Hidden Wineries, an online guide to lesser-known vineyards in Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand, has just added Italy to its portfolio, specifically the area around Bergamo. The website, founded two years ago by an enthusiastic German/Irish couple, Birgit and Colin Dederichs Bain, has its main focus on German wines because of the huge improvements in the quality of Rieslings and the growth of young, innovative winemakers in the country.
Passionate about their subject, the pair who travel a lot, conduct a huge amount of personal research, not just of the quality vineyards, but also interesting places to stay and eat, so basically what you pay for (€60), is their insider knowledge and recommendations. They can also offer tailor-made wine tours based on clients’ specific requirements or tastes. One guest, for example, wanted to fly to Bordeaux for a weekend and have a three-day guided tour – they reckon that a maximum of nine wineries is enough for such a visit. This lovely guesthouse is one of their finds in Cahors. For further information and special spring offers see www.hidden-wineries.com.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/d33dd2e5-4d19-4a18-a981-cd0fd876ce62.png)