Perched upon cliffs of volcanic stone, Orvieto towers over the beautiful Umbrian countryside.  Though most well know for its magnificent Gothic Cathedral, Orvieto is also a food and wine destination and designated SlowFoodCity.  We will begin our journey in Rome either by car or by train and enjoy the breathtaking scenery leading up to Orvieto.  Undulating hills, river valleys, miles of vineyards and olive groves all describe the characteristic scenery of central Italy.   Inhabited for 3,000 years-first by the wine and food loving Etruscans- Orvieto is a marvel of culture, art, engineering, human ingenuity, food and wine.

This is a full day excursion that perfectly combines culture, food and wine.  In this tour we will visit the 14th century gothic Cathedral, the artistic jewel of Orvieto-and one of the most beautiful churches in Italy.  Inside the church we will have the opportunity to view Signorelli frescoes.  Other highlights include Etruscan ruins, underground caverns all while meandering through the pedestrian only alleys and streets of the town.

Our cultural visit should work up an appetite, so we will have the opportunity to have a private wine tasting of local Umbrian wines with a sommelier in a historic palace dedicated to the promotion of slow food and slow wine culture in Umbria.  Here we will discuss in detail the terroir of Umbria, local climatic conditions, microclimates, grape types all to get a better understanding of Umbria’s wines and the tantalizing relationship the people of Umbria have with their food and wine culture.  It is indeed a culture unto itself.

We will also stop in a local trattoria to enjoy local delicacies for lunch such as truffles or different types of sheep cheese.  This tour is really intended to give our guest a better understanding of Umbria’s intricately woven web of culture, food and wine, and though only an hour by train from Rome, it is another world.  Orvieto is the perfect town for those wishing to get to know Umbrian food and wine culture, Umbrian wine tasting, a pleasant and peaceful day trip from Rome all led by a guide well versed in the culture, food and wine of Umbria.

Highlights:

• Gothic Duomo of Orvieto
• Frescoes of Signorelli
• St Patrick’s well
• Etruscan culture
• Wine tasting
• Sample local food
• Slow FoodCity
• Truffles (when in season)

*Addition supplement-winery tour near Orvieto-by car only

INQUIRE HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

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After 7 Kings who have ruled the newborn city of Rome, the romans gave themself a new constitution: The republic. In the late 509  b.c an act of violence made this possible. The overthrowing of the last king of Rome, Tarquinius the Proud.

The latter came to power after murdering his father in law, Servius Tullius and ruled with absolutistc power and violence, earning therefore the nickname “The Proud” but also the unanimous hatred of both aristocrats and commoners.

Despite his bad reputation he contributed majorly to the Roman military expansion and reorganized the urbanization of the City with such great works as te Cloaca Maxima, the great drain system and the consecration of the temple of Iuppiter on the Capitoline Hill.

However the repeated offense to Roman democracy and several other bad acts gained him his expulsion by the hand of Lucius Giunius Brutus.

In a particular instance he raped the daughter of a well to do Roman man, Lucretia and caused her suicide after being brutally dishonored.

It was then that Marcus Giunius Brutus, his own nephew decided , supported by the People, to rid Rome from the scourge of his King. How? Find out on Our Ancient Rome Tour

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Romulus, a legendary figure or did he really exist? For centuries there has been debate on the historical veracity of this character. In Ancient Roman culture he was the considered the founder and first king, and eventually, a deity. The historical records are posthumous and steeped in myth and legend.
In his The History of Rome, Titus Livius describes him as the son of the god Mars and the Vestal Virgin, Rea Silvia.
His mother had abandoned him in the Tiber river along with his twin brother Remus to escape certain execution under their uncle Amulius who usurped the throne of his grandfather. On the banks of the Tiber, they were found by a She Wolf and suckled in a cave.
Later they were found by a shepherd and raised on the Palatine Hill. As adults they wanted to establish the city that would eventually conquer the world. They couldn’t agree on who should rule this new city so they asked the oracle to make decision based on the reading of the flight of vultures. Romulus was the victor, and Remus, in jealous rage, dared to step over the lines of the sacred city limits that Romulus had just drawn up. What he found was death at the hands of his brother.
It was 21 April 753 BC and the new king of Rome gathered outcasts, thieves. , refugees and fugitives from nearby villages to create the first group of citizens of the new city. He soon faced a major problem. There were no women in the first group of citizens. The solution was stroke of genius on his part…Find out more on our  Ancient City Tour.

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On Sunday my friends Gina, Irene and Katie came down to help us harvest.   We weren’t so lucky with the weather.  It rained and it was wet and muddy, but they worked damn hard.  It was so much fun to talk, gossip and work.  Every person in their own rhythm with their own method for getting the most olives from each branch.  Some people turned into monkeys and climbed the trees to get to more olives.   Greed sets in.  You want to reach those that were out-of-reach moments earlier.  The feel on each olive first in your hands and then the sound of it falling into the net is addictive.  You want to pick as many as you can.  You don’t want to stop.  But when you do, you settle down with a nice glass of wine, nod off and feel very satisfied with your day.

 

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      I have never been to any sort of conference before, so I came to this event with few expectations.  To be honest, the only reason I signed up in the first place was the possibility of joining the trip to Georgia.  I didn’t sign up on time, but decided to attend the conference anyway because I had never been to Turkey and had always wanted to visit.   I had low expectations in regards to Turkish wine, so I was not very wine focused either.   I came to meet new people and to join the various workshops that I felt could improvemy own business I run with my husband, Ettore. 

      Little did I know that I was to join an event that really altered how I feel about the wine business and the people in this industry.  I came away from the event with new tools and new friends, the latter being the most valued.  Every single person I met was passionate about their work.  Every workshop I attended awarded me with new insight in how to improve not only my business but my Self.  The tastings were brilliant.  Most importantly, I was surprised by the many quality wines coming out of Turkey.  Coming in with no expectations was a great decision on my part because I came away a better and improved person. 

   Turkey itself exceeded my expectations.  The people were beyond generous, the wine-with some exceptions- surprisingly good and the landscape will haunt me for the rest of my life.  I can’t say much about Izmir.  I stayed at the Swiss Efes Hotel for the conference and didn’t leave the confines of the hotel save for a couple of meals.  I did not feel like I was in Turkey but at a very nice International Hotel with superb service.  The spa was a much needed haven from outside noise, a place to quiet the mind and allow the lessons from the day absorb into my mind.  With so much information in such a small amount of time, I felt I was better off just focusing on workshops and absorbing information.   I am still editing my notes and will be for weeks to come.

     The workshops more than exceeded my expectations.  All of the panelists were experts in their fields and, I felt, they all ran smoothly and on time.  Besides the Grand Terroir event,  my favorite workshop was on Oxygen with Maurizio Ugliano.  Thanks to him I have a new understanding of Oxygen and wine and he was able to explain it well enough for a non scientific mind to understand.

     At the conference I was shy.  I looked at nametags and recognized them from various interactions on Facebook or Twitter but didn’t dare introduce myself.  I am disappointed with myself.  I kept my eyes to the floor, on my notebook and beside the friends I already knew, I did not socialize much.  I figured I was the least interesting person there.  What a mistake!  It wasn’t until the post-trip that I started to open up, even managing to sit away from my husband a few times and engage in conversation.  I wanted to say hello to so many people and didn’t, so I hope to make up for it next year.

   After the conference I joined the post-trip to Cappadocia.  Oh my.  What a dream, what a place! Could the best of poets describe this fairy land?  Perhaps Toni Morrison with a definitive sense of melancholy.  We visited two wineries, walked through centuries old vineyards, visited the cave dwellings of monks, enjoyed wonderful food provided by our hosts, and, best of all, sailed through the air on a hot air balloon through the most haunting and ethereal landscape you can imagine.  Photos do not do it justice.

  I have to admit that I was disappointed that I did not get to join the trip to Georgia.  But in retrospect, I feel I had the adventure of a lifetime.  I haven’t written a blog about the event because I recognize, from the workshops, they nobody really cares what I have to say about it.  I plan to change how I teach wine and how I present it.

     I feel bonded to the place and to the people of Turkey, to my fellow #winelovers, to new friends and I look forward to many more events in the coming years with the goal of obtaining a #winelover T-shirt! .

 

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It may seem hard to believe, but, 20-25 minutes from Rome there are gorgeous rolling hills full of olive grooves, vineyards and sheep grazing peacefully. Last week I had a field trip with my students so I took them to Pallavicini winery, which is an easy train ride from Termini Station. Only 3/8 of the students came, so we jumped on the train from Termini station. Four stops later and a short walk, we were at the cantina.

Mauro, the oenologist, greeted us and drove us a short distance to the vineyard and cellar. The estate is actually made up of several properties in the Colonna area and they are proud producers of Frascati. The estate is beautiful with different types of grapes such as local Cesanese and Malvasia as well as international varietals Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Lovely vineyards in the fall
I took the students underground to the cellar that has been dug out of tufa stone. It has also been incorporated into part of an ancient Roman aqueduct that was built under the Emperor Claudius. Visiting estates so close to Rome ensures that you will have close encounters with not only
the vines but with the archaeological treasures. There are various pieces on the estate including two olive presses. One was used during republican times and the other during the imperial era.

After the visit we drive back to the office and went underground to their beautiful tasting room. We tasted three wines and were able to sample the new olive oil on deliciously rustic pane di Genzano. For anyone coming to Rome that is thinking about a short excursion out of the city for wine tasting, I urge you to forget about a long trip to Tuscany or Umbria. Instead, why not enjoy a relaxed trip to the local countryside? The wine is lovely, the setting spectacular and you’ll have the opportunity to visit the local estate of one of Rome’s oldest families.

Tufa caves

Sample the Grapes

Grapevines

Ancient Presses

View of the vineyard through the well

Vineyards

Young Winelovers

If you are interested in an excursion to the Castelli Romani, contact us at info@antiquatours.com

www.antiquatours.com

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