Worldwide wine tours scheduled for 2010 bring experiential travel to wine and food lovers

Popular wine tour operator, Wine Lovers Tours, has recently announced its 2010 wine and food tour destinations with excursions to Greece, Turkey, Piedmont (Italy) and the Rhone Valley and Provence in France. Led by Vin Marottoli, the company has been organizing food and wine tours to amazing destinations throughout the world for 28 years.

Wine Lovers’ track record speaks for itself: over 80% of participants are repeat travelers, partaking in often over 15 separate tours each – of which Marottoli tirelessly works to create a friendly and familiar atmosphere.

Mixing history, culture and culinary delights

The Greece and Turkey tours each coincide with Easter in Greece (April 3-11) – a monumental cultural event and celebration – and includes both cooking classes and visits to archaeological gems of Athene, Crete and Santorini, hitting many wineries along the way.

The Piedmont and Cinque Terre tours (April 16-24) bring guests to “prestigious” wineries of Barolo and Barbaresco and allow countless opportunities for them to experience Piedmontese cuisine – a fusion of both Italian and French, while keeping a “home base” in the historical Renaissance town of Alba. The tours conclude with a 3-night stint in Santa Margherita, where guests can venture out to the hillside villages of Cinque Terre.

In the spirit of the harvest season

In the Fall, travelers can embark on two separate tours in Southern France, the first being the Rhone Valley – the “home of serious Syrah.” A virtual heaven for red wine lovers, the valley tour spends a full seven days exploring Tain L’sErmitage and Avignon, sampling world-class vintages like Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Tavel.

The Rhone tour is followed immediately by A Week in Provence and the Languedoc (October 14-22).The first half is based in Aix-en-Provence, a superb place close to all the highlight areas mentioned in Peter Mayle’ss A Year in Provence. The second half is based in Montpellier, in the heart of the Languedoc. The Languedoc is famous for its garrigue landscape which even permeates the olfactory dimensions of the wine. Cultural highlights will be visits to S’s232;te, the Roquefort cheese caves and oyster farms.

So, who takes these tours?

Everyone is welcome, whether they be casual wine drinkers or connoisseurs. Marottoli prides his tours on their ability to make travelers feel at home while exploring the wine drinking and wine making experience to the fullest. Vin has accommodated all ages and backgrounds, from honeymooners to retirees and all walks of life.

Where do guests sleep?

Wine Lovers selects hotels from the red Michelin Guide known for high standards. Guests are typically housed in one of the top hotels in the area.

What’s on the menu?

Typically, Marottoli provides breakfast and one major meal each day in an effort to provide a superior cultural experience for participants. From lunch with Baron Ladoucette in his private dining room in Chateau Nozet to vineyard cookouts under the moonlight, meals are one of the highlights of the tours.

For more information, visit www.wineloverstours.com.