As you recall at the beginning of July I introduced you to my new friends Piero Pagliardini and his lovely wife Katherine Cohen, the proprietors of Vita Verde Imports. (To see post on July 7 click here.) In October of this year Piero and Katherine are hosting an exciting tour to Piero’s home region of Le Marche, Italy. It is an amazing tour and  I suggest you research the tour and region immediately. Through the research I have done, I found countless Pinterest pages devoted to the beauty and culture of Le Marche. Check it out! I have read countless travel blogs describing Le Marche, Italy as a hidden jewel and a must see destination. If you like to travel, if you like wine and food, if you like Italy, if you have been to Le Marche or have never been to Le Marche, if you like truffles and want to go truffle hunting….THIS IS THE TRIP FOR YOU!

First the wine, then the tour highlights….

If you recall from my first post my husband and I had a lovely evening drinking great Le Marche wine and hearing all about Piero’s life in Le Marche before he moved to Dallas in 2010. He shared some great wines with us that evening and gave us three wines to take home and try.

 

 

 

Terracruda BoccalinoBianchello Del Metauro: This soft golden white wine was made of Bianchello grapes in Fratterosa Pesaro E Urbino area of Le Marche. It opened with delightful citurs and floral aromas. On the palate it delivered flavors of lemon curd, and lime with marzipan and elder flowers. It was slightly tart with a lovely dryness, medium body, and medium acidity that paired very well with food. At 12.5% alcohol it was balanced and fresh. I paired this wine with oven roasted mahi mahi accompanied by orzo pasta with roasted vegetables and asparagus. I also paired it with sausage, rosemary and grape pizza. Delicious! The wine is crisp and refreshing so it was an excellent accompaniment to these two dishes.

Terracruda Orcio Colli Pesaresi: This vibrant ruby wine was made of 100% Sangiovese grapes and was also grown in the Fratterosa Pesaro E Urbino region of Le Marche. On the nose this wine delivered aromas of spice and floral scents, followed by an earthiness with a touch of leather. On the palate this lovely Sangiovese tasted of soft cherries, fresh strawberries, with soft baking spices, and a lingering minerality. It was light to medium body, with a lovely dryness, light tannins and well balanced acidity. The alcohol percentage was 13.3% so it was a lovely addition to food without overpower a meal. I paired it with traditional spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, fresh basil, meatballs and grated parmesan cheese as well as sausage, mozzarella and roasted red pepper pizza. This lovely Italian wine was a delightful pairing to these two Italian dishes.

Terracruda Sweet Tempation: We ended our meal with a bottle of Sweet Tempation that we had opened with Piero and Katherine and he insisted we take it home. This wine was a blend of Terracruda’s Pergola Rosso wine with a particular variety of wild cherries called “Visciole”. In July, when the cherries are mature, they are picked and mixed together with wine and sugar to obtain a second temperature controlled fermentation. The result is a sweet, delicate, particularly aromatic wine that marries well with desserts and chocolate based sweets. The syrupy garnet wine was delicious! It was sweet and thick and tasted and smelled of dark rich cherries and dark chocolate with a hint of vanilla and toasted almonds. It paired Great with our Italian Gelato, almond biscotti and dark chocolate. We were living the life of Italians in Le Marche!

So now that you know the wines from Le Marche are delicious, on to the tour…..

Day 1: Arrive in Rome, welcome dinner!

 

 

Day 2: Wine tasting in historic wine cellar in Montepulciano.

Day 4: Wine dinner with sommelier in Montepulciano. Wine lovers tour of

Montepulciano including 3 vineyards and lunch.

 Day 3: Day trip to Siena.

 

 

 

 

Day 5: Transfer to Urbino. Free time to explore. Traditional dinner.

Day 7: Visit to Terracruda Winery for lunch, tasting and wine making!

 

Day 6: Day trip to Carteceto for wine, oil, and incredible cheese tasting!

 

 

 

 Day 8: Day trip to Sant’ Angelo in Vado, for White Truffle and Wine Festival.

Day 9: Return to Sant’ Angelo in Vado for private truffle hunt and winery visit.

Day 10: Day trip to “Apecchio Beer City” to visit world a famous Italian brewery.  

 

 

Day 11: Transfer to Rome and farewell dinner.

Day 12: Departure with private transport to the airport.

 

*Registration deadline is August 12,2014. Piero has agreed to give a discount to all my readers who register.  Simply go to the Vita Verde Imports web site click on tour registration, click on the register tab under the New Wine Country Tuscany and Le Marche tour, select registration type, and as you fill out the registration form write “Rockin Red discount” to receive $100 off a single registration and $250 off a double registration!

Registration deadline is approaching so act today! Also, if you are unable to attend the full 12 day tour please contact Vita Verde Imports to inquire about their abbreviated tour. Additionally, please take a moment to Google Le Marche and read some of the awesome travel blogs and visitors sites that share the amazing gem that is Le Marche. This is truly a trip worth taking!

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with these lovely wines and this amazing tour is also a follow up to my previous post on the Vita Verde Tour to Le Marche, the song is Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra. This tour to Le Marche with Vita Verde will “fill your heart with song and let [you] sing forever more,” as Frank said. Le Marche may as well be the moon because this will be a trip you will remember for the rest of your life! This trip will provide you the same laid back, romantic and jazzy feeling of this song. So please do not delay; go to the Vita Verde Imports web page and register for this tour in October using your “RockinRed Discount.” With my discount you can save a little upfront so you have more money to buy delicious Italian wine!

Book your trip, bring home some of this outstanding Italian wine and let me know what song you would pair with it! Salud!