Ideal places for a ‘holiday tail’ with slow and relaxing rhythms, enjoying the last remnants of the summer
September, the month of passage par excellence. No longer summer, not autumn yet. Back to work but there is still a desire for vacation. An excellent idea to indulge in a ‘tail of holidays’ is wine tourism , a less demanding solution than the classic stays by the sea or in the mountains. A holiday with slower rhythms, able to ensure good food and relaxation , ideal for recharging and enjoying the last remnants of the summer.
The wine resorts offer a full immersion in close contact with the territory , fully enjoying its flavors and colors, without sacrificing modernity and comfort. So here are 10 proposals for a stay, whether it be a weekend or a week, in as many relais that express great wine terrors.
Travaglino Estate (Oltrepò Pavese)
Surrounded by woods and vineyards, dotted with farmhouses and historic villages, Tenuta Travaglino boasts 400 hectares in a single body (of which 80 are vineyards), 12 owned farmhouses, a historic village and an inn in the municipality of Calvignano , in Oltrepò Pavese. The ancient monastery , now a stately villa, is surrounded by a wonderful secular park of over three hectares, an area of naturalistic value with oaks, chestnuts, ash trees and centenary cypresses. The park is also home to some fallow deer , which have become the estate’s mascot. Located in a panoramic position, on the road that leads from the town center to the neighboring hills, the Locanda di Calvignascowas founded in the 1950s and today, completely renovated, it is a welcoming charming structure: a restaurant with 4 elegant rooms and a suite overlooking the wonderful hilly landscape. The restaurant offers traditional Pavese dishes with modern reinterpretations, attentive to combinations with local wines .
Villa Quaranta Tommasi Wine Hotel & Spa (Valpolicella)
Tommasi is one of the most important names in Valpolicella, one of the most renowned wine regions in Italy. Since 1902, the Tommasi family has been among the architects of the enhancement of one of the most important and prestigious wines of Valpolicella, Amarone . Today Tommasi offers new visiting and tasting experiences in the renewed welcome area of Pedemonte , to discover the world of Valpolicella Classica wine . A journey that today can also be undertaken by bicycle, thanks to the e-bike rental that Tommasi offers to involve enthusiasts in a tour through the vineyardsof great suggestion. Paths that intersect and accompany wine lovers to enjoy unspoiled nature, before just relaxing in the quiet of Villa Quaranta Tommasi Wine Hotel & Spa, a splendid resort in a strategic position between Verona and Lake Garda. Villa Quaranta offers first-rate food and wine experiences , in the Borgo Antico restaurant , and a spa center such as the Terme della Valpolicella , the pride of the structure. For eight years Villa Quaranta has been awarded the prestigious ‘Best of Award of Excellence ‘, a recognition that the American magazine Wine Spectator reserves for restaurants that have distinguished themselves for the excellence of their wine list, in harmony with the proposed cuisine and complete with accurate information.
Montemagno Estate (Monferrato)
In the heart of Monferrato, whose hills are Unesco heritage , the relais is an old 16th century farmhouse restored to its former glory through a meticulous restoration work that makes it today one of the most exclusive residences of the Boutique Hotels in Italy . The original structure, testimony of the most ancient architecture of Monferrato, has been maintained as a foundation on which to build the reconstruction. You can still see arches, architraves, walls, fireplaces and ceilings that belonged to the 16th century residence. The works were completed with the construction of a new cellar, built by recovering the foundations and the basic structure of the ancient one. As for the enological experience, Tenuta Montemagno offers an overview of the wide range of Monferrato wines, from Barbera to Malvasia di Casorzo , enriched by an authentic gem such as the ‘Monferrato Bianco’ from Timorasso grapes .
Venica & Venica (Collio)
Situated on the gentle hills of Collio, an area with an exceptional wine vocation, the Wine Resort Venica & Venica is located on the upper floors of a late 19th century country house , where the history of the Venica family had its beginnings and where today it is located on the ground floor. a portion of the evocative cellar of the homonymous company. Inside the historic family settlement, surrounded by the Julian Pre-Alps not far from the border with Slovenia, there are six bedrooms and two apartments for a relaxing and convivial stay. Modern and functional spaces that evoke the atmosphere of an inn of the past, ideal places to get to know and appreciate the flavors of the territory. Among the various proposals for activities and guided tastings, a visit to the historic cellar deserves a mention , a path with the theme ‘Le Vite dei Venica’ : the story of a family of winemakers seen through doors that recall the generations and open up to new spaces to the future. A fusion of history and modernity, even in the architecture of the cellar itself. A real emotional journey into the soul of one of the most significant wineries in the Collio.
Poggio alle Vigne (Umbria)
Owned by the Lungarott i family , historical name of Umbrian viticulture and in particular of Torgiano , one of the smallest DOCG in Italy, Poggio alle Vigne is a renovated 17th century farmhouse, consisting of 10 apartments with attention to the smallest details, suitable for stays relaxing surrounded by the scents and sounds of nature. For an even more intimate experience, guests can choose Il Poggiolo , a romantic nest among the vineyards obtained from the careful recovery of a rural annex: the ideal place for a couple’s holiday. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves , it guarantees a full immersion in the rural dimensionand authenticity of the estate, in a landscape of great suggestion that is coupled with the cultural and gastronomic that characterizes the villages of Umbria. In particular, in addition to visits to the winery in the two Lungarotti estates in Torgiano and Montefalco (where you can taste the famous Sagrantino), it is worthwhile to dedicate a visit to two pearls such as the Olive and Oil Museum and the Wine Museum , both always founded by the Lungarotti family; two realities that tell in an exemplary way a splendid and atypical territory like Umbria.
Vallarom (Trentino)
The family atmosphere of a 14th century farmhouse immersed in the tranquility of the Trentino woods, the simplicity of the furnishings but at the same time the refinement of the details, a completely organic farmhouse that produces honey and seasonal fruit and vegetables in addition to wine . All this and much more, such as the summer swimming pool and the hot mini- pool , usable in all seasons, with water and air hydromassage, is Vallarom, the oasis of peace and naturalness created by the spouses Filippo and Barbara in Avio, at the center of an ideal triangle that unites Lake Garda, Lessinia and Trento. Three rooms available, in the attic, all equipped with every comfort. The wines are typical of the Trentino production, from Pinot Nero and Bianco to Chardonnay, from Riesling to Cabernet, from Marzemino to Sauvigon.
Poggio dei Gorleri (Liguria)
The Poggio dei Gorleri farmhouse is located in the splendid Ligurian Riviera di Ponente , halfway between the tourist resort of Diano Marina and the city of Imperia, perched on a wonderful sunny hill with a breathtaking view. Located close to the sea , surrounded by nature and vineyards, on the first hill of the Dianese Gulf, the Poggio dei Gorleri Wine Resort meets a perfect mix for relaxing stays and food and wine experiences. Nine apartments are available to customers, two of which are classified as studio suites. Between walks in the vineyards and aperitifs accompanied by the legendary Ligurian focaccia,between relaxing in the pool and gourmet dinners overlooking the sea, you can pleasantly discover the wines of the Ligurian Ponente, in particular that Pigato which finds its highest qualitative expression in the Savona area.
Cabreo stone (Chianti)
Inaugurated last May, Pietra del Cabreo Relais di Charme is the new jewel of Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari Tenute , in the countryside of Greve in Chianti. As for the Borgo del Cabreo, the company has redeveloped and transformed an ancient rural settlement that rises within the historic Tenute del Cabreo, purchased at the end of the 1960s by the founder Ambrogio Folonari. The relais offers 11 rooms and suites with attention to every detail and enriched with unique works and decorations, all performed by Florentine artisans. Numerous services are available to guests, from the splendid panoramic terrace for breakfasts and dinners, to the tennis court and the swimming pool immersed in the vineyards. The large gardens are embellished with native trees and a well-kept rose garden . The relais pays homage to the Supertuscan wines of Tenute del Cabreo, produced by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari Tenute: La Pietra Chardonnay Toscana Igt and Cabreo Il Borgo Toscana Igt.
Roncolo 1888 (Reggio Emilia)
Venturini Baldini is an ancient estate in the heart of the province of Reggio Emilia that produces elegant wines and houses a historic vinegar factory and a villa dating back to the early 1950s , an ancient home of noble families. In 2020 Venturini Baldini inaugurated a relais here, the Roncolo 1888, obtained from the renovation of some buildings within the property. With rigorous architecture and contemporary design, the resort has 11 elegant rooms, conceived and designed with respect for tradition that blends with contemporary design, where guests can fully enjoy the relaxation and charm of nature. Since last June the structure has also had an internal restaurant, Il Tagliere in Limonaia, created from the recovery of a historic greenhouse with a splendid terrace overlooking the Matilda hills. In the kitchen, creativity in the kitchen is entrusted to chef Mario Comitale , famous for his ability to innovate traditional dishes, without distorting them. Guests can enjoy the recipes he created in this charming restaurant, in a unique and fascinating setting, to experience a moment of magic surrounded by greenery. As for the wine proposal, Lambrusco is the voice of the lion , proposed in numerous and valid versions, flanked by other native vines such as Malvasia and Spergola .
Relais Castello di Morcote (Canton Ticino)
On the edge of the village of V ico Morcote, up above Lake Lugano, lies the Castello di Morcote estate in the shadow of the keep and fortress. Here, where wine was already made in Roman times , today grow luxuriant Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon , cultivated according to the dictates of organic agriculture . The company, which also produces olive oil and honey , has been owned by Gaby Gianini since 2009, who took it over from her grandfather. The importance that the winegrower attributes to craftsmanship and quality leaves its mark on her wines, which not by chance are among the 100 best in Switzerland. Among these splendid hills with a Mediterranean flavor, a few steps from the winery, the Gianini family opened the elegant boutique hotel Relais Castello di Morcote in April 2019. Born from the careful renovation of a 17th century patrician house, the luxurious villa is divided into twelve rooms, furnished with precious natural materials and facing the lake of Lugano, the historic center of the town or the enchanting garden. The latter, like the large living room with fireplace, is an oasis of tranquility that invites you to relax or taste the house wines. Under the same roof there is also the restaurant La Sorgente,which has been conquering the most refined palates since 2008. The clear profile of Lake Lugano is the backdrop to the culinary show staged by chef Giuseppe Lanzilotto, whose protagonists are Italian cuisine and the Ticino gastronomic tradition.
