Bespoke Wine Experiences Near Lake Como
If you are staying in Lake Como and are interested in tasting some fine Italian wines and cuisine, you can rely on ExquisItalia to arrange a memorable day, visiting some hidden gems. If you enjoy steep hills, red wine and rustic cuisine, Valtellina is your style and we will head north. If you are a fan of bubbles and like to sparkle with refined cuisine, then Franciacorta may be a pleasant surprise for your senses. You will also be ahead of the game, as Milan, Sondrio (Valtellina), Verona and the Dolomites will be hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics. The wines of these regions will become world renowned after many travelers to the events will finally have a chance to discover them.
Valtellina
alpine heroic vineyards
A day trip to the iconic Valtellina Valley, which starts at the northern tip of Lake Como and extends east across five sub-regions of wine. The lovely and rustic Valtellina is mountainous with a beautiful valley between its peaks. It is known for its apple production, local meats and cheeses, and of course beautiful wines. Activities you may enjoy in and around Valtellina include walking through the vineyards on well-marked trails, white water rafting, mountain climbing, resting afterwards in their famous thermal springs, or taking the scenic train journey through the Alps to nearby St. Moritz Switzerland.
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The grape varietal used in the production of Valtellina's elegant red wines is Chiavennasca, which is their local name for the Nebbiolo grape (used to produce the famed Barolo and Barbaresco). If you are an Amarone lover, you will enjoy Sforzato style, which is produced using the same method as Amarone, but using the single varietal Chiavennasca. Because the grapes are grown on very steep slopes and must be harvested by hand, Valtellina’s vineyards are known as "heroic". Come wine tasting with us at our favorite cantinas and to sample some outstanding wines with local meats and cheeses, and learn about their very unique style of producing exceptional wines.
The cuisine in Valtellina is rustic and pairs perfectly well the local wines. The area is known for its famous pasta dish, pizzoccheri, its stewed meets which melt in your mouth, and its traditional appetizer, sciatt, a deep fried cheesy delight, and much more.
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Here's a few examples of a curated chauffeured day trip:
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vineyard walk, lunch at the winery with food pairings and a winery tour
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winery visit, lunch at the winery with food pairings and a second winery visit
Click here to book with us
Franciacorta
the sparkling wine route
Franciacorta is at the foot of Lake Iseo in the Lombardy region. We consider this to be a yet undiscovered hidden gem of Italy, especially for gourmands. Francicorta is known for its champagne style sparkling wine (metedo classico in Italian) , which is produced using mostly Chardonnay, and sometimes Pinot Noir and Pinot Bianco grapes. The region boasts the highest percentage of organic vineyards in Italy. As expected, the wines are of great quality and their are some gorgeous wineries with memorable tours. With rolling hills, dotted with vineyards, Franciacorta is also known to be the land of Castles, and many of these preserved structures can be visited and used to host wine tastings.
Like Champagne France, we have discovered that the region’s fine cuisine pairs very well with their still and sparkling productions. One of our favorites is the risotto made with sparkling Franciacorta and a very delicate local cheese. We have selected some excellent and consistently good restaurants. In Franciacorta, it is not uncommon to have sparkling wine with meals.
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If you have members of your group that are not fond of sparkling wine, fear not as they also produce some beautiful still wines (Curtefranca) in Bordeaux style using grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and indigenous Barbera or Nebbiolo, and also whites using Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco.
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Here's a few examples of a curated chauffeured day trip:
-
winery visit, lunch at the winery with food pairings and a castle tour
-
winery visit, lunch at the winery with food pairings and a second winery visit
Click here to book with us