Whether you are planning your next trip to Italy or enjoying a glass of Chianti from home, we have some good news for Italian wine lovers (and Italy’s economy!)  After the 2015 harvest, Italy is set to reclaim its spot as the world’s biggest wine producer.  This year’s production bounced back from last year when strong rains spoiled yields of popular Italian grapes.

Fall is here and towns all over Italy are celebrating local products and seasonal fare.  Visitors to Italy can find food festivals throughout the country, celebrating autumn’s bounties such as truffles, mushrooms, chestnuts, and chocolate.

Southern Italy is known for many things: stunning coastlines, blue seas, fresh seafood, handmade pasta, and so on; but world class wine is not often at the top of the list.  However, in reality southern Italy produces some of the best wines in the country.  Campania, the second most southern region in Italy, is home to several excellent wineries which in recent years are being acknowledged by the global wine community.

Expo 2015 is finally here, and with the world fair running through October 31, there is still plenty of time to visit.

Image © Italian Concierge

If you’ve seen the flyer for our upcoming Puglia and Basilicata tour in May 2014, you know that in addition to custom travel planning, the Italian Concierge also runs luxury walking tours.

With fall and la vendemmia (the harvest), nearly upon us, I’ve been reminiscing about visiting my favorite wineries in Italy.

One of the best ways to do that is to walk through Piedmont, stopping in castles for lunch, visiting the wine archives, and tasting the other rich bounties of Piedmont’s famous soil, like truffles.