France · 7 days · 6–8 people
Burgundy and Champagne: the classics, with grower eyes
Seven days from Paris with sommelier Dante Minutello: a wine tour of grower Champagne in Vertus and Avize, then Burgundy from Morey-Saint-Denis to Chablis.
Topics
Cellar-Visit
Tours
France · 7 days · 6–10 people
Jura and Beaujolais: the natural wine heartland
Seven days from Lyon with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group natural wine tour of the Jura and Beaujolais in France, six cellars, vin jaune and Morgon.
Italy · 6 days · 6–10 people
Etna: wines from the volcano
Six days from Catania with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Etna, Sicily, from north-slope contrade and palmenti to Benanti's Carricante.
Italy · 5 days · 6–10 people
Friuli and Collio: orange wine at the border
Five days from Trieste with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Friuli's Collio and Carso, amber Ribolla in Oslavia, Vitovska and osmize.
Italy · 6 days · 6–10 people
Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco and the Langhe table
Six days from Turin with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont, Italy, with five estates and white truffles.
Austria · 5 days · 6–10 people
Austria: Wachau, Kamptal and Burgenland's natural cellars
Five days from Vienna with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Austria through the Wachau, Kamptal, Burgenland and the Heurigen of Vienna.
Georgia · 6 days · 6–10 people
Western Georgia: Imereti, Racha and the other qvevri
Six-day wine tour, Kutaisi to Tbilisi, with sommelier Dante Minutello: garden qvevri in Imereti, Khvanchkara cellars in Racha and the western Georgian table.
Georgia · 7 days · 6–10 people
Georgia: Kakheti, qvevri and the long table
Seven days from Tbilisi with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Kakheti and Kartli, Georgia, from qvevri maranis to a palace and the supra.
Czechia · 1 day · 2–8 people
Moravian cellars in a day: private tour from Brno
A private wine tour from Brno, Czechia, with sommelier Dante Minutello: four South Moravian cellars in one day, natural and classic, and lunch under Pálava.
ArmeniaGeorgia · 11 days · 6–10 people
Armenia and Georgia: two cradles of wine in eleven days
Eleven-day wine tour from Yerevan to Tbilisi with sommelier Dante Minutello: karas and qvevri cellars, Areni Noir and Saperavi, tables in Armenia and Georgia.
Czechia · 3 days · 6–10 people
South Moravia: a wine weekend from Brno
Three days from Brno with sommelier Dante Minutello: a wine tour of South Moravia, Czechia, from natural cellars in Modré Hory to Pálava and Znojmo.
Armenia · 7 days · 6–10 people
Armenia: Areni, karas and the canyons of Vayots Dzor
Seven days from Yerevan with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group wine tour of Armenia's Vayots Dzor, karas cellars, the Areni-1 cave and family tables.
France · 6 days · 6–10 people
Loire: Chenin, Cabernet Franc and the natural Anjou
Six days from Paris with sommelier Dante Minutello: a small-group Loire wine tour in France, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc from Vouvray to the natural Anjou.
Winemaker stories
Austria · Styria NaturalBiodynamic
Sepp and Maria Muster and the Opok above Leutschach
Sepp and Maria Muster, Leutschach, Styria, Austria: Demeter vines on Opok, Gräfin and Erde on skins, and the Schmecke das Leben farms on a private wine tour.
Austria · Burgenland Biodynamic
Claus Preisinger and the green roof above Gols
Claus Preisinger in Gols, Burgenland, Austria: a biodynamic winemaker of Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and St. Laurent in casks and amphorae above the Neusiedlersee.
Austria · Burgenland NaturalBiodynamic
Gut Oggau and the family with faces on the label
Gut Oggau, Burgenland, Austria: Eduard Tscheppe and Stephanie Tscheppe-Eselböck's biodynamic wines with faces on the label, on my Neusiedlersee wine tour.
Austria · Kamptal Organic
Willi Bründlmayer and the Lyra vines of the Heiligenstein
Bründlmayer at Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria: Riesling from the Permian sandstone of the Heiligenstein, Lyra-trained vines and Sekt on my Austria wine tour.
Austria · Wachau Classic
Lucas Pichler and the precision of the Kellerberg
F.X. Pichler, Oberloiben, Wachau, Austria: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from the Kellerberg, Loibenberg and Steinertal, a 2009 cellar and a wine tour visit.
Austria · Wachau Biodynamic
Nikolaihof and the Riesling that waited seventeen years
Nikolaihof, Mautern, Wachau, Austria: biodynamic since 1971, Riesling aged for years in casks inside Roman walls, and a wine tour visit with sommelier Dante.
Czechia · Velké Pavlovice Natural
Richard Stávek and the field blends of Němčičky
Richard Stávek in Němčičky, Velké Pavlovice, Czechia: a farmer-winemaker with 15 hectares, five of them vines, foot-trodden field blends, pet-nats and sheep.
Czechia · Velké Pavlovice Classic
Miloš Michlovský and the textbook cellar of Rakvice
Vinselekt Michlovský in Rakvice, Velké Pavlovice, Czechia: a grape breeder, professor and classic Moravian winemaker with 125 hectares and eight textbooks.
Czechia · Mikulov Classic
Oldřich Drápal Jr. and the sunny hill of Popice
Sonberk at Popice, Mikulov, Czechia: Josef Pleskot's winery above the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, and its Pálava, Riesling and straw wine on my Moravia wine tour.
Czechia · Znojmo Biodynamic
Petr Nejedlík and the qvevri buried near Znojmo
Dobrá Vinice at Nový Šaldorf, Znojmo, Czechia: winemaker Petr Nejedlík farms 16 hectares biodynamically in Podyjí and ages Grüner Veltliner in Georgian qvevri.
Czechia · Velké Pavlovice Natural
Petr Koráb and the living hill of Boleradice
Petr Koráb in Boleradice, Velké Pavlovice, Moravia: a 100-metre hillside cellar, pet-nats, skin-contact whites and sekt from a chef turned natural winemaker.
Czechia · Velké Pavlovice Natural
Milan Nestarec and the energy in a Velké Bílovice glass
Milan Nestarec in Velké Bílovice, South Moravia, Czechia: a natural winemaker of pét-nat, field blends and unfiltered whites, 45 minutes from my door in Brno.
France · Loire Biodynamic
Domaine Huet and the whole of Chenin in Vouvray
Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Loire, France: Chenin Blanc from sec to moelleux, three vineyards, biodynamic since 1988, tuffeau cellars and a wine tour visit.
France · Champagne Biodynamic
Pierre Larmandier and the chalk of Vertus
Larmandier-Bernier in Vertus, Champagne, France: biodynamic grower champagne from Côte des Blancs chalk, wild yeasts, oak foudres and dosage close to zero.
France · Beaujolais Classic
Claude-Édouard Geoffray and the blue stone of Brouilly
Château Thivin in Odenas, Beaujolais, France: the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, Gamay on blue volcanic stone and a classic Côte de Brouilly built to age.
France · Beaujolais Natural
Mathieu and Camille Lapierre and the cold cellar of Morgon
Domaine Marcel Lapierre, Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France: Gamay from the Côte du Py in a cold cellar, no added sulfur, and the winemakers behind it.
France · Jura Natural
Jean-François Ganevat and the old vines of Rotalier
Domaine Ganevat in Rotalier, Jura, France: Chardonnay from vines planted in 1902, rescued old grapes, and a winemaker who brought Burgundy discipline home.
France · Jura Biodynamic
Stéphane Tissot and the parcels of Arbois
Domaine Tissot in Montigny-lès-Arsures, Jura, France: biodynamic single-parcel Chardonnay, vin jaune and Trousseau in amphora from a winemaker mapping Arbois.
Italy · Etna Classic
Antonio and Salvino Benanti and the sea stone of Milo
Benanti in Viagrande on Etna, Italy: Pietra Marina Carricante from Milo, Nerello Mascalese Riservas, and the twin brothers who run the classic Etna reference.
Italy · Etna Natural
Frank Cornelissen and the buried clay of Solicchiata
Frank Cornelissen on Etna's north slope, Sicily, Italy: old-vine Nerello Mascalese, no wood, buried terracotta, and a winemaker who revises his method yearly.
Italy · Piedmont Traditional
Luca Roagna and the slow cellar of Barbaresco
Roagna in Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy: Nebbiolo macerated 60 to 70 days under a submerged cap, five years in old botti, and a winemaker who never hurries.
Italy · Piedmont Classic
Giuseppe Vaira and the stained glass of Vergne
G.D. Vajra in Vergne, at the top of Barolo, Piedmont, Italy: Bricco delle Viole Nebbiolo, Freisa and Riesling from a winemaker family under stained glass.
Italy · Friuli Natural
Saša Radikon and the slow Ribolla of Oslavia
Radikon in Oslavia, Collio, Friuli, Italy: Ribolla Gialla months on its skins, years in old oak, half-litre bottles, and the winemaker son who keeps the pace.
Italy · Friuli Natural
Joško Gravner and the qvevri of Oslavia
Gravner in Oslavia, Friuli Collio, Italy: Ribolla Gialla six months on skins in Georgian qvevri, six years in botti, and a winemaker who lets time do the work.
Georgia · Imereti Natural
Baia Abuladze and the churi of Obcha
Baia's Wine, Obcha, Imereti, Georgia: Tsitska, Tsolikouri and Krakhuna from churi buried in a village yard, and the young winemaker who put Obcha on a label.
Georgia · Kakheti Classic
Gogi Dakishvili and the two cellars of Kisiskhevi
Schuchmann Wines in Kisiskhevi, Kakheti, Georgia: winemaker Giorgi Dakishvili makes Saperavi and Kisi in steel and oak, and as Vinoterra in qvevri, near Telavi.
Georgia · Kartli Classic
Château Mukhrani and the prince who studied in Bordeaux
Château Mukhrani, Kartli, Georgia: a princely estate first bottled in 1878, revived in the 2000s, with Shavkapito and Goruli Mtsvane in steel and French oak.
Georgia · Imereti Natural
Ramaz Nikoladze and the qvevri in a garden near Kutaisi
Nikoladzeebis Marani, Nakhshirghele, Imereti, Georgia: winemaker Ramaz Nikoladze's Tsitska from qvevri in a garden, a fifth of the skins, no added sulfur.
Georgia · Kartli Natural
Iago Bitarishvili and the two Chinuris of Chardakhi
Winemaker Iago Bitarishvili in Chardakhi, Kartli, Georgia: two hectares of Chinuri in qvevri, organic since 2005, one grape made with and without skins.
Georgia · Kakheti Natural
John Wurdeman and the qvevri of Pheasant's Tears
Pheasant's Tears in Sighnaghi, Kakheti, Georgia: a painter, a grower, amber Rkatsiteli from buried qvevri, a 117-grape field blend and a winemaker who sings.
Armenia · Vayots Dzor Traditional
Armen Khalatyan and the old bridge over the Arpa
Old Bridge Winery, Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: a family winemaker since 1998, five hectares of Areni Noir and Voskehat, and a 13th-century bridge.
Armenia · Armavir Classic
Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian and 400 hectares under Ararat
Karas Wines, Armavir, Armenia: about 400 hectares of Syrah, Malbec and Kangun on the Ararat plain, and the classic estate I visit on my Armenia wine tour.
Armenia · Vayots Dzor Classic
Vahe Keushguerian and the sparkling vines of Khachik
Keush, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: traditional-method sparkling from Voskehat and Khatouni grown up to 1,750 metres near Khachik by winemaker Vahe Keushguerian.
Armenia · Aragatsotn Classic
Voskevaz and the karas hall of Aragatsotn
Voskevaz Winery, Aragatsotn, Armenia: a state winery from 1932, a hall of working clay karas, and the Voskehat I pour on my Armenia wine tour from Yerevan.
Armenia · Vayots Dzor OrganicTraditional
Hovakim Saghatelyan and the organic vines of Aghavnadzor
Trinity Canyon Vineyards, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: organic Areni Noir at 1,300 metres, karas in the cellar, and a harvest afternoon on my Armenia wine tour.
Armenia · Vayots Dzor Traditional
Zorik Gharibian and the buried karas of Rind
Zorah Wines in Rind, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: Areni Noir aged in buried clay karas at 1,400 metres, and a winemaker who came back from Milan to make it.
Wine knowledge
cellar-visit · food-pairing
How to visit a winemaker: etiquette, questions, buying
Sommelier Dante Minutello on visiting a winemaker: how to book, what to ask in the cellar, supra and sklípek manners, buying wine and getting it home safely.
cellar-visit · food-pairing
How to taste wine like a sommelier (in a cellar, not a classroom)
Sommelier Dante Minutello on tasting wine in a working cellar: look, smell, taste for structure, and what to ask the winemaker, from Armenia to Moravia.
Tell me where you want to drink
Write in any of my five languages. I answer personally, usually within a day.
Dante replies personally, usually within a day, in English, Russian, Czech, Armenian or Italian.