Kaltern, in the Alto Adige (South Tyrol) region of Italy. The estate's history dates back to 1608, and it is currently managed by Count Michael Goëss-Enzenberg and his wife Sophie, who took over in 1991.

The winery spans approximately 50 hectares of vineyards, cultivating varieties such as Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Lagrein, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Manincor is dedicated to biodynamic farming, believing that maintaining natural balance is essential for producing high-quality wines.

The winery's cellar is uniquely situated beneath the vineyards, minimizing environmental impact and allowing for gravitational wine flow during production. This combination of traditional values and modern technology enables Manincor to craft wines that truly reflect the character of South Tyrol's terroir.

Light Dinner at Toma by Lisa

Day 6 in Alto Adige

Kellerei Terlan

Dolomites

Dinner at Restaurant Voegele in Bozen (Bib Gourmand Michelin)

Michelin: This restaurant is a Bolzano institution. It is a typical inn whose origins are lost in the mists of time, and is still furnished in traditional Biedermeier - style. The menu focuses on regional cuisine, with an occasional hint of the Mediterranean.