Beer and wine tour in Northern Italy

Day one Arrival in Milan. Our bus will take us towards the mountains and the land of heroic wines. A welcome drink will be served in our own Winery in Pont-Saint-Martin: Enoteca Roma 5. While in Pont-Saint-Martin we will have time to admire the Roman bridge which is over 2000 years old. This, one of the largest and best-preserved ancient arch bridges in the world, forms both a visual and mythological contribution to the town. We will then continue on to the small medieval village of Bard, which has only 132 inhabitants (we know them all), and our four-star Hotel Ad Gallias, housed in a carefully restored historic building. 

Day two We begin the day at a relaxed pace with a buffet breakfast and a historic walk along the Roman road, which leads straight through the village. We will look into some of the remarkable houses and hear the exciting story about when the people of Bard held, a surprised, Napoleon bay for days. On the other side of the ridge, forming a natural border between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont, lays the town of Biella with the esteemed Menabrea brewery, founded by Giuseppe Menabrea in 1846. We will visit the brewery and its associated museum. Lunch will be served at Menabrea's own restaurant, where the menu is composed in harmony with the golden brew. After lunch we will head to Carema, ancient land of the Nebbiolo-grape, where wine making is still small-scale and artisan. Here we will visit the village's wine press and walk along the ancient wine routes. The wine cultivating family Bonin will have us as guests for dinner - homemade food and good stories guaranteed!

Day three We will prepare for a long and somewhat adventurous day. The region is filled with castles and fortresses from different eras. The castle of Verres will take us on a journey through time among kings, earls and witchcraft. In the classic alpine village of Courmayeur high level adventures await us. SkyWay Monte Bianco offers us the possibility to climb to the heart of the Mont Blanc massif. We will pause at the middle station, the Pavillon at 2.173 m above sea level, and features a wine cellar known as Cave Mont Blanc. Those who would like to will have the opportunity to continue with the cable car all the way up to Punta Helbronner at 3.466 m, and get to see the breathtaking view of an impressive part of the Italian, French and Swiss Alps. In the afternoon we will visit the Les Crêtes wineyard and the Charrère family. The Charrère’s family history begins in 1750 and still lives with great respect for the traditions and values handed down over time. The attention on innovation and the care of the land are the engine of a company that puts heart and soul into wine-making. Dinner is among the locals in a trattoria close to the hotel.

Day four In the morning we will visit Fort Bard. This impressive fort has a long and not entirely known history. There was probably a fortification already here in pre-Roman times. Today the fort houses an avant-garde museum, which tells the story of a living, breathing mountain transformed in the hands of mankind. In the afternoon we will discover Aosta "Rome of the Alps", founded by Emperor Augustus in 25 BC. The city center inside the well-preserved city wall is car-free and will allow us to walk at a leisurely pace among attractions such as the Roman amphitheater and the cathedral dating from the 1100s, alongside the cities many shops and cafes. We meet up at a brew-pub where we get a guided tour of the production process and a taste of the different beers before dinner in the same place.

Day five  We will visit one of the few independent wine-producers in Donnas, Pianta Grossa. Here a light lunch will be served and Luciano, who left his day job to make wine, may even show us where the family hid the bottles during World War II. Departure to the airport.