Wines & Coffee of Veneto & Fruili

Wines of Veneto & Fruili Venezia-Giulia

The Wines of Veneto and Fruili Venezia-Giulia ...Veneto, Italy's third largest producer of wine, is known for two labels that have long been leaders in the marketplace, Soave and Valpolicella. Recently, Amarone, an opulent red wine made from partially dried varieties that produce Valpolicella, has gained recognition for its strength and aroma which maintains well during the aging process.

With the expertise of a professional sommelier, discover the wine district that lies between Verona and Lake Garda and learn to match these wines with typical Veronese dishes. Then, evaluate wines produced in the province of Vicenza including Gambellara, Garganego, Recioto and Vino Santo.

While in the Veneto, enjoy a scenic drive to Valdobbiadene, a town surrounded by steep hillsides covered with beautiful vineyards. The town is a major center for the production of Prosecco and the prized Cartizze made from carefully selected Prosecco grapes that are grown in only two square miles of terrain in this area.

Directly to Veneto's east lies Fruili Venezia-Giulia where the prestigious Collio area is reminiscent of California's Napa Valley. Among white wines, production is steadily increasing with Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc enjoying the greatest popularity as well as the native Tocai and Ribolla of Fruili. The region's wonderful Cabernets and Merlots are leaders and rarely require exposure to wood. The culture of dessert wines is exceptional and perhaps during one of the scheduled tasting and winery visits, you might just come across Fruili's Piccolti, the rarest and perhaps the most appealing and subtle of desert wines.

Coffee, the Great Venetian Discovery

Coffee, the Great Venetian Discovery ..."II caffe, per essere buono, deve essere nero come la notte, caldo come I'inferno e dolce come I'amore" (To be good, coffee must be black as night, as hot as Hades and as sweet as love), said Bakunin in his "Vita di Una Rivoluzionario".

Coffee originally came from Ethiopia but can be considered Arabian and brought to Europe by Venetian traders in the 17th century. Then, coffee was a luxury for strictly noble palates. Considered a means to heighten and stimulate the senses, historical coffee houses became popular meeting places among poets, writers, arts and politicians. In Italy, the drinking of coffee has almost become ritualistic while the Italian espresso has become famous around the world.

From the experts, learn the secrets about roasting, blending, grinding and brewing and visit several roasting plants, one of which is still owned by the Venetian nobility. Coffee culture includes terminology such as cappuccino, espresso, caffe' latte, caffe' macchiato, caffe' lungo, caffe' coretto, and caffe' ristretto. Excursions are planed to numerous coffee houses including the Caffe' Florian in Venice, Europe's oldest coffee house and Caffe' Pedrocchi in Padua which first opened in 1848.