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Paula Kloza
"Thank you for your detailed attention to our Italy trip.It was truly a trip of a lifetime. The connections were seamless. Venice was a Fairyland.Our rooms faced the Grand Canal and we were able to throw open the windows and take in the view.We were treated like special guests in each restaurant, and the first question asked was "who has the dairy allergy?" I am truly grateful for this consideration.We ate and drank to our hearts content and walked so much, no one gained weight! Our guides were delightful. Each one was proud of their city, and they brought unique personalities and scholarship to our tours.I learned so much from these supremely educated women, and was happy to have an insider's viewpoint. We loved the winery tours and Tuscany.The scenery was truly memorable.Now I understand why everyone loves Tuscany so much. The keepsake itinerary kept us on schedule and provided suggestions for our free time as well as dining tips.This trip was more than enjoyable It was life changing. I am grateful for your experience and hope to use Cellar Tours for future vacations."
-Paula Kloza, New Jersey, Italy Grand Wine Tour Oct 2014
"I would like to share a few of my impressions about our recent Cellar Tours trip to Italy. This was my first European tour, and everything went smoothly. I was happy with the service, attention, and kindness that we were shown. You certainly planned everything with both efficiency and comfort in mind. Each hotel was conveniently located. Their decor and ambience were beautiful. The planned meals were so delicious they have changed the way that I think about food and wine. I don't think that I have ever eaten so well. I also learned so much about Italian wine at the wineries that we visited. The Tuscan scenery was simply perfection. The keepsake helped us stay on schedule. The drivers were friendly, punctual, accommodating, professional and I felt very safe in their care. Please thank each one of them for their excellent service. I enjoyed every minute that I was in Italy. We had a good balance between planned and free time. I have already recommended your company to friends. I hope that I will be able to tour with Cellar Tours again. I have included a photo of us at Castello Gabbiano. Thank you for all that you did to make our Italian experience a dream come true."
-Susan Stone, New Jersey, Italy Grand Wine Tour Oct 2014
"We have already recommended Cellar Tours to several people, as we thought it was a good value for the experience and very well organized. I'm sure we'll be repeat customers again too! Thanks for such a good trip. "
-Kristin Chambers, California, Piedmont Wine Tour Oct 2014
Truffle Hunting
"We wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed Luca, Giotto , the truffle hunt and luncheon at Savini Tartufi. It could not have been a nicer experience. Somewhat unusual for me to say, but there isn't a thing I would have changed. Luca was a wonderful host and made us feel as though we were dear friends. It was nice seeing Stefano again, and our quick stop in Pisa was perfect. We look forward to working with you again in the future. All the best!"
-Audrey Mitnick, New York, Tuscany Truffle Tour, Oct 2014
"The overall organization of the trip was excellent. Everything worked, Stefano was always early or on time. There were no snafus for hotel reservations or restaurant reservations. Everyone was expecting us. The winery tastings and tours were well organized. I have already recommended cellar tours to several people in the week since I returned. Everything that was under your control worked. The choices of hotels were excellent, but could have been better situated. You exceeded my expectations several times through out the week. Wow!! We know how much work goes into planning this kind of trip. We appreciate your attention to the details."
-Nicholas & Veronica Brownlee, Massachusetts, Tuscany Wine Tour Oct 2014
"We would recommend Cellar Tours very highly. We've done this type of tour before when in Italy, a couple of times, but we found that your attention to detail, the keepsake & the special menus made if feel unique for us. "
-Holly Barrow, Bahamas, Northern Spain Gourmet Tour, September 2014
"Thank you so much for arranging the best vacation we've ever had! Everything was perfect; nothing went wrong. We loved Suaro and the guides were wonderful. Accommodations, food and wine could not have been better. We will travel with you again! "
-Cecelia and Ted Hoyt, Lousiana, Tuscany Wine Tour, Oct 2014
"Wow, Pichon Longueville really did a great job for us. We enjoyed this one very much.The blending class at Lagrange was really a lot of fun. Roda was one of our favorites, both for the top quality of the wine and the friendly welcoming atmosphere. We were really impressed that Roda and some of the other Spanish wineries had gifts for us, that really made us feel special.Clos Mirande was a lovely restaurant, excellent food, beautiful setting.La Lagune was one of our favorite experiences, the setting was beautiful and the food was excellent.We enjoyed talking to the young female chef who was from Canada. The pintxos walking tour in San Sebastian was a real highlight. Lourdes was a tremendous extrovert, really a party person. Her selections of food were delicious. Elkano was an excellent restaurant, much more formal than we had been expecting. To see the fish grilled outside was very interesting. Akelarre (3 Michelin starred) , loved it, really a memorable experience. We have never had a dining experience quite like this and they treated us like royalty. Marques de Murrieta was a perfect way to end the trip, really quite an experience. You did a fantastic job. Thank you again."
-Pam Wald, California. Bordeaux and Northern Spain Luxury Wine Tour, Oct 2014
"We can't thank you enough for our amazing excursion through beautiful Ireland. We were treated like royalty by everyone. From the hotel upgrades, cookbooks, generous gifts, to the champagne and strawberries, it was such a treat. The agenda was flawless in both design and execution. We appreciate all your hard work and attention to detail and thank you for taking the time on such a busy day to stop by and meet us at Fishy Fishy. It was a delight to see you and definitely the best fish and chips ever!Sean also deserves our praise. So knowledgeable, professional, and accommodating. He went above and beyond to make sure we experienced it all; the scenery, the past, the present, and the generosity and humour of the Irish. Superior guide and a perfect fit for us. So thank you again.You have succeeded in making our adventure a very memorable one and one we will hold dear for years to come."
-Holly Murphy, Canada. Luxury Tour of Ireland, October 2014
"One of the wonderful things about our trip was once we had gone through the planning stage and had come up with an itinerary, our work was done. You made all the reservations for our accommodations, directing us to the "right" wineries, fabulous restaurants, and our Drivers Sauro and Stefano, who were wonderful, were always on time, took great care in calling ahead to let the wineries and restaurants know when we would be arriving, and drove very professionally on some very interesting roads!! For two people who always are in charge to be able to sit back and enjoy beautiful Tuscany and Verona was "magical!"We can't say enough how much we thoroughly enjoyed our trip.We came home rested and that is saying something after all the wineries we visited!!"
-Sharon Pulse, Washington, Luxury Wine Tour of Veneto and Tuscany, September 2014
"We had a wonderful time on the tour. It was beyond my expectations! The trip was well organized and all the "suppliers" were very welcoming. It was an amazing time! We tell our friends that we felt like Rock Stars ;-). I would absolutely recommend Cellar Tours, top notch tours. "
-Denise Jordan, California, Luxury Rome and Tuscany Wine Tour, September 2014
"The trip was amazing. The first day at dinner I said to my husband, " oh ,my God Genevieve listened to what I asked for". There were no flow issues. The Parma location was amazing, the suite was breath taking. It was an awesome location, I requested a bottle of wine and within seconds a women appeared at our door, silver tray in hand and opened the bottle and served. The food and wine pairing was beyond words.Marco was very nice and professional, he was good if we wanted to be dropped of at other places, he was very helpful with things to see in Florence.Bolognia cooking tour was so much fun, we didn't have much time to enjoy Bolognia after the class but I called Marco and asked if he could pick us up a little later and it was not a problem.The wineries were amazing and the lunch was fabulous , I think the one the second day would have been enough, although we arrived early to the second winery and they were able to accommodate us. It was spectacular. Thank you so much. I will highly recommend your company. Thank you again. "
-Michele Tourtillotte, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany Gourmet Tour, Sept 2014
Tony & Suzanne
"The short version is everything was great."
-Tony and Suzanne Ratchford , Canada. Gourmet Tour Tuscany Sept 2014
"The organization was great, and it flowed well. The accommodations were perfect for us, in terms of location and friendliness/helpfulness of the staff. Inn at Spanish Steps checked us in quite early and gave us breakfast. Meals were all AT LEAST very good. Some of them were memorable.Altesino served simple but fresh and delicious food that paired well with their wine. Even though it was served in the tasting room - or maybe BECAUSE it was served in the tasting room - the atmosphere enhanced the experience. The lunch at Sassicaia was delicious with good wine pairings. Roscioli - This was one of the most unusual dining experiences I've ever had. Incredibly fun and educational, too. Food was fresh and delicious (I will never be able to enjoy buffalo mozzarella in the U.S. again!) . I wish I could go there with my tasting group once a month. Really great way to wrap up our visit.Il Palazzone winery in Montalcino- I had never even heard of them before. Glad you introduced us. Laura was a great hostess. Generously poured some older vintages that were not on the tasting. Nothing you could have done to make the trip more enjoyable. It was wonderful! Thanks again for everything, Gen! "
-Steve Beutler, California. Rome and Tuscany Wine Connosseurs Tour, Sept 2014
"We were kept busy, just as we wanted.The tapas tour in madrid was my favorite. David was a fantastic host and a great drinking companion.Adolfo´s had very gracious service.Enoteca at Hotel Arts was a highlight. They really made us feel like royalty.La Fragata in Sitges was also very, very nice. Loved the view from the patio.Abac in Barcelona was quite sophisticated and tasteful.Drivers Mariano and Josep were both very helpful and accommodating. The wineries (Finca Loranque, Agusti Torello, Pares Balta, Costers del Siurana and Mas Doix) were all so nice, and we were able to meet with the proprietors at several of them. Thank you!! The welcome wine gift was very thoughtful. "
-David Gevertz, Atlanta. Madrid and Barcelona Gourmet Tours, Sept 2014
"Henry and I really enjoyed our Spain visit. Overall, we planned a good mix of sightseeing and wineries. "
-Sharon Wasik, California. Spain Luxury Tour, Sept 2014
"Thank you for the wine and chocolate, we appreciate your thoughtfulness. We are having a great time and Francesco is a wonderful driver and guide we feel the he has become a friend.We really appreciate everything you have done and would recommend. He has been extremely attentive and helpful.I cannot say enough about your planning of the trip. Thank you so much for the wine and olive oil from Monsanto.We highly recommend Cellar tours.You did an outstanding tour and I do believe you saved the best for the last night.They upgraded the room and had a bottle of sparkling wine and fruit in the room when we arrived. An outstanding trip, thank you. "
-Jessie Stout, Texas. 50 Year Wedding Anniversary Tour of Italy
"At Caffe Poliziano we had the best table in the house with great views (thanks!). LOTS of great food and wine pairings. We had driver Stefano for a few days of the tour and he was just wonderful.Sonia was so knowledgeable too.It was nice to arrive in Italy and have such a wonderful reception on the way to the hotel. Caiarossa- very informative tour.Loved it. It was really wonderful to get to experience a barrel tasting before going to the tasting room to taste the bottled blends.Loved the history at Badia Coltibuono, the gardens, and the amazing wine cellar. One of our favorite stops. The grounds were beautiful at Capanelle, Loved the personalized bottle of wine they gave us in honor of our Anniversary. Cinque Terrewas wonderful. Enjoyed the hike and exploring the town.Would come back there again on another trip. The Excelsior in Rapallo has an excellent location. Enjoyed the time on our own to explore Portofino and Rapallo area. Hotel room was roomy and LOVED the balcony. The flowers were beautiful (thanks again). Villa Cora in Florence- The service at this hotel was outstanding. The views from the rooftop deck were unbelievable. The staff helped Paul arrange a light meal on the rooftop with candles and wine for the 2 of us to enjoy the sunset and views on our last night in Florence. Amazing end to our vacation."
-Lisa and Paul Heine, Minnesota 20th anniversary celebration Liguria and Tuscany Aug 2014.
"I thought the organization and flow were outstanding. All of the accommodations were excellent, as was the service. L'Andana really stood out with a large room and exceptional bathroom (my wife loved that). It also had a nice country resort feel. All of the meals were great. Boccon Divino had the best pasta my wife and I have had and a spectacular view. Vehicle was always clean with plenty of water. The driver, Francesco, was great. My wife and I would rate him 6 stars out of 5. The Keepsake was thorough and very helpful. I would highly recommend Cellar Tours. The trip had a lot of details, yet we did not have one issue or problem, which was a pleasant surprise. You generally expect something to off during a weeklong trip, but again, it all flowed perfectly. I look forward to having Cellar Tours arrange another wine tasting trip in the future."
-Todd Johnson, Iowa. Luxury Tuscany Summer wine tour, Aug 2014
"Relais Blu was very very nice, no complaints! Il Riccio in Capri was better than perfect, we had fun with the Sommelier, the food was top notch and they were very accommodating with the food. Vigne di Raito – again, better than perfect. Everything about the meal, setting, conversation, etc was amazing. Visiting Patrizia was such great fun!Driver Frank was always punctual, helpful, never flustered with traffic, and a most polished driver. We LOVED the boat trip, it was great. Francesco was very polite and accommodating - we enjoyed many swim stops. The Limoncello tasting was fun, we really enjoyed it. Pompeii was good, very hot! Great trip for sure, the trip to Capri with the wine tasting and lunch was a highlight for Joe and I. We had seen the 'Trip to Italy' at Sundance Film Festival in January 2014 so I was super excited to eat at Il Riccio as it was one of the restaurants visited in the movie – we were so well taken care of. "
-Susan Cook, Canada. Amalfi Coast Gourmet Tour, Aug 2014
"Everything was first class as we knew it would be with you and your company. Both wineries were interesting and very generous with their wine tasting.The restaurant for lunch was perfect. It was a WONDERFUL day and thank you so much for your attention to every detail!Thanks for everything."
-Kay Burke, Penedes Wine Excursion from Barcelona, June 2014
"We had an excellent trip and genuinely enjoyed ourselves immensely..... and I have to say somewhat surprisingly as the trip definitely exceeded our expectations. There was very little we would change. Chateau La Lagune was a truly amazing experience!! Chateau Kirwan, an absolutely wonderful lunch here with outstanding food, amazing wines and a wonderful host. A highlight of our trip!!!Pavillions des Bouelvards......Outstanding food and impeccable service in a wonderful setting. Angelus was amazing. Best guide of the trip. All in all a great mix of wineries, all definitely different from one another. Everything went accordingly to plan and schedule. All very well organised. You are to be congratulated. Quite frankly both Jean and I were very surprised at how much we enjoyed this trip. Having known little about Cellar Tours we did take somewhat of a chance but we were definitely not disappointed. We travel a lot and have had many many wonderful experiences over the years....this trip was certainly one of the great ones. Thank you so much Genevieve for a wonderful experience. We hope we have the opportunity to use Cellar Tours again in the future."
-John Carr, Australia. Luxury Bordeaux Wine Tour June 2014
"Everything about the Ashbee in Taormina was wonderful. 5*+. Ciro Biondi was an amazing experience! The food was wonderfully simple and fresh. Absolutely delicious! Ciro and his wife, Stephanie, are such a lovely couple.Cottanera was great. Again, simple, fresh and way too much. Il Duomo, OMG!, was over the top. The chef and staff were amazingly attentive and the experience was like no other. It is a very special restaurant. Driver Sebastiano is a sweetheart. He actually gave us some of his wine and fruit from his own garden. We even met his wife.They are absolutely lovely. I was very pleasantly surprised at how good the Sicilian wines were. Siracusa Tour guide Enzo was very knowledgeable. He definitely went above and beyond my expectations. The cooking class in Taormina was a lovely experience. Carmello and Louisa were so warm and charming and the food is incredible!! It was a great day! I would definitely recommend you again and again and again!! "
-Joan Cefali, Sicily Wine Tour June 2014
"The trip was perfect and very well timed out.Burdigala was great. The room was spacious and well appointed. Clos Mirande was the highlight of the trip interms of of food and ambiance. All the meals were excellent.The car was fantastic and the driver was friendly, informative and accomodating. He made us feel like we were real VIPs. My daughter said it would be hard to go back to a normal lifestyle after having the princess treatment. All the wine tastings and tours were enjoyable and informative. The keepsake document was useful and filled with interesting information that made the wine tours more enjoyable. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours, I am already thinking of sceduling another trip. It was everything I was hoping for."
-Joseph Priselac Jr , New York. Bordeaux Wine Tour May 2014
"Our trip was wonderful, southern Spain is so interesting with so much history. Your book is great...I keep reading it over and over. Also thank you for the wine and olive oil. Everything you planned for us was wonderful. We loved the hotels, even Cordoba after we got moved. Our tours were great and the guides wonderful. We learned so much.The restaurants, of course, were fabulous.We really loved the winery tours and tastings.Everyone at the restaurants and tours were so friendly and kind. Also the restaurants the hotels sent us to, and some you suggested were great also.We especially enjoyed Robert, our driver. He was so much fun and interesting to talk with and be with. It was all perfect and we could just relax and enjoy our trip because you and Robert took care of everything!"
-Sue and Craig Damos, Iowa. Andalucia Luxury Wine Tour May 2014
Todd Tinkler
"As you know we have many choices when choosing a travel providers but you deliver and provide on every level of expectation. We learned from our first trip that your standards were very high and that carried through on this trip as well. Your itinerary was great and provided us a wide spectrum of Ireland. It rained only while we were travelling to Dublin and then the sun came out. Merrion upgraded us to a suite that was larger than our apartment in Atlanta. The Wicklow carriage ride was fun with the comedic Johnny at the reins. Powerscourt was fabulous and came in second to Mizen Head as far as vistas are concerned.A big plus was having Mick as our driver. He truly does have the gift of gab and provided accurate historical information throughout. He also made sure that wherever we went that he escorted us… removing any intimidation that might have occurred. Finally, the Irish people as a whole were so welcoming and friendly everywhere we went. What a plus when travelling abroad. Chile in March 2015"
-Todd Tinkler, Atlanta Ireland Discovery Tour, May 2014
"We liked the organization of the trip and the mixture of activities including tours and winery visits and the pace was comfortable.Los Parajes in Laguardia was a charming hotel in a medieval town. Once again, we had large comfortable rooms and very good service. We had dinner in the hotel and enjoyed it very much. The Palace in Barcelona is an elegant hotel, well located with gracious service and a wonderful breakfast. Caoba in Madrid- great food and wine pairing in a private room with wonderful service. Fonda Gaig was one of our favorites with great pairings. Las Duelas was a very nice atmosphere in converted monastery. Good food and service. Cristina in Madrid is a great guide with perfect English, extensive knowledge and she's able to personalize the tour. And Monica in Barcelona has very good English skills and a passion for Antoni Gaudi which she shares with her clients. At Condado de Haza we were treated like VIPS and provided with wonderful food as well as great wine. Roda has a nice hostess and tour and good wine. Torello, a small, exclusive cava producer with an interesting tour and tasting, and we loved the gift. Pares Balta was a nice contrast which produces a variety of wines to sample. The tour guide was very nice. The program was very helpful since it included a quick itinerary as well as more details to read in the car on our way to the next adventure. Now we can review our tour.The cars were clean and comfortable and the drivers were punctual and courteous. We were particularly impressed by Roberto who is very engaging and communicative. He pointed out sights and always escorted us into restaurants or wineries and introduced us to the staff. If we were running late, as we often were, he called ahead. The gifts were fabulous! First we received a welcome gift in our hotel and then wine and olive oil at various wineries. The Kripta was stunning! The trip was enjoyable from beginning to ending, we would enthusiastically recommend Cellar Tours for a first class tour."
-Margo Gibbs and Christine D. Schaefer, Abu Dhabi. Spain Gourmet Luxury Tour Oct 2013
"Well for starters we loved our guide Sonia! She was pleasant, punctual, flexible and most of all, knowledgeable! Could not have had a better guide!Also loved the hunting for truffles with the truffle hunter and his dogs…Diana the girl dog did all the work!! The restaurants we went to for luncheon were probably a little too much food for us, but better at lunch than dinner…a bit more rustic would have been a bit more fun or perhaps alternate, fancy, rustic, fancy…however the food and service were ALWAYS superb! We enjoyed the pace of each day – reasonable start time and at a pleasant pace…not too rushed, just nice…You are more than welcome to use my Glowing comments! Thank you again!!"
-Sally Kiernan, Los Angeles, Ca. Piedmont Gourmet Tour Oct 2013
Margo Gibbs and Christine D. Schaefer
"We liked the organization of the trip and the mixture of activities including tours and winery visits and the pace was comfortable.Los Parajes in Laguardia was a charming hotel in a medieval town. Once again, we had large comfortable rooms and very good service. We had dinner in the hotel and enjoyed it very much. The Palace in Barcelona is an elegant hotel, well located with gracious service and a wonderful breakfast. Caoba in Madrid- great food and wine pairing in a private room with wonderful service. Fonda Gaig was one of our favorites with great pairings. Las Duelas was a very nice atmosphere in converted monastery. Good food and service. Cristina in Madrid is a great guide with perfect English, extensive knowledge and she's able to personalize the tour. And Monica in Barcelona has very good English skills and a passion for Antoni Gaudi which she shares with her clients. At Condado de Haza we were treated like VIPS and provided with wonderful food as well as great wine. Roda has a nice hostess and tour and good wine. Torello, a small, exclusive cava producer with an interesting tour and tasting, and we loved the gift. Pares Balta was a nice contrast which produces a variety of wines to sample. The tour guide was very nice. The program was very helpful since it included a quick itinerary as well as more details to read in the car on our way to the next adventure. Now we can review our tour.The cars were clean and comfortable and the drivers were punctual and courteous. We were particularly impressed by Roberto who is very engaging and communicative. He pointed out sights and always escorted us into restaurants or wineries and introduced us to the staff. If we were running late, as we often were, he called ahead. The gifts were fabulous! First we received a welcome gift in our hotel and then wine and olive oil at various wineries. The Kripta was stunning! The trip was enjoyable from beginning to ending, we would enthusiastically recommend Cellar Tours for a first class tour."
-Margo Gibbs and Christine D. Schaefer, Abu Dhabi. Spain Gourmet Luxury Tour Oct 2013
"Overall organization of the trip was fantastic. We never felt rushed, and we thought it was the perfect mix of wine tastings and general sightseeing. In fact, we had some additional downtime and our driver took us to some places that weren't even on the itinerary and we loved them.The Gallery Art Hotel was very nice. The best part was the location, and it also had a very spacious room. The only problem with this hotel was the loud house music they played in the bar until 12:30am. Once that turned off it was easy to sleep, and we mostly enjoyed the hotel. Villa Armena was EXCELLENT. The entire properly is very tastefully decorated, the family who owns the hotel is very nice and accommodating. The food at Cibreo was very unique and we are very glad we ate here. The service was extremely slow - at one point we never saw a waiter for over 1 hour. Typically, European service is slower than we are used to in the US, but this was much slower than normal. Even so, we enjoyed the food and wine. Divo was one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. The atmosphere in the restaurant is amazing, the food was excellent, and Chef Pino made us feel very special as he came out to pour each generous portion of wine. A true culinary highlight of our trip. Altesino was also a highlight for us. The food was delicious and felt very "home-cooked." The first salad was delicious, and the fried potatoes were some of the best we've ever had anywhere. We also loved that our tour guide sat down and joined us for lunch as we were able to ask her questions and learn a lot about the wine, Italy, etc. Stefano was an excellent driver. Very professional, always able to answer questions and made sure we were doing exactly what we wanted to do. We loved traveling around Tuscany in this fashion. Siena was a highlight for us. It was great to break up the wine tastings with a tour like this. Stella has a great passion for her city and it really came through in the time we spent with her. We learned so much! It was great to have a first-class experience without having to think too much about planning."
-Garrett B, UK, Tuscan Wine Weekend. Oct 2013
"On behalf of the Helfands and the Baldings I want to thank you for a glorious trip. With only a few - very few - exceptions everything: the food, the wine, the drivers, the art, the guides, the special trips were wonderful. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Your care to detail in organizing exactly what we wanted was remarkable and we want you to know how much we appreciated it all."
-Joyce Helfand, Arcadia, Ca. Italy Grand Tour Sept 2013
"What a pleasure to be picked up,on time, after dropping off our rental car, and continue our holiday, in the hands of Sauro our driver for the week to come. Saura was knowledgeable, punctual,charming, and obviously took pride in his position.His vehicle was always spotless, he was always such a gentleman, quietly waiting for us, as we returned from each excursion, and a smooth and steady driver.A lovely man! Our trip was a pleasure to plan, your questionnaire gave us all guidelines, and after a couple of minor changes in itinerary during the process,we were set to go. Never empty glasses waiting for refill on this trip. Our light lunches,at various vineyards with tastings, were also executed well, simply done,wines cheeses, olives small offerings of local ingredients. The staff, site guides, informative and very personable at each and every one. Lunch at the olive farm,Poggio Cappiano, prepared by the 'wife' was over the top. Food/wine just kept on coming, lovely experience. All was family style, prepared upstairs in the family kitchen, and served to the four of us! Food enough for???10! Now the truffle hunt,Riccardo with Luna the pup in training, and her experienced mom was so exciting.This was something we had always heard about, and always wanted to do! We were thrilled to see 3 black truffles unearthed. Beconcini with Eva and Leo…another delightful, interesting, personal glimpse into the lives of these hard working winemakers! A walk into the vineyards…hearing tales of the local hunters, the weather concerns, the history of the wines, and the family that has nourished these vines and this business for many years. Loved it! Florence revisited by all four of us, but this time made special by our guide Emanuela. We enjoyed a walk about, detailing hidden little alcoves, and stories never before heard. Emanuela spoke excellent English,had a gentle personality ,very knowledgeable,not just textbook comments recited! So our week went 'just as planned' without problems or glitches of any description. We especially enjoyed the visits at the smaller vineyards.Needless to say…we were thrilled with all aspects of our…CellarTours experience. Will, and have already passed along your info to friends with an interest. We heard of you from a couple we met while travelling in Rwanda…who had booked with you previously,and highly recommended. We hope to travel with you again."
-Joan Gilroy, Ontario, Canda. Tuscany Food and Wine Adventure Sept 2013
"First of all, we must state that the tour met our expectations and more and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Now that we are back home we have been recalling the many happy memories we have of the time spent with Roberto. We also sincerely thank you for the suggested itinerary for our time after the Cellar Tours.The days worked out well and were generally paced to suit us. Los Parajes was a lovely hotel, excellent staff, massive room and a beautiful town location. Villa Soro in San Sebastian is among the best hotels we have stayed in across the globe. Delightful setting, comfortable room and very helpful staff. The walk to the old town was a bit longer than we thought but the hotel more than compensated.What superlative can we use for Etxebarri? Extraordinary meal in a magnificent setting – we had a table next to a window looking out at the mountain range. The only challenge was the Galician Chop towards the end of the meal. We were unable to do justice to what was a magnificent meat dish. A very special experience for us. Elkano was an excellent meal and an interesting town in which it was located. Waiter went to great pains to assist us with selections – food and wine. Car excellent and always clean, always a fresh bottle of water each day. Roberto was knowledgeable, courteous, polite, always punctual and had a good knowledge of the towns and places we visited. His English was sufficient for us to communicate well and we greatly appreciated his sense of humour and his many stories. At Vinedos de Paganos we felt like two honoured guests and appreciated Alberto making the time to show two strangers through his family winery. The tasting and the room in which it was conducted was amazing and greatly added to the special experience. We have never been treated so well at a winery anywhere else; especially as we were not in a position to be buying wine to take back to Australia.We look forward to enjoying another of your tours in the future."
-Pat and Rob Brown, Australia. Northern Spain Gourmet Tour Sept 2013
"It was a perfect trip. Organization was outstanding when you start moving 21 people all with different interests and physical issues and add in flight delays. The efforts you made to assist all was over and above. Also the assistance we received from you with a driver to Fabio's and over to Milan to join the group made Kara and my trip the absolute best two week trip we have taken. Domenico and his son were very gracious-showing concern once we had arrived at both destinations that we were settled in at the bed and breakfast-that our group was at the Milan destination. I have given my spiral trip log to a couple that is interested in Italy for their 25th anniversary. Every restaurant was an excellent choice. Cheese tours and tastings again excellent choices. Wine locations and gourmet tastings enjoyed all.The tour guide is Milan was very good. She always made sure the group was together and we could all hear her-interesting facts about the city and its history-time flew by.For Bra it was you and again you did a great job. The booths we tasted at were very good and the one on one with cheesemakers was excellent. The day at the cheese festival was more than I had ever anticipated. Italy is its people. They are proud of their heritage, dedicated to their family and their crafts. People that make you feel welcome. It is a place that you need to visit more than once. Thank you for everything and hope to see you again in the future."
-Judy Kasten, Wisconsin. Italy Cheese Tour, Sept 2013
"The trip was amazing! The trip was a 10 and I am so glad I went. Hope I get to meet you again in the future! I will be saving up for the Spain trip! Bristol on Lake Maggiore-my favorite hotel-the most beautiful scenery of all the stops! Corte Albertina in Bra-quaint. Vittoria in Brescia-wonderful. Cavalieri in Milan-wonderful. Verbano (on lake Maggiore island)-not my favorite menu but beautiful location!! Grinzane Cavour castle-so lovely and great food. Al Frate in Brescia-unbelievable!! La Madia on Franciacorta hills-that was the coolest as far as location. Hosteria Giusti in Modena- probably one of the best meals!!Way too much food at most places but sooooo good! Guffanti-amazing! Beppino Occelli-amazing!Quattro Portoni (buffalo)-amazing! Caseificio San Paolo (Parmigiano)- Different than what I expected but they were all so charming!! Casa Arrigoni (Taleggio)-very interesting, I have sold many of those cheeses! Marchesi di Barolo, Poderi Einaudi and Contadi Castaldi- all wonderful!! Aceto balsamico tour--great!The cooking class-fun but too long!All the best and Thanks so so much! "
-Sara Hill, Wisconsin. Italy Cheese Tour, Sept 2013
"I just want to thank you for the the experience of a lifetime! The hotels were top rate and unique, the restaurants were fantastic, and wineries you picked out were perfect. I liked the fact that the wine tours were private and that the pairings were done with food as it should be. My favorite hotel would be Palazzo Vecchietti and Francesca, the manager made our stay warm and inviting through her attentiveness. Thank you for your attentiveness to detail when there was some confusion at Osteria del Caffe Italiano. I guest they didn't expect a couple of Asian women with very Anglo surnames. Francesca also inquired if we made it to the restaurant as well. Last but not the least, we loved our driver Daniele Panzane. He was a very safe and cautious driver, very knowledgeable of the Tuscan region and very personable. We thoroughly enjoyed having him as our driver. Thank you again! I will definitely use cellartours again. "
-Myung Scheller , Los Altos, Ca. Tuscan Design and Wine Tour Sept 2013
"Thank you, the tour was wonderful. drivers and guides perfect."
-Victor and Marjorie Paidel, Saskatchewan, Canada. North Eastern Italy Food and Wine Tour Sept 2013
"On behalf of the Helfands and the Baldings I want to thank you for a glorious trip. With only a few - very few - exceptions everything: the food, the wine, the drivers, the art, the guides, the special trips were wonderful. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Your care to detail in organizing exactly what we wanted was remarkable and we want you to know how much we appreciated it all."
-Joyce Helfand, Arcadia, Ca. Italy Grand Tour Sept 2013
"The whole trip from inception was very well organized- The ability to communicate with Cellar Tours gave us an awareness that the trip would be as we wanted.All the hotels were different and excellent- we enjoyed the Chateau at San Felice the best- we were there for the longest time and it felt more like home- All were unique. The entire trip was designed around wine and food and the food certainly didn't disappoint us- Each meal was a unique experience of palatal delights and aromas. All the places were excellent, even the little bistro the hotel recommended when we couldn't get to Bistrot. When finally we ate at Borgo, they treated us like royalty and the wine pairings and food were not to be matched anywhere- They seemed to know that this was a make up meal and wanted it to be extra special- and they made it so!! Each Cooking experience was different and meaningful- One at a world class restaurant (San Marca) with a working kitchen and staff- The hustle bustle of preparation and food selection. Lots of activity with a sense of what it takes to put out fantastic plates day after day in large numbers. This contrasts with Pamela- the laid back fantastic chef at her B and B. Her knowledge about vegetables, pasta, meats and fish just startled us. Much more time to discuss more laid back, more homey. We didn't want to leave- Met some interesting people- Her husband is a talent in his own right and delightful. Good choices, both – Don't change a thing ….The choices for the wine tastings was excellent and well thought out. All different in wines and way they were presented. Broad spectrum of what the different areas produced. This really represented the "personality" of the tour. Passionate wine makers who love what they do and what they produce.The Cheese tasting was unique for us because none of us had a clue about cheese making. Our guide did a fantastic job of introducing us to the complexity of cheese production. Very much like wine- lots of love in what you do, and what you produce. Wonderful pairings of wine with the different aged cheeses. Really brought home the fact that food/wine combination really has so much to do with our tastes.Gil and I have been around the world together for years. We both agree this trip was in the superlative category. It fulfilled all the wishes we had to experience the wine regions in areas of our favorite wines. What we didn't expect was the personal touch you gave to our trip and the incredible people you hired to make all our desires come true… GRANDE VIAGGIO !!!!"
-Dr. Stuart C. Rubin, Covina, Ca. Piedmont and Tuscan Wine Tour Aug 2013
"I would like on behalf of Susy and myself thank you most sincerely for such a wonderful holiday. There is a bond between wine makers / viticultures and cheese makers that crosses country borders and hemispheres , we gained so much from the visits to vineyards and cheese facilities that I cant adequately describe . Highlights The Parmigiano Regiano Visit with the owner , The special visit to the Pecorino cheese makers that you made happen for us.The bond of farmer / wine makers such as Beconcini Estate with Eva and Leo , Ciro and Stephanie at Biondi were so welcoming and genuine to us .....I will never forget their hospitality.I guess if it was inspiration I craved then I have received more than I could have possibly hoped for .....Thank you.Special memories such as Stefano our driver that began our voyage of discovery and ended our trip , Another Stefano that drove us in Florence ......just very special people .Best restaurants ......No. 1 Due Colombe great food , great atmosphere , very good sommelier . great start to our holiday. No. 2 Don Carlos- great food , great atmosphere , a very special welcome. No. 3 Quadri, Venice- Romantic. Other highlights the cooking class in Bologna and the Tuscan home of Pamela and the Truffle hunt and subsequent cooking lesson , all just wonderful. We stayed in a Palace , in some of the best locations and in some of the best hotels in Italy all easy to walk to.I guess for me it was the trip of a lifetime. The places I have singled out were very special to me however we went to so many amazing places they were all very good.Once again thank you for providing us with a holiday that we will always remember ."
-Alan & Susy Deeble, Australia- Italy Grand Tour, July 2013
"Our driver Alex not only was excellent but I would say a good friend by the end of our trip.Alex always went the extra mile providing water, stories about the area,etc.The day of my birthday, Alex arrived with 2 dozen roses!Unbelievable!!! No other driver compared to Alex!!! Veronica and Teresa at the cooking class were wonderful! We had a lot of fun and was in awe of the lemon groves. Teresa made me was wonderful cake and we had lots of fun. Exactly what I wanted and more!!!! The wine & food tasting in Rome at Roscioli- Again, excellent. Friendly and good food. Sooooo much food LOL. Pompeii was my husband's highlight of thetrip. Our guide was full of information about Pompeii and the future state of Pompeii. We were simply taking back with the beauty and history of this place. Pompeii is one of the worlds magical sites, if one closes their eyes you can actually picture life in Pompeii! The earth under your feet brings alive your imagination. That was how good our guide was. Aroma- What a view and the food so yummy! It was the highlight of our trip, watching the sunset and the moon rise above the Coliseum. Just breath taking. It was the Perfect ending to a wonderful trip!On the cruise, the clear waters and fishing villages were exceptional. Our guide took us to little coves and told us village stories. These are the things that made our trip so enjoyable. I would definitely recommend Cellar Tours to anyone. Simona went above and beyond to ensure my every want was met! I had the time of my life and the memories are unforgettable! The most important thing, something can go wrong but with Cellar Tours there is always someone there to make it right. That is the difference between a good travel agency and an excellent travel agency. Cellar Tours is an excellent travel agency. Thank you for this wonderful trip!"
-Beth Pierce, Long Beach, Ca. Gourmet Amalfi Coast, July 2013
"The itinerary, hotel and destination descriptions, tipping guide etc were extremely helpful. Your immediate connection via email/phone when we had questions or change in plans demonstrates the superior customer service. Pratello - Nice room with Tuscan views, beautiful pool area. However, because the hotel was deeply set back in the countryside, we had dinners both night at the hotel which were too pricey for what was received. Relais Vedetta - Gorgeous! Would definitely recommend this hotel and/or stay here again. Amazing view, pool and room - delicious meals. Borgo Scopeto - Scenic and access to free wi--fi!! Amazing meals and excellent service. Beautiful breakfast buffet spread. Attentive care during meals. Villa Medici - Not a favorite. Service was not as warm and intimate as previous hotels. Substandard breakfast buffet and had to re-explain each time to concierge free wi-fi was included in our package. Lunch at Le Mortelle winery - Most memorable experience! Absolutely gorgeous cellar dining. Would highly recommend. Our hostest was extremely gracious - the entire experience was absolutely wonderful. Lunch at Divo - the BEST lunch we had ever had! Please give our highest compliments to the Chef. The tender beef, whipped potatoes and freshly shaved truffles at the table was superb. We would fly back to dine again at his restaurant with friends. Highly recommend. Dinner at Cibreo - This impromptu recommendation was the highlight of our trip! Thank you! We enjoyed the entire experience and innovative dining. Never had a meal like it! Both drivers were punctual, helpful, friendly and good level of English. Our first driver Sauro was exceptionally excellent. He took into account our interests and personalities -and offered helpful suggestions when touring the destinations. Petra - A+ , well planned tour of the winery and grounds and tasting. Great wines. Magia - A+, the sensory wine tour, barrel and wine tasting was unique and fun. Great views of the countryside. Wonderful! Castello di Gabbiano - Very charismatic host, nice tour of the castle grounds and wine cellar. Scenic and fun. We have already recommended Cellar Tours with our friends."
-Elisabeth Jones, Westlake Village, Ca. Tuscany Food and Wine Tour July 2013
"I have returned home from a fantastic vacation in Como Italy. A huge highlight was our day tour of the wineries and lunch. I was able to keep it a surprise until Monday morning and my Mom was thrilled! Everyone treated us so special. The tours and testings were exceptional and the restaurant delicious!!!!!!!!!!! I could not have asked for more.The region and wine was new to us and we will be on the search for it in the US. Thank you very much for all of your help. I will,hopefully, have an opportunity to use Cellar Tours. Again, Thank You!!!!!!"
-Kathy Flood, Newburyport, Ma. Lake Como Excursion July 2013
"Gen, our trip with cellar tours was amazing and we know that was due to you! Everything ...from our driver Radouane, to the accommodations, to the food and of course the wine ...it was all spectacular!! Again, we cannot thank you enough for caring about us and for literally taking care of every last detail. You are the reason we would travel with cellar tours again and I mean that! A holiday is made by the people who care enough to make it special and that is you. Cellar tours are lucky to have you as an employee...I do hope they know that! Thanks again for the memories! We appreciated it."
-Donna & Bert Wood, Ontario. Luxury Bordeaux Wine Tour June 2013
"Driver was amazing. He was born in NY so he spoke perfect English which was very, very helpful to us.Was well organized. Each place fed us so we were quite stuffed, but it was wonderful. Reale winery- Enjoyed very much. Vines were 150+ years old. Amazing to see. They were very friendly and made it fun. Vigne di raito winery- Wow, this was amazing. What a view. We had an excellent, excellent lunch overlooking the sea. WOW! Owner was exceptionally friendly and there was a wine expert named Simona there to taste the wine with us.Terre di Baal winery- This was exceptionally fun. We walked the family olive orchard and vineyard and broke bread with the family. We literally had a traditional Italian social event with the entire family. Had homemade meats and local cheeses followed by homemade Biscott. Great fun! My wife said it was "the best day of her life". Worked out perfect."
-Shawn Archambault, Pennsylvania. Amalfi Coast Wine Excursion June 2013
Shawn Archambault
"Driver was amazing. He was born in NY so he spoke perfect English which was very, very helpful to us.Was well organized. Each place fed us so we were quite stuffed, but it was wonderful. Reale winery- Enjoyed very much. Vines were 150+ years old. Amazing to see. They were very friendly and made it fun. Vigne di raito winery- Wow, this was amazing. What a view. We had an excellent, excellent lunch overlooking the sea. WOW! Owner was exceptionally friendly and there was a wine expert named Simona there to taste the wine with us.Terre di Baal winery- This was exceptionally fun. We walked the family olive orchard and vineyard and broke bread with the family. We literally had a traditional Italian social event with the entire family. Had homemade meats and local cheeses followed by homemade Biscott. Great fun! My wife said it was "the best day of her life". Worked out perfect."
-Shawn Archambault, Pennsylvania. Amalfi Coast Wine Excursion June 2013
"I feel the trip flowed very well, I had added a couple of activities to what you had already arranged (opera & fashion tour) so it was full but not overwhelming. The cooking class at 4 Seasons was so much fun! Stephanie (she is 75% vegetarian) loved the veal cutlet Milanese and she doesn't eat veal. The food was presented beautifully, tasted unbelievable and pared with some delicious wines. The chefs were great fun and there was a young girl (Lisa) there to help with translations, who was incredibly sweet. Lorenza, the guide, was great! Steph and I both enjoyed her enthusiasm and her stories of Milan's history. Definitely not stuffy. Il Mosnel and Bersi Serlini wineries- enjoyed both but I did enjoy Il Mosnel a little more then Bersi Serlini. The chocolate class in Paris? Wow! Diana (the chef) was so sweet (no pun intended)!! It was so much fun making (& eating) all of our creations. You made a mom and daughter make some wonderful memories which will last forever. Thank you. "
-Joan Cefali, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Paris and Milan Foodie Break June 2013
"We are now back home and I wanted to write and thank you, Simona and your staff for another wonderful tour. The scheduling and planning was perfect and I know that requires familiarity with the area and locations. The winery selections were fabulous and we enjoyed meeting many owners and winemakers. All of your recommendations were on point. Every day was memorable. Our drivers and guides were personable and became our friends. I sound effusive, but my appreciation is real. Well done. We look forward to the next food and wine adventure. PS I feel so sorry for my friends who take bicycle tours of Europe.What a waste, we travel on our bellies."
-Marsha and John Filice, La Selva, Ca. Sicily Wine Adventure June 2013
"You were extremely organized. You made it easy to book our large group which I so appreciate! I think you are fantastic and will rate you well on Trip Advisor when I complete this email.Silvia was wonderful!! All kind words. They were on time and kept us on schedule. I liked that the Beconcini winery worked out of their home family vineyard. Wines were good and they were friendly. Corzano e Paterno was fantastic! We really enjoyed their wines and the lunch was really perfect. Loved the cooking class. Even with our large group they did a great job encouraging everyone to join in and it became a very nice team building experience for us. Lunch was amazing. The cheese tasting was enjoyable, but I think for our group we would have rather had more time in San Gimiignano than rush there as you were right... we were not hungry. So my only critique would be to give more time in the city after such a great cooking class. We had a great time!Thank you again!"
-Suzanne Kjenstad, Irvine, Ca. Gourmet Excursions in Tuscany June 2013
"Once again, it was a great trip and we would do it again in a minute's time...Superb. Great to concentrate on one region at a time. The Grand Hotel in Bordeaux- Beautiful. Excellent staff. Helpful. Professional. Organized. La Lagune wine estate was a must keep!!! Indulgent treat in the middle of the trip. We felt like we lived there. Stephan and Cathryn were awesome!!! Please send our compliments along to the owners. Stephan offered bikes and when the weather turned sour, he then organized a visit with the winemaker in the winery before our evening meal. Dinner there were Superb. Overwhelming in a wonderful way. Don't change a thing.The junior suite Petrus at the Plaisance in S Emilion was phenomenon with a private lawn and garden. Nathalie, the owner of Chateau Kirwan was a splendid hostess. She had the lunch catered and it was very nice. Natalie shared terrific wines with us. he cuisine and setting at Clos Mirande were quintessential French and terrific! The hostess/owner was so very gracious. We have recommend Cellar Tours many times and will continue to do so.Thanks again!"
-Chris Vesy and Al Roller, Dallas, Tx Luxury Bordeaux Experience May 2013
"Thank you for all the efforts that you put into planning our amazing trip.We were beyond satisfied and the entire experience really surpassed our expectations. All was perfect and we would not have changed a thing or done anything differently. We are looking forward to our next Cellar Tours booking in a different part of Italy soon! Loved the Relais Sogno di Giulietta hotel. Due Colombe was the best restaurant. The service, atmosphere and food and wine were outstanding. A very special meal for my birthday! Stephano our driver was wonderful. His vehicle was spotless and very comfortable. He was always on time and spoke perfect English. He was great. Stephano made a detour and took us to the lovely village of Borghetto where he surprised us with a split of champagne and three glasses to enjoy under the trees on the villages river. So thoughtful.Loved the Coffele winery and family. Ciara and Guiseppe were amazingly gracious hosts. Invited us into private residence for the tasting and had us taste everything. Mosnel- Loved this place as well. Sparkling is our favorite type of wine,so it was special to have this tasting on my birthday. Monte dall'Ora was such a treat. Alexandra was so gracious and such a sweet person. This was special to us as it was really a small family operation and very touching to see. The wines were also excellent. Villa Bertani Mosconi- This was wonderful. Such a beautiful setting. The private tour was provided by the son and his mother came and spent lots of time with us as well. Beautiful people. The tasting was spectacular. They poured lots and lots of wine! We absolutely intend to book another vacation through you in the near future. We would love to next do the Piedmont region. We very much enjoyed having all of the planning taken care of for us. It was nice walking into all of the wineries, restaurants and hotels with them expecting us and having everything ready. We didn't have to make decisions on what to order as the meals were already laid out; however, if we wanted to make changes here and there- it was not problem and they were happy to do so. All of the people we dealt with were so gracious and friendly. They really made us feel like family! Everything exceeded our expectations and we were so impressed with how well we were taken care of from start to finish. Thank you for a wonderful and memorable trip!"
-Heidi Unter, New Orleans, La. Veneto Gourmet Tour May 2013
"Everything was exquisitely arranged and organized according to our requests. I can't think of anything you could have done better. The Four Seasons Florence was wonderful, worth every penny. Villa Armena - Beautifully done. The room was cozy and modern all at the same time. It was so peaceful and isolated we really enjoyed our time here. L'Andana - Jerry and I both liked this hotel the best. The combination of luxurious accommodations, spa services and great food was outstanding. We enjoyed having champagne in the garden in the afternoon. Cibrèo in Florence was Fantastic. Really too much food, but we ate it all. The lunch at winery Beconcini - We enjoyed the homemade food and the conversation. Sauro was tremendous and took great care of us. He was punctual, courteous and professional. I have already recommended Cellar Tours to two friends. This was the most wonderful travel experience that we have ever had. We can't even put into words how much we enjoyed our trip. Everything was organized in advance so that we didn't have to make any decisions once we arrived. In my view, this is the only way to see Tuscany. We are looking forward to our next Cellar Tours experience!"
-Phyllis Turner-Brim, Snohomish, Wa. 20th Anniversary Tour of Tuscany May 2013
"The balance between organized activities and time on our own was perfect. Also enjoyed the balance between time in the city and the day excursions. For the amount of time we had, I think we made the most of our visit to Madrid and felt it was a fabulous trip well suited to our interests. Adolfo's in Toledo was outstanding, a truly memorable meal! Hosts were incredibly gracious and food and wine were exceptional. Caoba was also outstanding with many wonderful food innovations and wine combinations. Funny -- when we arrived for our 9pm reservation, the restaurant was virtually empty. Gerry and I looked at each other and thought mmm? But by 10pm, the place was humming -- gotta love Madrid!Driver Roberto punctual, helpful, with good level of English, and friendly, etc, any comments? Absolutely clean and comfie! Roberto was just wonderful!! His English was fantastic, but he also loved switching to Spanish to talk with my Cuban husband! He was always on time, very gracious, and best of all, very knowledgeable about the area, it's history and culture. We greatly appreciate all he did to make our trip special.The winery was fun and we enjoyed the visit and tastings. Ines was lovely! We logged many walking miles with Ines discovering the sites, food markets, tapas bars, wines and culture of Madrid. We enjoyed our time together! The keepsake itinerary was both helpful and informative and kept us on track. The only thing I might suggest is a slightly more diverse and larger mix of restaurant/bar suggestions when on our own, although this is really minor. We also had suggestions from friends and colleagues and enjoyed some truly wonderful meals in Madrid. Everything was very well organized and planned to suit our preferences and requests. Also, many thanks for the lovely gifts and surprises in our room. We look forward to our next trip, Barcelona, maybe?"
-Elaine Lopez, Birmingham, Mi. Madrid Gourmet Week April 2013
"Just to give an overall -- we couldn't have been more pleased / satisfied with the tour we had -- it was fabulous! I believe that Shawni and I "synced" with Pedro at Hermanos Pecina instantly. He really was a pleasure to talk with -- and he certainly went the extra mile to talk about his father brothers, and their business. Besides giving a great tour and hosting great wine tasting -- the food he provided was a cut above! We really enjoyed his Spanish tortilla. I told him about my interest in photography and inquired about the "old church" on their label. He told Roberto how to drive to this old church -- and after we left -- we drove there. This was another "highlight" of our Rioja wine tour. Pedro and Hermanos Pecina get our overall highest ranking -- along with Roda. Finca Valpiedra and Valenciso were very close seconds -- mostly based on the individuals giving the tours. ALL WERE FANTASTIC.La Galeria in Logrono was among the best. The service was outstanding and the food and wine couldn't have been better. Thanks again Gen for the effort you put into making this such a memorable trip for Shawni and myself. If you every need any personal recommendations -- please do not hesitate to let us provide our comments.As we've told you earlier -- we have "sung your praises" to tour friend and friend here at home."
-Marc and Shawni Roth, Williamsburg, Va. Rioja wine tour April 2013
"This was our second trip with Cellar Tours and it was just as wonderful as our first. Last year we toured the Prosecco region outside of Venice and this year we toured the Chianti region outside of Florence. The Chianti tour was very professionally organized and our driver was prompt and spoke English very well. Castello Di Monsanto was a wonderful experience and we were given an informative tour of their wine producing facility. We then had a fabulous wine tasting of 3 of their delicious wines. Lunch at Albergaccio was one of the best meals we have had in Italy and this is our 3rd trip to Italy. We were given a personalized menu by the owner and had a 4 course lunch with matching wines. My wife and I travel to Europe for the food and wine, and this was definitely a highlight. We then traveled the short distance to Fonterutoli to have another wine tasting at Castello di Fonterutoli. The wines we tasted there were superb and we had a chance to purchase some. The trip was as good as we had anticipated and we hope to be traveling to Milan next year, and if we do, we will surely contact Cellar Tours to organize our third trip. We have no suggestions to give because you seem to cover everything in your tours. Thanks for everything again. Hope to contact you next year. "
-Ken and Phyllis Baker, Florida, Chianti Wine Tour November 2012
Erik Hansen and Angela Arriaga
"The honeymoon tour was organized very, very well, everything was seamless. You and your staff are wonderful to work with. The Beconcini winery was probably one of our favorite and most memorable parts of our trip! Not only was the wine amazing, the food delicious, but Eva and Leonardo are simply amazing people that we now consider to be our friends. The tasting and pairing at Altesino was great. The highlight was definitely receiving the wonderful gift for Angela. Quadi in Venice was absolutely first rate! The table was amazing right by the window overlooking Saint Mark's Square. The sommelier paired our wines and food perfectly and thoroughly enjoyed answering all of our questions about the different wines and even indulged my Italian pronunciation of Valdobbiadene. The vehicles were clean, elegant and very nice. Our drivers were always punctual, friendly and went above and beyond to answer any questions we had and offer information about whichever area we were in. When we go back to Italy, we would definitely request Sauro and Domenico! Everything went very smoothly. One of the nicest aspects of this trip was that we didn't have to spend time figuring out how we were getting to places and if all the appointments were set. It truly allowed us to just enjoy our time together in an amazing place. Several of our friends, family and co-workers are already checking out your website, be ready :-) "
-Erik Hansen and Angela Arriaga, Nevada, Tuscany and Venice Honeymoon Oct 2012
"Hi Gen! Thank you so much for everything you did for us. We had such a wonderful and memorable time!! The tour was very organized and the itinerary was perfect. It was just the right amount of activity during the day and there was no need for evening meal reservations as we required only a light snack after our delicious and filling lunches. Villa Soro was beautiful!! We loved San Sebastian and Bokado was perfect. The view was amazing as was the food. Los Parajes was also wonderful-very unique. Our favorite restaurant was Las Duelas, interesting place, fabulous menu, chef came out to check on us, wish we could go there for dinner tonight!! Hermanos Peciña was a great way to end the tour. Pedro was very accommodating, warm and friendly as was his assistant. Felt very comfortable sitting around the table enjoying delicious food and wine. Roberto, our driver was the best!! We both felt comfortable with Roberto from the start to the finish. I wish I had him every time we visit Spain! The Keepsake book is wonderful and contained all the information we needed and then some! Love it!! Thanks again-you did a fabulous job!"
-Judy & Roger Vogel, Florida, Northern Spain wine journey October 2012
"Isabella at Il Palazzone was wonderful and friendly and gave us a very knowledgeable tour. The tasting was on the terrace, with the most beautiful view. We did not feel rushed at all, the pace was very leisurely. Anna Rita at Decugnano dei Barbi was extremely knowledgeable and a very warm host. We walked down to the caves that house the sparkling wine, which they believe are from Etruscan times. I so enjoyed touring the caves and seeing their antique methods of winemaking and aging. The walk from the caves to the chapel in which we dined afforded the most beautiful views of the vineyard. I could not stop taking photos because of the beauty of the setting. When my husband and I entered the chapel and saw the AMAZING meal that was presented to us, we were overwhelmed. The food was beyond wonderful and delicious. I cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed this experience. We did not want it to end. I would absolutely recommend Cellar Tours. We were in Italy for 14 days, Milan, Taormina and Rome. This experience is one of the highlights and I always get very excited to show these photos to friends and family."
-Karen Donhauser, Pennsylvania, Rome day trip to Umbria and Montalcino October 2012
Julie Seever & Family
"Overall a wonderful and special trip, thank you! Loved it! Great memories abound from a variety of experiences of Northern Spain. My tasting cup "overfloweth!" Our guide, Pepe (Jose) was absolutely perfect! Great driver, too! They are the true ambassadors of Spain! Very happy that we were able to cover so much of all three wine regions. Loved the passion they all exhibited for their land, history and winemaking. Many luscious wines were savored at all the private tours and tastings. Private tasting is the only way to be introduced to great wines. We all will recommend your tours with the highest of praise and already have! Hope we can plan another tour with Cellars Tours sometime soon perhaps in the Loire Region of France."
-Julie Seever, Nebraska, Spanish Wine Odyssey October 2012
"It was a very nice mix of history, culture and sightseeing. Davide did a wonderful job. He was very informative, funny, chatted during the boat ride about modern politics, and clearly knew the history of Venice and its islands. We enjoyed our time with him and the glass furnace to which he took us. Very intellectual conversation with the owner about history and art. Wonderful. The hotel Bauer Il Palazzo was beyond words. They were so courteous, helpful, friendly. It made you happy just to be there. The room was amazing overlooking the Grand Canal. Venissa was the highlight of the weekend. Wonderful people, delicious food, beautiful setting (we ate on the terrace) and the service was perfect. We were treated to the history of the vineyards, the grapes and the bed and breakfast and restaurant. Definitely stays on the list of places to recommend and revisit. Dinner at Quadri was outstanding also. The service was perfect, the food amazing and the restaurant is just lovely. As always, the transportation was prompt, clean, friendly and ready to assist. Cellar Tours is my only recommendation to those traveling in the countries you cover."
-Deb Brosnan, Germany, Venice Food and Wine Luxury Weekend October 2012
John and Mary Ryder
"The tour wonderfully organized and the entire vacation was very very special. This is our second 2 week vacation through Cellar Tours and once again we had an amazing time. With Cellar Tours, you don't just get a wonderfully organized trip, you get special unique memories throughout the entire trip. This trip had 4 once- in – a lifetime memories; the evening in Rome wine tasting with Alessandro at Roscioli, the lunch with Madame Kirwan at Chateau Kirwan, the wine blending experience at Chateau LaGrange and the final evening spent in the Chateau at Lagune Wine Estate. A great vacation gives you one special memory, this one gave us 4! We will continue to recommend Cellar Tours to anyone who wants a memorable and special experience."
-John and Mary Ryder, Texas. Pearl Anniversary Tour of Venice, Rome & Bordeaux September 2012
"The organization of the tour from start to finish went great. The 2 wineries you had us go to were totally amazing in so many ways even though they were so different in their size and style. We totally enjoyed both of them. Meeting Lorenzo and his wife at Duline was a wonderful experience for us. To see 2 people so dedicated that they changed their lives to take on his grandfather's vineyard and to see how much fun they were having was exciting. As for Felluga - all I can say is Oh My G-d !! Mrs Felluga treated us as if we were family beginning with the hello's to the hugs she gave us when we left. Not only were the views spectacular and the fact that the cellar is in an 11th century abbey but she showed us the best time we had for our entire trip. I could go on and on but this would get too long. Needless to say it was perfection."
-Bob and Gail Brynien, Pennsylvania, Venice to Friuli Excursion October 2012
"You were absolutely wonderful to work with. You were attentive and completely understood the kind of trip my husband and I were looking for. Cellar Tours exceeded our expectations and was first class all the way. We have traveled to Europe many times over the last 15 years and this vacation will definitely stand out as one of our best. You have taken the stress out of planning a vacation. Thank you!"
-Joan Cefali, Spain Art, Wine and Design Tour September 2012
"We had a wonderful tour for 7 days and would recommend your company to anyone who enjoys great wine, good food and beautiful scenery. What's not to love? Thanks for a fabulous tour."
-Carol Wolff, Coronado, California. Tuscan Food and wine tour September 2012
"We can't begin to tell you how wonderful the day in Priorat was. Thanks to you and your team for arranging the visits, which were very well chosen. For a region where the standards and practices are not as rigid as some of the regions we have visited, it was wonderful that each of the three wineries we visited had such fundamentally different approaches to winemaking, from the picking and fermenting, to the aging and ultimate blending of the wines. At Conrereia de Scala Dei: It was great to meet the winemaker – what a treat! The facilities were amazing and it was such a unique and neat experience to try juice out of the fermenting tanks and wine out of the barrel. Clos de l'Obac: This was another gem, and it was great to meet Carles at the tasting. We tasted four or five different wines, including a quite old (maybe 2000) Clos de l'Obac. Lunch was fantastic as well. Mas Martinet: the truck tour up to the top of their vineyards really was amazing. Lastly, our driver was very nice, super professional and fun to spend the day with."
-Rachel Perez, New York. Barcelona to Priorat Excursion September 2012
"We had a truly spectacular time! We just loved Spain. You were very easy to work with and the tour flowed well. The keepsake itinerary in a nice way to "recall" all the details of our fabulous trip."
-Barbara Sanandres, Florida. Luxury Wine Tour of Andalusia, Northern and Mediterranean Spain September 2012
"My clients have returned and here is their feedback: "Very well organized and extremely happy and impressed with all services. Especially with Sonia, her knowledge and expertise was outstanding. Good selection of wineries, the stand out being Marchesi Di Barolo. The Abergo dell Agenzia had a great breakfast, awesome views, fantastic pool. Would definitely stay here again! The girls at Giolito were amazing, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and service here. Giolitos staff went above and beyond what was expected and they made this day one of the highlights of the tour." Huge thank you for all your help and advice during this booking process. As a travel agent, I am more than willing to recommend Cellar Tours to clients in the future. My passengers have nothing but praise for your company. "
-Maria Silverii, Travel Consultant Australia. Piedmont Wine Tour August 2012
"The Feudi di San Gregorio wine tasting and lunch was quite amazing. The restaurant with the kitchen totally enclosed by glass, the service, food and wines all top notch. The setting was quite spectacular. Our cruise to Capri along with our most pleasant captain David was most definitely a highlight of our trip. David was a wonderful, knowledgeable host and captain showing us many wonderful sights and even stopping for a swim along the way. The setting of Il Riccio was just spectacular from both the sea and the land. We were treated to a most incredible lunch along with wonderful wines and service second to none in a most beautiful open air restaurant sitting high atop a cliff overlooking the sea. It doesn't get much better than that. Both of our vehicles were elegant and clean . The drivers were very friendly, polite and punctual. Cellar Tours in our opinion is an excellent tour company. Our experiences have been nothing but positive. It is wonderful to be able to tell you just what we would like to see and do and then experience something beyond our expectations. You work hard to give your clients all they ask for and more. We have had a most enjoyable holiday thanks in part to your expertise. We look forward to our next trip to your beautiful part of our world and will certainly contact you with the details for our next adventure. "
-Lori and Ted Deodato, Salinas California, Capri, Campania and Rome Wine Touring June 2012
"The tours were very well thought out and personalized. We very much enjoyed every aspect of the cooking class. The chef was well prepared for our visit. The menu and wine selections were great. The guide at Bisol was very nice and took us out to the middle of the vineyard, to the top of the hill which was beautiful! Locanda Sandi was a beautiful setting and wonderful food! The driver was very punctual and friendly. The van was very clean. We would definitely recommend Cellar Tours and also look forward to future tours. "
-Paul Cooper, Texas. Milan Cooking Experience and Prosecco wine excursion June 2012
"The organisation of the tour was fantastic and it ran very smoothly without any hitches. Capannelle was a beautiful property, lovely views and very good tour and tasting. Good example of world class Chianti. Ampeleia provided a beautiful selection of food to go with our tasting, very engaging staff. Petra was a fantastic winery tour by Ettore Maggi followed by a wonderful lunch. Very hospitable and interesting and wines were exceptional. Ornellaia was a beautiful winery , with very personable staff , who gave us an extensive tour of the vineyards and production facilities & explained how to evaluate grappa and Macchiole was an interesting to contrast to the neighbouring vineyards and other super Tuscans. It was the best planned holiday we have had – we could not possibly have found all the locations and visited so many different wineries and restaurants in such a short time and still have had a relaxing time. Thank you again for a wonderful holiday. "
-Michael and Gillian Sturgeon, Australia, Luxury Tuscany Wine Tour June 2012
"Would 100% recommend Cellar Tours and couldn't imagine this trip without your guidance."
-John Boothby, Mississippi. Tuscan wine journey June 2012
"Overall my/our experience with your team was GREAT. I was reminded once again why I like using you for our Holiday planning. Here are a couple of reasons that jump out at me. From a logistical point everything was PERFECT. Everything was on time, every pick up and drop off was timely--no one missed a beat. When traveling to have someone like you looking after all the details makes it so much more enjoyable. The access you are able to provide coupled with the knowledge you and your team has of the region allows us to see and do things that I would never know about or perhaps have access to. It adds such "depth and breath" to the experience (i.e the whole" Valley of a Thousand Castles" was SPECTACULAR! AND I DID NOT EVEN KNOW IT EXISTED! A customized itinerary that allows us to spend our time doing/seeing what we want. And you make it clear that if we don't want to do a planned event no problem. You do a great job of having everyone on you team remember that the experience is about what we (your guest) want. This is so valuable! Thank you for encouraging us to enjoy France in the month of MAY. Over all the weather was good (could have had a bit more sun during the Barge trip), the country side beautiful and there were NO PEOPLE around! It was great. We had no idea the France was so cool!! And had such a beautiful countryside and warm and friendly people. The whole "castle thing" was totally unexpected and greatly enjoyed. Thanks again Gen for all you help, and concern about our trip. It is that personal "TOUCH" that makes such a big difference. We had a wonderful experience! I can't wait until we are planning the next trip together again !"
-Peter Herzog, France Luxury Wine Tour May 2012
"The Palas Cerequio was amazing and one of the highlights of our trip, thanks for your recommendation; having a base for 3 to 4 days was very nice and the accommodations were first class, Jayne and Roberto were unbelievably gracious and accomodating and the wine tasting there in that amazing facility was the highlight of the wine tasting. The guided tours were very good, in Milan more detailed historical info than in Turin but we had a very good time with both guides and learned a lot. Our driver was fantastic and very accommodating and informative, punctual and calm despite the traffic. In terms of the wine tasting Baldovino was an amazing experience with such personalized attention - the mouldy 1988 Barbera was delicious and a truly unique experience. A very good selection and variety of wineries were chosen for us to visit, thanks again. We have certainly recommended Cellar Tours to our friends and we are already planning another wine tour with your company in the future.!"
-Ken and Mary Skeith, Canada. Piedmont wine connoisseurs tour May 2012
"We had an amazing trip and it was all because of you hard work and great ideas. I never would have been able to get the schedule down to the minute detail. My husband who is never able to relax, he was so relaxed on this trip. We didn't have to worry about a thing. We would recommend Cellar Tours to anyone .It was worth every penny to us not to have to worry about a thing .Transportation, Food, Hotels and staff were just amazing. Thank you for all the work you put into giving us a trip of a lifetime.!"
-The Kimreys, Oklahoma. Grand Tour of Italy April 2012
"Thanks again for a fabulous ending to our trip with the day spent in Rome. Loved your helpful suggestions and planning. I think next trip we need to spend an entire day at Roscioli drinking and eating!!! That was a great suggestion. Town Car was great and comfortable and our driver was very polite and helpful. It was a wonderful and full day. Guess we just need to go back and plan for 2 days to get it all in without a rush, but we loved every minute of our tour. !"
-Linda Lucas, California, Rome Vatican and Wine Excursion April 2012
"Everything was wonderfully organized and we had a really memorable time in every part of the tour. As far as the choice of wineries goes, we enjoyed all of them and appreciated the variety of perspectives that they offered. Each was different from the others and we had a great time learning about their approaches to winemaking and walking around their properties, as well as tasting the wine! In particular, we spent a substantial amount of time with Antonio at Il Borghetto, lovely Laura at Il Palazzone and the two Danish girls at Altesino. The lunch at Altesino was also a nice mix of more homestyle cooking compared to the very decadent (though delicious) meal at Albergaccio di Castellina. The hotels were both good, though we wish we had more time to spend in Castel Monastero. We will certainly recommend you to friends who are looking for a quality, stress-free experience visiting and tasting the wonderful food and wine of Tuscany! While we arranged the rest of our travels in Italy on our own and also had a great time, we thoroughly enjoyed our few days of being taken care of by Cellar Tours.!"
-Christine Choi, Hong Kong, Tuscany Wine Tour March 2012
"We had an outstanding trip. Everything was perfect. Your choice of wineries was perfect. Each one was unique and a special experience. I know that Ritz-Carlton knows a lot about luxury experience and exceeding expectations but you and Cellar Tours could teach us a few things. Thanks again and we hope to see you again on a future trip."
-Peter J. Watzka, Executive Vice President And Chief Operating Officer, Ritz Carlton Development Company,L.L.C.
"We would like to thank you for such a lovely trip! The tour was extremely well organized and well paced, with friendly and knowledgeable drivers and guides. In particular, we would like to especially commend and convey our special thanks to Barbara for being so candid and engaging, she made us want to cook more when we get back! Stefano for his gentlemanly ways. Made our drives so pleasant and safe. He took care of us so well! Sabine for her wonderful wine tour and lovely time at lunch. It was one of the best and most leisurely lunch we had because of the company and the beautiful scenery. We had a wonderful time in Florence, Rome and Naples, and wished we could stay longer. All in all, we want to say again a big thank you for organizing such a memorable anniversary trip for us and we will definitely use Cellar Tours when we visit Italy again and other of your destinations some day! Many thanks!"
-Lee & Wong, Singapore, Gourmet Tour Italy December 2011
"Well organized tour, excellent wineries and restaurants with great attention to customer satisfaction. Amazing wines at Remirez de Ganuza, best of the wineries with very attentive service and tailored tour. The Marques de Riscal hotel was perfect in just about every way. Roberto the driver was absolute best thing about our entire trip! A+++++ You did a great job of selecting very unique experiences, both in terms of restaurants and wineries. Could not have done it the same on our own. "
-Denny Marin, Florida. La Rioja and Basque Country Tour November 2011
"We had an amazing day, Agusti Torello have an amazing selection of wine – very professional, good fun and very informative. I would definitely recommend Cellar Tours to anybody, a great afternoon organised by them to a Winery and then lunch by the seaside for our group of 18. The wine was amazing the lunch was just as good, they even managed to get the sun out in November! The trip was a huge success and everybody enjoyed the day. Thanks again for an amazing afternoon."
-Jamie Lambell, United Kingdom. Penedes Corporate Outing November 2011
Annie Wong-Harrison
"I really loved our trip. We had a great time. It was a lot of fun. I would have no problem recommending Cellar Tours. It is a great way to see the country in a relaxed and organized way."
-Annie Wong-Harrison, Canada. Piedmont Gourmet Tour November 2011
"We had a great time! Bisol winery was great. We were shown every step in the production of Prosecco. We were taken to the top of a nearby hill where Bisol grows their grapes and we were able to taste Prosecco while standing among the grapevines. Our guide at Bisol was great, such a passion for winemaking. We have been to wine tastings in Paris, Madrid and London as well as several in the States and this wine tasting was excellent. It was informative as well as fun. One reason my wife and I travel to Europe is the food. Your choice of Trattoria Da Cima could not have been better. We will be trying to replicate at home, some of the dishes we had there. This Trattoria is really something special. The vehicle we used was wonderful. Domenico could not have been nicer. It was like we were taking a trip with a friend. We can't think of how you could make this trip better. Thank you for providing a wonderful experience for us. The memories will last a lifetime. "
-Ken and Phyllis Baker, Florida. Prosecco Wine Tour November 2011
"The organization of the tour was very good. Everyone was where they were supposed to be, as planned. Castel Noarna was FANTASTIC! I so appreciated the owner showing us around and being so friendly. Castel Toblino was exceptional. What a beautiful place. We really enjoyed the hotel in Sirmione, and the Aquila D'Oro was good too. The manager was very good to us. La Madia was absolutely spectacular! The food was amazing, we had very personalized service, and the view...well, it was just a great place! I have recommended you, and will continue to do so. I would be happy to furnish whatever comments and support you need. We are big fans!"
-Mike Lewis, Texas. Trento and Lake Garda Gourmet Tour October 2011
"We had the most marvelous time - it really couldn't have been more perfect. We appreciated your responsiveness by email while we were establishing the itinerary, we thought Stefano, our driver, was wonderful and we loved the wine estates, restaurants etc. I would recommend Cellar Tours with great enthusiasm. I would stress that your willingness to make changes to our original itinerary as our own concept of our priorities evolved, without ever becoming impatient, was so appreciated! Your superb judgment in selecting all venues ensured that our tour would be perfect. We of course also appreciated your being so detail-oriented. We hope to be able to work with you in the future as we plan other vacations. Again our deepest thanks and warmest regards for helping to make our 25th anniversary celebration so unforgettable! "
-Elizabeth Nicholas, Maryland. 25 Wedding Anniversary Tour Tuscany June 2011
"We did enjoy the tour and our driver was excellent. She was a brilliant guide and very friendly - giving us a route passing by several chateaux and the info, history and architecture on them along the way. Francois at Chateau Gaillard was very particular and passionate, excellent visit. Once again for organizing the tour - it was a bit of a surprise for my husband and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We will definitely recommend you and use you again. Many thanks "
-Pennie Richards, North Devon, UK. Loire Valley Wine Tour June 2011
"Very good organization of the tour -- it flowed nicely. Service and selection of suppliers was superior. Certainly would recommend Cellar Tours -- everything was handled in a very classy, upscale manner."
- Nancy Neill, Pennsylvania. Gourmet Wine Tour Spain May 2011
"The chauffeur was very nice, friendly, and professional. The cellar tour at Badia Passignano was excellent and the lunch was spectacular!!! We were treated very well and made to feel special. We enjoyed the cellar tour and wine tasting at Badia Coltibuono and the scenery there was beautiful. I think we should have gone there first and then to Badia Passignano and end with the fabulous lunch (we couldn't eat dinner anyway as we were so full). All in all it was a wonderful day and I will recommend Cellar Tours to anyone!"
-Karen Henry, Tennessee. Chianti Wine Tour May 2011
"First, our overall assessment of your operation and this tour. It was first class all the way and one of the most enjoyable of our travel experiences. You have obviously put a lot of thought and work into organizing this tour. Your selection of hotels, wineries, and the performance of the guides, drivers, etc. were all terrific. Your selection of wineries to visit was inspired. From the small family Decugnano Barbi winery in Umbra to the medium sized Altesino to the large but high quality Antinori property gave an interesting view of Tuscan wine making. La Pergola was one of the finest meals of our life and we are accustomed to eating in fine restaurants. Mr. Beck personally checked to make sure we were satisfied. Have already recommended your company to one of my wine buddies. On top of that, have been discussing the possibility of using your company for a trip to Bordeaux and the wine districts of Spain."
-Roy Ramquist, Wisconsin. Luxury Rome, Umbria and Tuscany Tour March 2011
"The trip met and went beyond both of our expectations. The tour schedule was perfect! We learned something new at every winery and they were a perfect representation of differences within Rioja and the styles of making wine. The lunches were unbelievable! Similar to the wineries, I especially liked that each place had a different style we both feel we experienced a very good and delicious representation of the food and the region. The vehicle was perfect. Everything was immaculate and every morning we had a fresh bottle of water at our seats. It was also fun to be riding in such style. We enjoyed every aspect of the trip. I wish we had more time with some of the wonderful people we met, but I guess that just means we need another trip! I would definitely recommend Cellar Tours! It was very professional, well planned and executed. Anyone heading to a country you service, I will be mentioning the company. John and I would love to return to Spain or maybe hit France and book another trip. Genevieve, thank you so much for helping to make this a memorable birthday for my husband and being patient with all my questions. "
-Heather Findeisen, Conneticut. Gourmet Tour Northern Spain January 2011
"Bersi Serlini had excellent wine- beautiful vineyard and lovely setting! The Culatello ham visit was interesting, beautiful setting, lots of fun! The cooking class then in Franciacorta was fantastic- best part of the trip!! The food was delicious, preparation was so much fun and we all had a chance to participate. Small group was great and the actual lunch experience was really nice. Lovely experience. I would recommend Cellar Tours. Very enjoyable and everyone was happy. Simona was fun to talk to at lunch!!!"
-Susan Kilman, Florida. Gourmet Day Tours Italy November 2010
"We LOVED the wines at Castello di Meleto- the tasting in the room paired with the food my husband and I have been to a lot of wineries but this was the best.!! In Rome, we all loved Tosca she was very informative and just a really warm and friendly person to talk to we could of spent even more hours with her she was so full of knowledge about everything we really enjoyed her company she kept us on a schedule and fit every last thing that we wanted to do. Everything was great and the keepsake book i will always have to remember our trip. As a travel agent i will recommend you to my clients."
-Danielle Benanti, Tiara Travel, New Jersey. Food and Wine Shore Excursions Italy Nov 2010
"The pre-travel organization was terrific. Working with you and Gen was easy, pleasant and very satisfying. Regarding the Selection of the Wineries, all were brilliant choices! Our absolute favorite was Tenuta della Signore in Sicily. What an amazing choice. We also loved Petra, Poliziano, Ornellaia and Badia a Passignano and very much liked Cottanera and Casato Prima Donne. The wines were tremendous at each of the wineries and I would repeat at each and every one. The Gourmet Tour of Taormina was very enjoyable--good and informative tour guide. The meals were over the top great. None can be compared one with the other. I want to be back at Ombrone right now!! The patio at Caffe Poliziano was magic and so was the food. Cottanera brought us rustic home cooking that was, as I say above, amazing. The meal at Osteria Badia a Passignano was a foodie treat. I cannot think of one negative thing to report about the food--Vegetarians and allergies were well provided for and everything, including the atmosphere and sociability of each place, were off the charts. Thanks again for everything and I look forward to working with you all again!"
-Frank Pond, Los Angeles, CA. Tuscany and Sicily Wine Tour October 2010
"The LVNAE winery was exceptional. The tour and tasting were well done as evidenced by the purchases we all made, and it was fun. The time spent there was just right. Would I recommend or use Cellar Tours again? My initial reaction was it was expensive for what we received and the short duration of the tour. My more considered reaction was there was a lot included and the tour provided far more than I could have organized personally - and it was extremely convenient. So it was good value. And yes, I would recommend Cellar Tours to others and use Cellar Tours myself in planning other visits to Europe. Thank you for a brief but excellent introduction to the area and I hope to deal with you again."
-Dr. Alan Lauder, Pennsylvania. Cinque Terre Wine Tour Oct 2010
"The tour was well organized, the suppliers were excellent. Both wine estates (Ornellaia and Petra were superb. We did not want to leave Ornellaia. How did you find Ombrone? Lunch was wonderful. The setting, hospitality and ambiance were perfect. Fantastic food and very warm welcoming hosts. It was maybe the most enjoyable meal we had during our time in Italy. My grandmother was Sicilian and every day at work she would make lunch for my grandfather, father, uncles myself and my cousins(do you think our business was a family business?). She retired at 92 and lunch has never been the same. Anyway the food at Ombrone reminded me of her cooking and I can pay no higher compliment. Please pass this along to them.Our driver was Davide and a better choice could not have been made. He was very friendly, courteous, patient and informative. He deserves recognition. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours again, everything was done right. I am not an easy person to please and am often told I set the bar too high but I have nothing but I have nothing but great memories from our two tours with your company."
-Ted Deodato, Ontario. Luxury Day Tour of Super Tuscans September 2011
"You did a magnificent job! The Pollmans came home raving about the Rioja, Pepe, everything! Only thing everyone should know is that they give you 2 bottles of wine at lunch – and they said you have to be ready for that! They wanted to take Pepe home with them! He was so wonderful and helped them so much every day as well as at the air check-in! And they loved Cristina too – said she did a wonderful job and after six hours of touring, they were able to manage Madrid on their own! Thank you so very much for everything you did for them – and for me! I hope I have someone you can take care of again – very soon!"
-Ryland Stacy, Universal Travel Houston, Texas. Luxury Wine Tour Spain Sept 2010
"Thank you so much for organizing such an incredible day. We loved our wine tours in Chianti and the lunch at Badia a Coltibuono was fabulous. Stefano our driver was elegant, polite and extremely helpful. At his suggestion we stopped for coffee at some small picturesque towns located between the wineries and he always made us feel unrushed and pampered. Badia a Coltibuono was everything we hoped. The former Abbey and gardens were beautiful and our guide was charming and intelligent. The tasting was really fun and the quality of the wines, superb. The lunch paired with wines that followed was perfect. The food was sophisticated and the staff were accommodating of small changes to the menu. Capanelle was an interesting contrast to the abbey in being able to see more of the science and technology used in wine making. John loved the high tech wine storage vault and the tasting wines were excellent. Thank you so much for organizing a perfect day. You really listened to our interests and gave us exactly what we wanted. I can't wait to use Cellar tours again"
-Robin Comery, Toronto. Luxury Chianti Wine Day Tour, September 2010
"Everything went as planned. We were very pleased and would like to travel again with Cellar Tours. We learned something new at each chateau and overall it was informative and entertaining. CHATEAU MARGAUX - it was amazing to see their wine cellar . CHATEAU GISCOURS - of note - we really enjoyed Chateau Giscours, the tasting, the wine and the lunch. We really enjoyed our time there. CHATEAU CANON - This was the most amazing wine tour of all. we got to see the caves under the winery and learn about some of the history of St. Emillion. The CHATEAU HAUT BAILLY had awesome accommodations and staff. Dinner by the chef was outstanding! Our driver, Christian, was amazing! The car was clean, he was punctual, he spoke very good English, he was helpful, he was a very safe driver and great company. I always felt that he went out of the way to ensure that we were having a good time. Christian helped to make our visit in Bordeaux very memorable. I have already recommended Cellar tours to my friends and family because we had a great time."
-Nadine Nichols, Ontario, Canada. Luxury Bordeaux Wine Tour September 2010
"We had an absolute ball just gutted it was so short!!!! Badia Passignano was superb especially when a visitor told us they had been in the region for 6 weeks and were unable to book a group tour of the cellars and estate let alone a private one! (nice tough from you). The Chap that showed us around actually worked in the UK Casinos and worked with my best man at the Ritz Club!!! Beconcini was excellent, food was authentic and cooked by the Winemakers mother, started with Chicken Live Bruschetta and then Penne Ragu followed by cheeses and meats yummy yum! Would absolutely recommend Cellar Tours – painless, efficient, and made you feel like a celebrity. Can I close by saying you run an excellent shop and your little touches like our names on the menus etc were really cool and made the tour even more personal. Thank you for making me look good, an amazing experience and no stress!!"
-Grant Weinberg, United Kingdom. Mini Honeymoon Tuscany October 2010
"We had a wonderful time. The only regret we have is that we didn't have more time. I am already recommending Cellar Tours to our friends. I was very impressed with the way you took care of me. You went way out of your way to assist me with ALL my needs. I especially appreciated you going out of your way to help me with the front end of my trip which Cellar Tours was not even involved. Thanks a million for all you did for us!!! Best of luck to you and Cellar Tours. If we travel to Europe again I will be calling you."
-Cathy Carroll, Memphis,TN, Italy Food and Wine Touring October 2010
"What a fantastic trip!! Lisa and I had the most amazing time the organization of the whole trip was absolutely fantastic, the choice of wineries was perfect it gave us the opportunity to see new modern methods along with the old traditional ones. Everyone at the wineries was so friendly and couldn't have mad us any more welcome it was a pleasure meeting them all on a couple of occasions we didn't want to leave. The wine tasting was brilliant we learnt so much, the only hiccups were our own ! The hotel Villa De Laguardia was beautiful and the location perfect for a evening stroll for tapas and a glass or two of wine in the stunning Laguardia itself. Roberto our driver, what a lovely man he really looked after us, always looked smart, always on time and his car spotless throughout, a true professional. We would definitely recommend Cellar Tours. As I explained previously, the trip was a surprise gift for Lisa's 40TH birthday and she was completely blown away by the whole experience WOW! I´'ll be in touch soon to arrange the next trip!! "
-Mick Doyle, United Kingdom. Luxury Rioja Wine Tour October 2010
"The tour organization was splendid. I would change nothing. Your driver was a wonderful, warm and smart person. He answered our myriad questions, many of which pertained to general "life in Spain" issues, etc.. Costers del Siuraa - what a great time, we got the main guy he's animated , we connected and had a very fine time. Jordi at Conreria de Scala Dei is awesome, such a forward-thinking person. Another splendid, candid, and quite remarkable visit and conversation. I felt great privilege to have these two gentleman one-on-one. The pre tour information was very accurate and very useful. I would without hesitation recommend Cellar Tours. If the target demographic are people who are interested in conversing, and getting to know the people this is about as good as it gets. Thank you for the splendid tour, impeccable organization and the superb communication, end to end."
-Patrick Hickey, Santa Cruz, CA. Priorat Wine Tour October 2010
"Keith and I had a wonderful time on our "cellar" tour. It was well-organized and your choices worked beautifully for us. Bersi Serlini was a great stop. We learned a lot about the making of sparkling wines, and Christina, our guide was very sweet and personable. Of course, the grapes had already been harvested for the year, so we missed out on seeing the vineyards -- but we were able to enjoy the best part: the tasting!! We even met the owners. All in all, a neat experience, and much fun. The restaurant, Dispensa Pane e Vini, was a surprise. It was one of the best meals we had in our two weeks in Italy...we'd go back there in a heartbeat (if we could ever find it again!). Giovanni ("John", he said), was punctual, informative, entertaining, and very, very patient in all the traffic jams we encountered. We felt thoroughly indulged, and we would not hesitate to recommend your tours to anyone. It was a fantastic day -- THANK YOU!!"
-Justine and Keith Miller, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Franciacorta Wine Tasting Excursion October 2010
"Everything perfect here, can't think of a thing to change. I really like the contrast between the traditional approach espoused by Costers (Joan was GREAT-our favorite) compared to Scala Dei who are riding the wave to some extent and modifying wine to meet changing tastes. Jordi had us sample wines in process from steel to oak, which was a nice touch. Nothing more cool than pipetting out of the cask and tasting. A high point. I have to say that, unlike many winery visitors, we were not there as much for the tasting as the experience with the winemakers. We have many of these wines in my cellar already. That said, the tastings were well done, relaxed, informative, we could have talked for hours. Joan's approach with comparing a single vintage and different wines was good, as was Jordi's approach of showing us the range of wines but from different vintages. Lunch was delicious, unexpectedly so in such a small town. Service excellent. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours after this experience. Acknowledging that it is a costly way to do it, the private, personal attention was worth every penny. There's simply nothing like this in Napa anymore, unless you're a celebrity or something perhaps. It's like visiting Napa in the 60s perhaps."
-Scott Trerotola, Newtown Square,PA, Priorat Wine Tour October 2010
"Tour was very well organized. Kirwan was an excellent tour with owner and tasted some very old wines. Excellent hostess. Latour, Pichon Longueville, Clos Fourtet, Figeac, Angelus and Coutet all excellent. The accommodation at Chateau La Lagune was the best. Emanuel was superb as was the food. Chateau du Tertre was so beautiful and so much fun. Wines were amazing as were the salads. Mark was a super host. I loved the cooking class. We learned a lot and had lots of fun. Maybe private chefs would be more interesting than Michelin stars next time. Otherwise, I know you worked very hard on this and it shows. Would recommend."
-Lori Kozub, Canada. Luxury Bordeaux Wine Tour September 2010
"It was a pleasure to meet you in Italy. We were very pleased with our tour and will recommend Cellar Tours to our friends interested in wine tours in Europe. Thank you for all of your help."
-Dee Ann Ellis, Charlotte, North Carolina. Wine and Cooking Tour Northern Italy, September 2010
"We had an amazing, fantastic time in Rioja. Thanks again for making it all happen. I know it was no easy feat!! Pepe, our driver/caretaker, took excellent care of us and was a pleasure to be around. He was extremely conscientious, professional, personable, interesting, and well versed in many different things. The visits at LOPEZ, RIOJA ALTA, and MUGA were all fantastic. Everyone was super nice, accommodating, and they opened some amazing older wines for us, especially LA RIOJA ALTA. HERMANOS PECINA was also a great visit. They were also very generous and warm. CVNE was fine, but they weren't as open or interested in the wines as the others. MARQUES DE RISCAL was an awesome hotel. Everything there was great. I would definitely recommend you to anyone and everyone. A first class operation. We look forward to the next adventure. Thanks again."
-AJ Bocchino, New York. Luxury Rioja Wine Tour September 2010
"Organising the tour was easy. Was able to tailor the day to our needs. The Capannelle winery was great. The cheese tour was good... I guess we were probably more interested in tasting different cheeses and not so much in the how it's made. Lunch at Le Logge was excellent!!! Our driver Sauro was punctual, polite, excellent driving, and very informative... perfect!"
-Anna Jinks, Aberfeldie, Australia. Tuscan Gourmet Day Tour September 2010
"The selection of wineries (Castel Toblino, San Leonardo and Villa Novare) was fantastic! The Hotel Due Torri was the best place we stayed....excellent service, beautiful and great service! The balsamic vinegar experience at Acetaia dle Cristo and the cheese experience at Latteria Ducale were beyond our expectations! We have already recommended Cellar Tours to all our friends!"
-Mark Miller, Colorado. Verona Wine Tour September 2010
"The tour was well organized; the appointments were on-time and enjoyable. If we had to change anything, we would cut out the activities on the first day as too tired after the flight. The wineries were in very nice settings and we were treated very well at each one. Residenza del Moro was an absolutely wonderful place to stay! These folks were always so considerate and they definitely know the hospitality business! Paul DeBondt, the chocolate maker, is passionate about chocolate and we were treated to a wonderful time. The truffle hunt was unlike anything we've ever done and Gabriella was wonderful to cook with. Silvia's market tour was so informative and cooking with her was a joy. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours. "
-Nora Eylenfeldt, Olympia, Washington. Tuscany Culinary Tour September 2010
"Bertani was very exciting as a tour and Villa Monteleone was also fun, but in a much more intimate way. Michele at Bertani is very knowledgeable and I had many questions all of which she could answer wonderfully. Also, when we tasted the wines she described them in such detail; it was perfectly matched to what we wanted, which is important because I have had some experience drinking Valpolicella wines so I wanted a level of deep detail both historically and about the tastes of wines and she could deliver all of this, and with ease. Monteleone was also a delight, especially for American tourists because she is so comfortable in English and has experiences Americans can relate to. She was warm, funny, and honest; a very lovely woman. The food was great and the wines they served were all ones that we had not had before. The chef was truly lovely: so friendly and attentive. The final course, a traditional cake, was unbelievable: the best dessert I tasted in all of Italy. Also, at one point, the father was about to give us a wine and then realized that he had a better, older version of the same wine. It was great; they attended to every detail. Our driver Nico is #1. I will ask for him to be my driver again when we make our next visit. The luxury Mercedes is the only way to travel on such a trip; it was clean, temperature controlled, and spacious. I will probably invite a couple friends with us for a future visit with Cellar Tours. It was, from start to finish, a delight. "
-Drs. Nicholas and Marcy Rowland, Hollidaysburg, PA. Valpolicella Wine Tour September 2010
"The tour was well organized and accomplished our ambitious itinerary--you warned us that it might be too much and some in our group may have agreed with you!! But--you planned out exactly what we had asked!! The driver was great and the tour guide in Padua was too--without her, the frescoes certainly would not have been nearly as meaningful. I would definitely recommend your tour company!! "
-Judy Pace, Orange Village, Ohio. Padua Art Tour, September 2010
"The organization of your tour was perfect. Loved Bertani and Allegrini. Very professional driver, no complaints. The pre tour information was so well done, I really cannot "critique" anything. A magical day that we won't forget. We will be back soon, too!"
-Angela Forrish, Harrisonburg, VA. Venice Wine Tasting Excursion September 2010
"The wine tour was absolutely fantastic and we both had a wonderful time. We would certainly both love to do another tour with your company in the future and would also highly recommend your services to anyone. We enjoyed both wineries very much. Our guide at Ceretto was very knowledgeable and very informative. She answered all of our questions with great knowledge and the wines we tasted were top notch. The food at Vineria del Barolo was fantastic and the service was very professional and efficient. We really enjoyed our bottle of Barolo as well. The vehicle was very clean and comfortable. Sonia was an excellent drive and also made us feel very welcome and comfortable. We did not have to worry about anything at all and all of the services provided were excellent. You may certainly use any of my comments on your website. Thank you so much for planning such a great day for us. "
-Meg Isser, New York. Barolo Wine Tour September 2010
"Sincere thanks for the beautiful candlesticks! Every time we use them--and we enjoy using candles often--we will think of you and our lovely trip to Ireland. Again, thank you so much. We very much appreciate all your efforts in making our trip a success. You were very responsive to our requests and did a nice job fashioning the tour around our expressed areas of interest. Would definitely stay at the Merrion again and would recommend it to others. The location was perfect and the service was terrific. Ballymaloe was a beautiful setting, very relaxing. ADARE MANOR – Staff was formal, but first-rate. The meal we had in the formal dining room at Adare Manor was excellent. The foie gras dish was one of the best dishes we've ever eaten. We have eaten at some of the best restaurants in North America and the dining experience at L´Ecrivain ranks second among some incredibly memorable meals. Truly superb, and a great first night in Dublin. Great wine selection and food at Fishy Fishy. Lovely dining room; terrific place for lunch in beautiful Kinsale.The cars were always in great condition and the drivers were very punctual and cooperative. We would recommend Cellar Tours unquestionably. It definitely felt as if the tour was built around our interests and wishes, and not like we were plugged into someone else's idea of a good trip."
-Lorri Latek, Worthington, OH. Luxury Gourmet Tour Ireland, August 2010
"We really enjoyed all the wineries. Baldovino was our favorite experience (as you know, we went back a second time). Great company, great wine, great food. Villa Monteleone was our second favorite, the owner was extremely gracious with her time and was obviously very knowledgeable. The wines were also excellent. Villa La Torre was a beautiful estate and the guide was very nice. Great selection of wines chosen for the tasting. Fontanafredda gave an extremely in depth tour and generous in letting us taste wines that were not part of the official tasting. Cheese tasting at Giolito's was great. Giolito is hilarious. The cheese and wine pairings were fantastic, very educational. We are hoping to see Giolito when Eataly opens in New York. Both vehicles were very elegant, comfortable to ride in and very clean. We would definitely recommend Cellar Tours to other people and would also probably take another tour ourselves at some point. "
-David Goldberg, New York. Northern Italy Food and Wine Tour August 2010
"Our driver was wonderful, knowledgeable and easy going. We enjoyed all the suppliers/restaurants/cooking class. We had a great visit at Villa Novare, tasting was professionally done and Villa is beautiful. We loved meeting Lucia at Monteleone and hope to see her on future visits! Thank you for arranging the tour at Bersi Serlini last minute! Enjoyed seeing the cellar and facilities. Professional tasting. The Hotel Victoria location in Verona was perfect, hotel staff very accommodating. We loved the Amarone risotto at Al Bersagliere, enjoyed meeting the family/owners at Covolo and La Speranzina was one of the highlights of our trip! The cooking class was fantastic and we enjoyed Andrea and Lara. The cruise on Lake Garda was another highlight of our trip - we had a beautiful day and our captain was a great guide. Will definitely recommend Cellar Tours and look forward to working with you again in the future for our travel plans."
-Ellen Malasky, West Palm Beach, FL. Verona and Lake Garda Gourmet Tour August 2010
"We really enjoyed the tour... there was never any time when we felt like we were being rushed and we were able to really enjoy each experience fully! Lovely grounds at Enaudi, had a nice long tasting accompanied with some local cheeses. Enjoyed several superior wines at Monti and cannot say enough positives about the experience at Roagna... by far our favorite vineyard... we loved walking in the vineyard, tasting old and new wines, LOVED the amazing lunch... this was just fantastic. Braida was really pretty with a nice tasting area... another favorite. Ceretto very different feel... reminded us of a California vineyard.. obviously modern commercial vineyard , informative but not intimate like the boutiques... still happy that we visited this vineyard though. We really liked Relais. The restaurant and cooking class in Gavi were FANTASTIC... the pool was very nice as well! Cooking class was fun! The chef did a great job with making us feel comfortable and having a good time Plus we were able to eat our own creations for lunch. SO glad we did the truffle hunt and also ate some amazing Robiola cheese. Everything was wonderful and our driver went out of her way to both accommodate us and to give us a real Italian experience. We have already recommended Cellar Tours and are interested in a tour of Burgundy France in a few years!"
-Kristen and Brian Graney, Towson, MD. Piedmont Food and Wine Tour July 2010
"Everything was fabulous! Thank you for setting up such a wonderful tour for my brother and I."
-Jeannie Sharp, USA. Luxury Tuscany Tour July 2010
"We enjoyed both tours very much, our favorite was Altesino tour, but my husband like the wine a little better at Nardi. The lunch at the Nardi wine estate was great. Vehicle, driver and everything were excellent. Driver was very friendly and told us a great deal about the area, which we enjoyed. Great info in the pre tour document! It was great not to have to arrange, or to have to drive and find the places ourselves. "
-Linda Leathers, Abu Dhabi. Montalcino Wine Excursion July 2010
"We had a fantastic time on the wine tour!! It seriously was the highlight of our whole trip. I can't tell you how impressed we were with all the wineries, the hosts were incredible--so knowledgeable, personable and they really gave us in-depth information and insight into the estates' operations that we were interested in. We loved getting that deep level of knowledge and education...that's not something you find at wineries in the United States, so it was a very special experience. Further, we loved how different each of the estates are in their approach to wine making and wine philosophy! It was so interesting to see their perspectives and to experience those perspectives in the taste of the wine. We will definitely recommend Cellar Tours to everyone! Thank you again for everything! Also, the wine & olive oil gifts were very kind of you, such a nice surprise - thank you very much. "
-Sarah Lyons, Los Angeles, CA. Northern Spain Wine tour June 2010
"It is impossible to say anything negative about the tour. Everything was handled smoothly and professionally from our initial contact with you until we sadly had to board our flight to come home. We loved the wineries and were particularly touched that Luca of Roagna allowed us to enter his home/life/vineyard and share his passion with us. Each of the wineries offered us good wines to try (each opened especially for us) and we enjoyed the individuality of each experience. The range of wineries offered were well thought out and each offered something different. Loved Relais San Maurizio – would highly recommend it. It all went brilliantly to plan and we will be happy to recommend your services. The organisation was seamless, the restaurants, hotels, activities, absolutely spot-on. You really listened to what we wanted and made a very good job of ensuring that we got it. This was a completely stress free holiday. Your endless patience and your attention to detail really are phenomenal. Not only will we be recommending you to our friends and colleagues, we will also be using your services again when we next make a trip to Europe."
-Karen Cashford & Stephen Doyle, Singapore. Luxury Piedmont Wine Tour June 2010
"We absolutely loved the Cellar Tours experience. Our driver Massimo arrived In a beautiful and clean Mercedes, he was friendly and instantly had us feeling comfortable. He was very knowledgeable and enjoyed sharing his home town and region with us. The winery tours and lunch were unforgettable. Easily one of the best days we spent in Italy. Loved the tour at Altesino, the food was amazing. Also enjoyed Icario. "
-Daniel Kessler, Jersey City. Montalcino and Montepulciano Wine Tour June 2010
"I cannot thank you enough for your work that made this a special trip. Everything was first rate with all suppliers of the highest quality and the coordination of the logistics was fantastic. Every guide and driver was on time and knew exactly what they were doing. The organization and coordination of logistics were fantastic. The side trips between the major cities were really interesting and broke up the trip. Our group really liked the stops in Orvieto and Bologna and these trips made you feel like you saw more of Italy. I would recommend you guys without hesitation...very professional and you took away the headaches of travel that can occur with a group of seven. Thank you. "
-John Seiple, Castle Rock, CO. Italy Food and Culture Tour June 2010
"WOW, You are VERY Organized. The drivers were fantastic. You were able to make last minute changes for us due to flight changes. Fantastic job. Very nice people at Beconcini and very nice property. Fantastic views at Capannelle, impressive wine Cellar. Amazing facility and great tour at Mazzei; they let us try whatever we wanted. FANTASTIC Tour at Casato Prime Donne: very informative and she gave us a lot of time. Facility was great. Altesino was the Best of the Best. The Lunch was over the top! The wines are a 10 in my book!!!!! We even went into the town of Montelcino for a look.....The Grand Hotel Continental was the perfect place to stay, Loved it.Breakfast was great and the room was romantic and perfect. Loved Siena!!! The cars were in PERFECT shape. Brand New Mercedes E Class cars.... The drivers were early and Perfect!!!! We would recommend Cellar Tours again and we will use you again!!!! We want to do France next! We were Very Satisfied. "
-Dr Joe Herman, Luxury Wine Tour Tuscany June 2010
"The tour was well organized and implemented. We enjoyed Feudi Di San Gregorio, but that was primarily because of the spectacular meal. The winery building and grounds are very striking and beautiful. The gardens are magnificent. All of that was a fabulous visual experience. Each part of the multi-course gourmet extravaganza was perfect. One of our family members doesn't eat meat, and the chef and servers adjusted her courses accordingly (and hers were every bit as wonderful as ours). The meal and wines were beyond compare! Thank you once again, and we will definitely come back to Cellar Tours when we travel in the countries you handle."
-David M. Roth, Louisville, KY. Amalfi Wine Tour to Irpinia June 2010
"We had a great day and would highly recommend Cellar Tours. Thanks for personalizing everything for our particular interests. We particularly enjoyed Mas Comtal. Marta was charming and gave us great insight into their small winery's efforts and the direction they are trying to head. Also enjoyed the second winery and Sylvia was also charming as was the owner who came to chat with us while we were tasting. We liked the food and found it interesting. Car and driver couldn't have been better. "
-Kit and Jim Shaw, California winemakers. Penedès wine country excursion from Barcelona June 2010
"Tour was great and no hiccups. Driver was great and very accommodating and even took us to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa at the last minute. Could not have been better. Both wineries were great and very historically interesting. We liked the wine at the first winery better but that is because we like Super Tuscan wines more than Chiantis. Lunch was the best we had in Italy. Your pre-tour and post-tour follow up is impressive, and we would use you any time and would recommend you as well."
-Brett Balthrope, San Antioni, Texas. Tuscan wine tasting excursion. June 2010
"We had a great time with our tour. We are definitely recommending you to our friends and family, everything from top to bottom was A+."
-Hector Alba, New Jersey. Rioja Wine Tour June 2010
"The organization was great and we were very happy with it. We know we can count on you for a well organised, fruitful and enjoyable trip. Again the guides that you provided us were really very good and knowledgable and they were very passionate about their work too! Food wise, we were never disappointed, we enjoyed our meals tremendously! In fact we enjoyed the meals you arranged more than the cruise's. Drivers were very friendly and professional. We were very thrilled to see Giancarlo iat Livorno again. It was like seeing an old friend! Buranco in Cinque Terre had great wine! The winery had such a cosy and homely feel. Ornellaia in Tuscany, what a beautiful winery and absolutely fabulous wine too! The cruise in Capri and Amalfi coast- definitely mind blowing! One of the best item of the tour! Tosca, our Rome guide, was very knowledgeable. This is our second time with you and we are very happy with you impeccable service and organisation. We'll definitely use Cellar Tours again the next time we visit Europe."
-Joanne Lee, Singapore. Luxury food and wine tour Italy May 2010
"The wine tour you planned for us was fantastic! Your selection of wineries was ideal for learning about the different methods and theories for making Spanish wines. The wonderful cross section of superb wines and food at Balzac with Mary in Madrid was a most memorable experience and a grand way to start the tour. All of our visits were well hosted, but we especially enjoyed talking to the winemakers and owners -- particularly Gallo, his wife and father Lopez Cristobal, Joan Cusine at Pares Balta (he evens showed us his beehives) and Carles Pastrana at Costers del Suirana. We could have spent the day with any of them. Our favorite hotel accommodations included onventa Las Claras in Penafiel (we could see the illuminated castle from our bed) and the Maria Cristina in San Sebastian (we were upgraded to the top floor suite with the terrace overlooking the opera house and river.) Akelare was "another world" experience - thanks for suggesting it. As to the other restaurants you chose for us - WOW! The menus with our names on them and multiple courses were quite impressive. Our favorite was Casa Ojeda in Burgos and Las Duelas in Rioja, a close second. The cheese tasting in Barcelona was a real treat. What a grand way to end the tour, relaxing in a wine cellar with 13 cheeses and wines. We managed to get home with 17 wines and your lovely gift. Thanks for all your work in putting together this superbly planned and detailed tour for us. Everyone we met who knew you said you were very professional, and we certainly agree. Needless to say, we can heartily recommend your tour to others."
-Bob and Evelyn Heins, Plattsburgh, NY. Gourmet Tour Spain May 2010
"The tour was very well organized. The suppliers well chosen and very knowledgeable. We received a wealth of information on their respective subjects. For Poggio Cappiano, it would have been ideal if we could have spoken to Fabrizio directly rather than through a translator. there is always something lost in translation though Rosa did a wonderful job and Fabrizio's passion for his work was evident despite the language barrier. Paul de Bondt, the chocolatemaker, gave us so much time. He was great fun and so passionate. Will never look at chocolate the same way again. Daniele opened our eyes to balsamic. the tastings were fabulous. I have to say all were incredible and we enjoyed them thoroughly. The choice of restaurants was super. Some of the best meals on our entire trip. Great vegetarian food. Many thanks for making our trip memorable."
-Deepika Shah, Mumbai, India. Gourmet Touring in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna May 2010
"The tour was well organized. Out driver was very helpful and was a good tour guide in addition to getting us from point A to point B. The wineries were very good. We were very very pleased with the tastings and we learned a great deal about wines from the region. The restaurant was wonderful and lived up to the reputation of the gastronomy of the region. Service was top notch. Also, very generous with the wine! We could've had much more than we did, but had another tasting to go to! Additionally, the view of the countryside was fantastic. Thanks again, Jen, the tour was a wonderful way to start our vacation in Italy."
-Paul Salcido, Irving, Texas. Langhe one day wine tour May 2010
"The tour you arranged for us was incredible....from the Parmasean factory and the Balsamico farm to the delicious lunch and the comfortable car. It was unforgettable and exceeded our expectations. I look forward to having another tour arranged by you. I miss Italy so much and can't wait to return.It would be a pleasure to have my comments used and anything else that would be helpful. We were thoroughly delighted with every aspect of the tour and want others to know as well. Thank you again."
-Elizabeth Comley , Los Angeles, California. Gourmet Day Excursion from Bologna, May 2010
"The organization of our vacation was perfect! From the planning stage to the actual vacation, everything was professionally organized and personally planned. The outcome was wonderful!! We thoroughly enjoyed all the wineries! The guides were extremely knowledgeable and enjoyable to work with! Each one (Paolo Monti, Roagna, Braida, Villa Sparina) was unique in its own way, and made the experience really great! The meals at Nicola Cavallaro, Roagna and Fioraia were great and the food delicious! We also really loved the truffle hunt!! So much fun! We loved the keepsake, it is extremely comprehensive and informative! This was our 2nd trip with Cellar Tours and we have given your name out to many people! You can use any information we give you and give out our names and emails for references."
-Lori and Gary Smith, Merrick, New Your. Piedmont and Italian Riviera Food and Wine Tour April 2010
"The tour was extremely well organized. The driver was outstanding and really made us feel at ease. We never worried or double checked out itinerary unless we wanted to know what was in store for the day. That was the service that we paid a premium for and it was certainly delivered.I can't wait to book another trip with Cellar Tours. Gen was really great throughout the planning process. Not that I had to do much planning. We got to sit back and enjoy and that really was worth every penny."
-Courtney Kyte, London. Luxury Spain Wine Tour, March 2010
"So many places want you to go with a predetermined itinerary, the thing that made me select Cellar Tours was the fact that we got to visit the cities we wanted to visit, look at the places and things that interested us, and taste the great Italian wines which was the main purpose of the trip. When visiting the wineries everyone treated us extremely well and we have the very positive feedback that each of these was unique in its own way and each somehow complimented the other. As an example we had an intimate lunch at the Beconcini winery. Leonardo and Eva treated us like family with an inside tour explaining how their vineyards and winery were indeed unique. Lunch was served in their home, homemade food that perfectly complimented the wine. They made us feel like family. We felt like we were afforded an inside view of every winery we visited, that they weren't just going through the motions. We have nothing but wonderful things to say regarding the reception we enjoyed at each wineries, the personal nature of the tour, the knowledge and friendly spirit of each of our guides and the accommodating atmosphere of each winery we visited. Our art guide in Florence Emanuela whe was really, really great. Again personable, highly knowledgeable and full of insights regarding exactly what we should be looking at and its meaning in terms of importance in art history and during the period it was created. We felt fortunate that she was part of our tour. The food was absolutely wonderful every place we went. We were welcomed warmly and literally felt like we were Royalty every place we went. The Villa Il Tesoro Maremma was truly one of the most unique and beautiful places we have ever stayed and Jenny and I have traveled all over the world. We would absolutely recommend Cellar Tours (and actually already have) for all the reasons we have outlined above.."
-David Carver, Las Vegas. Luxury Tuscan Art and Wine Gourmet Tour March 2010
Thanks so much for the winery tours. They were perfect. Our driver, Johams, was great and even fun. We enjoyed spending the day with him which was an added bonus! The first tour was very nice and informative and the owner was great. It was a nice mix of learning and fun. The second tour was great because it was so different from the first. We went up into the mountain where their vineyards were and he explained the soil and some of their growing methods before we tasted the wine. It was two completely different kinds of tours. Lunch was excellent too.It was a perfect trip. Thank you!"
-Cynthia and Kurtis Reeg, St. Louis,MO- Priorat Wine Excursion from Barcelona Feb 2010
"The trip was beautifully organized. Everything fell into place exactly as scheduled. Cellar Tours was a joy to work with. Beconcini was fabulous! We had a long walking tour through the vineyards with Eva, who was absolutely charming. Our tasting with Leonardo was terrific. And lunch with them both was a treat. Molino Sant Antimo was another gem. The winery itself is beautiful, as is the lovely new villa. We had a wonderful lunch cooked by Julia's mother and grandmother. Casanova di Neri was also good. Petra was gorgeous. We all loved the contrast between what Mr. Moretti has done there and the smaller vineyards that we had visited. Michele Satta was, again, fabulous. Michele himself was there to show us round. Cibreo was to die for! We had an amazing evening. Ombrone was fun. What a family affair! The "old folks" were busy doing the cooking. Our waitress had twin babies who were there with her in the restaurant. We all loved the olive oil tasting as well. Sauro our driver did a wonderful job. I have already told several of my colleagues about the fabulous experience that we had. We would certainly use Cellar Tours again if we plan a similar trip elsewhere."
-Marcia McCormack, Concord, NH.Tuscany Wine Discover Tour October 2009
"The organization of the day was perfect. Molino Sant Antimo was lovely. The fact that they took us into their dining room in their own home and personally cooked food for us to nibble on as we tasted their wines was very kind! The wines were superb. Altesino was also fantastic. A beautiful drive from one winery to the other with time to visit the Abbey in between (which was a favorite stop of ours), we were greeted with much friendliness and jumped on a detailed tour of the land, the barrels, the wine-making process, and finally, lunch. Our food was delicious and again, authentic and homey - we had a pasta dish we graded as one of our best plates of food the entire trip, and they had a cake with our names in chocolate on top! The wine gift was great too. I had managed to keep that a secret from Chris, so that was really special to us. The vehicle and driver were pristine. We received exceptional hospitality and service, and we loved the food and the wine! You get what you pay for - and with this tour, it's a wonderful day and great memories to last a lifetime! I hope my comments fully convey how much we truly enjoyed our experience and appreciate your services!"
-Caia Watridge, Virginia. Honeymoon Brunello Wine Tour October 2009
"The trip was fantastic! Everything was organized really well, including the weather! Paudy mentioned that sometimes when people come to Ireland for a golf vacation they don't get a round in due to the rain. So I'm really happy to have played a round of golf. BTW, Paudy was great! Very accommodating and a pleasure to have as our chauffeur. If we visit Ireland again we would definitely use his services. We had some really good pints of Guinness at some great pubs thanks to him. The dinners at all the restaurants were fantastic. Thorntons was my favorite followed by Cafe Paradiso, L'Ecrivain and then Longueville house. All the accommodations were great! The ritz at Powerscourt was our favorite with amazing views. The Powersourt gardens are fantastic! The cellar bar at the Merrion is really good and the views from the Park hotel were also amazing! Pat Liddy gave us a really good walking tour of Dublin and it was a pleasure to meet him. Ireland is an amazing place with so much greenery! We really enjoyed the whole trip and look forward to the next trip organized by Cellar tours!"
-Naresh Dharnidharka, Luxury Ireland Tour October 2009
"We really enjoyed meeting Mary & Miguel in Madrid and thought they did a terrific job explaining the wines of Spain and the tapas were outstanding. We thought that Jose Maria was probably the best driver we ever had and we had a few in our lives.... just couldn't have been better. The wineries were all very interesting and also very different which was great. Fernando, the driver in Portugal, was very nice and very accommodating. We enjoyed the Douro region. and Quinto do Gavioso. We thought Rozès was very special in that the winemaker took a lot of time with us and was very passionate about his product which we thought was quite good. Restaurant Os Lusiadas in Porto was our favorite. This was our first 'over the net' tour we ever took and we were so pleasantly surprised that we would recommend Cellartours to anybody without hesitation. Thanks for doing a really great job"
-Lydia & Jack Smith, Naples, Florida. Gourmet Wine Tour Spain and Portugal Oct 2009
"My trip was fantastic. The tour was perfect and I am very happy. I have only positive feedback about your services and the selection of suppliers. All visits were excellent. In each winery (Elio Altare, Monfalletto, Vietti, Braida, Roagna, Chierico and Sandrone) I was received very well. The hosts were very kind, helpful, polite and responsive. The tour and tastings were friendly, fun and informative. I enjoyed all of them say thank you to them in my name. The truffle hunt was very interesting. I had lots of fun and the hunter and his son are also very nice. The only suggest that I have is to keep doing in the same way that you are doing. Congratulations for the arrangements of the trip. As I said in my feedback everything in the trip was perfect and all the people I met were very nice, friendly and helpful especially Giorgio and Ameriga. Muito obrigado e até logo."
-Ricardo Guimaraes, Owner of Banco BMG, Brazil. Luxury Food and Wine Tour of Piedmont October 2009
"I loved Avignonesi. It was like stepping back in time walking through the courtyard and the cellars. Wine was great, it was extra to try the vin santo and totally worth it. Two words for future clients thinking about going to Avignonesi: go there. Viola at Ornellaia was incredibly informative and took us out to the fields to see the grapes, it's so beautiful with the vineyards and the sea in the distance. Sauro our driver was just great - we'll ask for him again. The room at L' Andana in Maremma was really lovely, we couldn't have asked for more. I highly recommend the cheese tasting. The people there treated us like long lost relatives, took the itinerary you did for us and methodically went through the wine recommendations, added their own. It was great. The cheese was unbelievable. If you have the address and the name of the young owner, please send it to me. I owe him a Nicholas Cage movie. He's a look-alike for the actor. There was so much to see and do in our short tour, my only regret is that we didn't have more time. Everything was wonderful. We'd absolutely recommend Cellar Tours. Yours is a professionally run organization and we enjoyed our tour enormously. Many thanks, we hope we can use Cellar Tours again soon."
-Pam Green, Washington DC. Gourmet Tour of Tuscany October 2009
"This is just a quick email to thank you so much for organizing an amazing day for us. My husband was extremely pleased with his "birthday surprise". Visiting Clos de L' Obac was fabulous. The owner, was so hospitable. The lunch was fantastic. Would have liked to visit the restaurant again if it were closer to Barcelona. A must for anyone visiting the area. Marta at Mas d'en Gil went above and beyond to welcome us to her "home". She took us by truck thru the vineyards to view the property and to taste any wines that were left over. She allowed us to watch the employees harvest the last wine of the season. After that we enjoyed her wine on her property without asking us to leave while she knew she had a party to attend with her staff celebrating the end of the harvest. Everything was great!! We would love to contact you again for another visit to another region. Thank you so much for everything. You have been great. I look forward to passing on this mention to all who plan on visiting the wine regions of Spain."
-Hillary Wile, Switzerland. Priorat Wine Tour October 2009
"Our custom tour was just what we wanted which resulted in a carefully planned trip that met or exceeded our expectations. The Wineries were PERFECT....not just for there selection of wines from the area, but all were uniquely different...from 1800 musty cellars to the lasted technology....all host guides were exceptional in their knowledge, personality and enthusiasm... especially liked the personalized menu's and wine pairings at the restaurants. The Spanish wine masterclass with Mary and Miguel was a great start to the trip we had planned...on a scale of 1 to 10 they are an 11....everyone should enjoy their class and Tapas. You have our recommendation."
-Bob Kramek, Texas. Spanish Wine Tasting Odyssey September 2009
"Great tour! Your staff, from the wonderful driver, to the guide in Tarragona and Monsarret far exceeded our/MY expectations. The vineyards you choose were each unique yet VASTLY different and it would be hard to choose if trying to leave just one out....not possible to choose......my "hat is off to your fine company and all the behind the scene work" that makes such a company as yours so highly rated. My husband will used your company again and will tell all our friends what an amazing and exceptional business still exists today in these most difficult of economic times. The dining as well was great and I pride myself in elegant gourmet cooking and have very high expectations on what foods I eat and even this was fantastic.. Many, Many Thanks, hope you be using your services again in the future "
-Donald D. Brown, M.D & Judy K Barkalow; Dr. Joel M. Felner, MD & Kay Rubenstein-Felner. Catalonia Wine Tour September 2009
"We both had a fantastic time and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! We are finally back in Singapore and we are already missing Italy, especially the fabulously delicious food. The tour was very meticulously organised, right from the start with the booklet with all the tour info and of course most importantly, both you Simona and Gen, have provided us with excellent service. All the wineries offer quite different style of wines which was what made it very interesting. Food at Badia Passignano and Altesino was very different style but both of exceptional quality. Rocca di Frassinello is definitely an eye-opener to modern winery, haven't seen anything like it. Everything was excellent, especially so when I'm a fussy seafood eater. Even your recommendations in Milan & Venice are top notch! How do you gals know such wonderful places to eat? Giancarlo our driver always arrive about 15 minutes before scheduled time, but he does not hurry us, which is good. He speaks quite good English and is a nice person who takes initiative. When we mentioned we were not too keen on long winding road to Pitigliano, he is brought us to Scarlino and Bolgeri where we had fabulous lunch and had a wine tasting (managed to taste Sassicaia and Ornellaia) at the restaurant and a slow walk around the village. Most definitely would recommend Cellar Tours as this is one of the best tour we had - comfortable and informative, great hotels, amazing food and wine and a good driver. We're not the type of travellers that use tours, you've changed my mind. Have recommended your Tours to a couple of friends."
-Joanne and Raymond Quan, Singapore. Luxury Wine Tour Tuscany Sept 2009
"We are back from our trip and it was absolutely wonderful! The tour was great and exceeded our expectations in so many ways! Selection of wineries was great and we appreciated that they were all different from each other - one small but very high quality winery (Roagna), one huge producer and very well known (La Spinetta), one with lots of history (Poderi), etc. At Poderi Einaudi we were thrilled with the amount of time he spent with us. We toured his winery and tasted four fabulous wines with cheeses and spent nearly three hours there. Luca Roagna was fabulous and so down-to-earth. A true pleasure to have lunch with and talk about the farming of his vines. Giorgio our driver was great! He was very punctual, friendly, spoke fine English and was knowledgeable about everything. He even helped us find the registration at the cheese festival and recommended some great restaurants. We felt he went above and beyond the call of duty and we would hire him again if we tour this region a second time! I Bologna was wonderful and the food was very high restaurant quality. This was one of our best meals on the entire trip, all the way down to the wine and home-made raviolis! Relais St Maurizio was one of the best hotels we have stayed in and the service was impeccable. The room was beautiful, the restaurant was amazing, the spa was charming- and we would have loved to stay there for a week. We had no problems with the tour at all. Everything went smoothly thanks to our driver and the courtesy of the wineries. We would do this tour exactly this way again! We would be happy to recommend Cellar Tours without hesitation!"
-Karen Kruse, Chicago. Piedmont wine discovery tour September 2009
"We enjoyed our trip to the Valpolicella region very much. We thought the organization was well done. We enjoyed meeting Lucia at Monteleone very much. She was like a life-long friend who came out into the courtyard with her Jack Russell Terrier to greet us. Her knowledge of the wine busines was extensive and it was a pleasure to hear her perspective on winemaking as an owner of a small winery. She told us so much and was such a gracious hostess. We felt a comraderie with her. Michela at Bertani was very interesting. Her training and knowledge of wine, especially Amarone, is extensive and she showed us the operation and grounds of the villa. Roberto is a wonderful driver, the car very clean, his English is good though he apologizes for it. He is a delightful man and very knowledgeable. would recommend Cellar Tours. When a person commits that much money for a tour to someone on the Internet, there is a little apprehension at first, but your reputation and business-like manner put those feeling to rest. You, besides being business-like, have been friendly and informative."
-Mayanna Howard, New Mexico. Amarone wine tour September 2009
"We had the most amazing journey with Pepe. He was such a delightful person and guide and full of fun! All of our winery hosts were so professional, passionate and fun as well! We felt like friends when we left and promised to send a bottle of our favorite California wine as a token of our appreciation. We learned so much about Spanish culture that we want to return one day soon! We want to ask if you have a wine tour for Bordeaux/Burgandy? We want to start planning for 2011! Our favorite meal was at Baigorri! The tasting menu was off the charts.....We are boasting about Wine Cellar tours and will highly recommend it to everyone we know! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Our trip exceeded our expectations, which is very nice thing to report!"
-Leslie and Bill Mastoris, New Jersey. Ribera del Duero & Rioja Wine Tour August 2009
"I would highly recommend Cellar Tours (and already have done so to several friends). We appreciated you and Simona checking in every day with Sauro to make sure all was on track. Each place we visited was so different from the other that it is hard to pick a favorite. We loved walking in the quaint towns (Castiglione delle Pescaia, Monteriggioni, and some of the seaside towns), loved Siena and Florence. But just driving through the countryside through all the vineyards and sunflowers was breathtaking. Trattoria Toscana at L'Andana was superb! Romantic setting with amazing food. The sommelier recommended a wine to us that we had never heard, and it is now one of our favorite finds. Eva and Leo at Pietro Beconcini are wonderful and entertaining hosts, and they went out of their way to create a memorable birthday experience for Deven. Their winery is the least commercial in terms its scale and space they have. But it was probably one of the best experiences we had on the trip. Eva took us on a walking tour of the vineyards, where we collected fossils and porcupine quills. They had prepared a picnic among the vines where we sipped some 'Antiche Vie' Canaiolo Rosa. Again, thank you for a wonderful trip."
-Monika Parekh, New York. Tuscany Wine Tour July 2009
"The organization of our honeymoon was planned well, we enjoyed all of the itinerary! The Ca Lunae winery had an awesome tour guide and was really fun! The sommelier at Badia Passignano was sooo knowledgeable and great lunch! Manuelina had the best focaccia in the whole world and at Bigelli we had an 8 course meal, so much food! Angelo´s sunset cruise and dinner on the boat was the BEST EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE TO DATE!!!! Angelo and his wife are amazing people!!! We loved this night!!! The Grand Hotel Miramare was gorgeous, very good concierge. Porto Roca in Monterosso was a beautiful property and at the Inn at Spanish Steps in Rome they upgraded our room to a suite that was AMAZING!!! We loved it here! We both really liked Portofino and Florence. The hills in Tuscany are unreal. Would definitely recommend Cellar Tours!."
-Lauren Mayer, Fort Lauderdale, Gourmet Honeymoon in Italy July 2009
"I can't even begin to tell you how mightily we enjoyed our stay in Spain. Your organisation was faultless, your choices excellent and your advice superb. As a consequence our holiday was unforgettable. Remirez de Ganuza was very interesting and really nice people. Cune was extraordinary - to produce such quality in such quantity. Roda was fantastic, really exceptional. A highlight. Mas Martinet- another highlight- nicest people and fantastic experience! Costers del Siurana and Pares Balta also absolutely exceptional! Fantastic people, hospitality and experience. The 3 Michelin starred Berasetegui in San Sebastian was totally unforgettable. Superb! Brilliant .... awesome food, exceptional service and the nicest people! The Maitre'd took us through the kitchen after dinner . Would unhesitatingly recommend Cellar Tours. In fact, I already have. We loved every minute of our 'cellar tour.' All of your choices had been made with intelligence, sensitivity and an appreciation of our needs."
-Hylton Appelbaum, South Africa, Luxury Wine Tour of Northern Spain July 2009
"It would be my pleasure to respond and tell you about my experience. 1st, everything went smoothly, not a single complaint. I felt like a diplomat being taken around a country where I do not know the language and was treated with the utmost respect. I thought the choice of wineries were a perfect mixture of small, large, authentic, and diverse. I was very impressed with the small winery Carlos Sampedro because you cannot find that anywhere. Impressive!. Our host at Finca Valpriedra was wonderful. We were escorted to a room to do tastings and I just cannot believe the time they took for just my husband and myself. Totally private. Once again, I felt like royalty. And then, of course Ontanon. We spent an hour learning how to swill the wine, sip in the air and taste the difference in flavor. I enjoyed both restaurants. I think you chose well giving us a "flavor" of the region. Not just your average place to eat, but something with history and ambiance. I really like the touch with the menus having our names on it. The car was clean and roomy and exactly what we needed. Being in a different time zone and gliding smoothly over the roads, we found ourselves sleeping half the time and glad of it. It made it easier to be alert when we were not in the car and appreciate all that was given to us.."
-Dawn Bloom, Travel Consultant Liberty Travel, New York. Rioja Wine Tour July 2009
"Very well organized and the tour flowed nicely because we wanted to fly in and out of Barcelona, see both city and countryside and stay by the sea, experience Catalunya, and a bit of France. That whole area of Costa Brava, and the villages are a great place to hang out and relax. All went great at Pares Balta winery. Loved the tour, around the winery and up the mountain. Cal Xim was a very fun lunch, and the owner showed us his special wine cellar room downstairs. Our driver Jose Maria - Loved him. So talkative, full of great information, and so easy to be around. The cooking class was fun and informative. Going to the market with him was amazing, and the only way to do it I think. Monika the guide was terrific- Flexible and full of energy and information. This was a 2nd experience with Cellar Tours (first trip was in Italy), and we loved both of our trips equally. Wish we could have stayed longer. Thanks for everything. We really enjoyed ourselves!!"
-Sue and Craig Damos, Iowa, Luxury Spain Tour July 2009
"I loved everything you organized- it was perfect! thank you so much. I loved the wineries in the Penedes, and Planeta wine class was a major highlight- we had great conversations with them. Everyone was very professional and organized! Thank you for everything!"
-Kathryn Lebowitz, Pacific Palisades, California. Luxury food and wine tour in Spain June 2009
"You can be proud of how you have arranged this tour. Both vineyards were excellent and we were very nicely treated by both Carles Pastrana and Marta Rovira. A personality like Carles Pastrana is of course somewhat beyond and above the normal level. We had an excellent lunch at Costers Del Siurana`s restaurant. To summarize everything was on or above our expectations and we will return one day.!"
-Sune Karlsson, Zurich, Switzerland. VIP Priorat Wine Tour May 2009
"Thank you for organizing such a wonderful tour. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...my husband said "...can we take a Cellar Tour of the world?" :-) The vehicle was beautiful; Jose was wonderful -- charming and personable and readily gave interesting descriptions of the local areas we visited...when we weren't dozing in the extremely comfortable car between winery tours. The Marques de Riscal Hotel was amazing...a real visual treat. To be surrounded by such a beautiful setting, I didn't want to close my eyes...except that the accomodations were so comfortable and relaxing! The isolated setting was very peaceful, and the staff cheerful and friendly. Etxebarri restaurant was another gorgeous setting with incredible food. I also wanted to mention what a great resource the Pre Tour information packet was. Would definitely definitely recommend Cellar Tours after this experience!!"
-Leizle Talangbayan, Long Branch, New Jersey. VIP Rioja Wine Tour May 2009
"I thought that the day was very lovely. It was very well organized and Antonio was a great driver. He was very kind to us throughout our whole trip. I thought both wineries were great- both good wine selections for the tastings, and beautiful wineries to visit. At Serego Alighieri, we loved Marta, our guide! And the winery itself is very beautiful. We appreciated the olive oil and vinegar sets very much. The wines at Villa Novare were spectacular. The way that they conducted the tasting was excellent as well (with delicious salami and parmesan, and a wonderful pairing of a biscotti with the Recioto. I would recommend this tour, any thanks, Simona!"
-Alexandra Levin, Philadelphia. Amarone wine tasting excursion from Venice April 2009
"We loved the tour, and really enjoyed meeting you in person too!! You are a pleasure to work with, and I know that when we plan our next trip (to wherever) I will contact you! You have so much information and contacts and everything about you and your tour is really meticulous! The experience at San Leonardo was exceptional! Thanks for everything, and I look forward to staying in contact with you!"
-Lori Smith, New York. Verona, Lake Garda and Valpolicella Wine Tour April 2009
"Great choices on the wine estates- two different wineries but equally wonderful in their own way. The trip was my "treat" to myself and my dear friends and we all felt extremely special and pampered. After we left the second winery Angela put her arm around my shoulder and said "if we had to go back home tomorrow, this would still have been the best trip I've ever taken". Where Jean Leon vineyard displayed a lot of style and beauty – Pares Balta was all heart. We learned a lot at this winery about the making of the wine and the bottling process. We'll never again drink a sparkling wine without looking at the size of the bubbles to judge the quality and we take away such lovely stories - I think we'll always take time to put the glass to our ear and listen to the bubbles. We absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours. In fact, I am eager to connect with you on a future trip back to Tuscany. I love to support businesses like yours which started with a dream and have ascended to such quality and excellence. Bravo!"
- Jill Cyr, Portland, Maine. Barcelona VIP Wine Tour in Penedès March 2009
"Thank you so much for everything. The day couldn't have been any better. It was perfect! Silvia, Joan and especially Marc did an incredible job that day. Jadwiga and I were blown away at the setting and the charisma of Pares Balta. We will remember this day for the rest of our lives together. The jeep tour was amazing. We both really enjoy the outdoors and so to visit a winery that is located in a national park was perfect. Marc went the extra mile to make sure the proposal was kept a surprise. He even drove up to the hermitage early in the morning to get everything set up. Everybody at Pares Balta made us feel very welcomed when we returned for the tasting. We felt as if we were part of their family. It really couldn't have been a better day. Everything else in the tour was great. The driver was prompt and very professional and the restaurant was very good. We were given a very nice table with views of the sea. The both of us were impressed with the food and wine choices.Thanks again."
- Andy Abbott, Houston, Texas. Marriage Proposal Wine Tour in Penedès March 2009
"We were very happy with all of the organization. Your providers were great -- Diogo, our driver, was terrific and the tour guides in Lisbon, Sintra and Porto were great. The winery in the Douro Valley was absolutely perfect -- we couldn't have had a better experience. Our visit to the port cellar Graham's was also great. Wineries were all extremely friendly, fun and informative and professional. No negatives. Absolutely we would recommend you for any tour. You planned wonderful events for us, the accommodations were great, everything was utterly seamless. More importantly, you were following up on everything in real time while we were there. That was very much appreciated and really added to our confidence in the entire experience and your organizational skills and abilities."
- Jane and Henry Meyer, Hunting Valley, Ohio. Portugal Wine Tour October 2008
"Both Lisa and I had a wonderful trip to Italy. We are now back home already wanting to return. The selection of the tours was excellent, each were detailed and personalized. The companies visited were perfect for us... small and professional. Each tour (Parmigiano and Balsamic Vinegar) ended with a personalized tasting that was wonderful. The meal at Re Restaurant was excellent. The owner came out to explain to us his presentations. The driver and car were very nice & a very low stress way to tour the countryside. My wife and I have travelled quite a bit and this was our first use of a personalized tour service. It was refreshing to not follow the "lollipop" of a group tour and to have a flexible schedule during the day. What began as a "splurge" item, using a personalized tour service may become a regular occurrence for our travels. "
- Anthony Ruddy, New Hampshire. Bologna Gourmet Balsamic and Parmigiano Day Excursion October 2008
"Ciao Simona & Genevieve, Both tours were top notch. The timing and organization of the tours were spot on. We especially enjoyed Castello Del Terriccio and our time spent with Bettina. She was a big hit with all of us. The wine tasting and lunch exceeded all of our expectations. A wonderful experience. Ornellaia was also great, but a different experience than Terriccio. Overall, the day was an A+. The two Rome tours exceeded our expectations also. We really enjoyed Salvatore Barberi. He is so full of detailed information and is a great presenter (and a kick to spend time with). The lunch at Baby was fabulous as was the service....extremely enjoyable. We are so happy we found Cellar Tours on the internet. The two tours you planned for our group were fabulous. We could not be happier with the results. We look forward to having you arrange our future wine tours in Italy. We'll be back."
- Gerald Scriver, Colorado. Luxury Maremma Wine Tasting & Gourmet Rome Tour. October 2008
"Both wineries were great selections and very different. The people we met with were interesting, very knowledgeable and great hosts. We felt very welcomed. Lunch was excellent. Wine choices were excellent. Service at the restaurant was outstanding. Jose was great and a pleasure to talk to. Very strong local knowledge. Good tips on Barcelona restaurants. Everything was handled professionally and at the highest level. We were very pleased with the entire experience."
- Marc and Liz Schnitzer, New York. Barcelona - Penedes Luxury Wine Excursion October 2008
"We had a wonderful time! Thank you a million times over for arranging it! It was superb and we will recommend you to our friends! First class organisation. You made us feel very important. We loved the bound itinerary and the presents in our first hotel - thank you so much. We felt you had thought carefully about every aspect of the trip. The wines were all, truly, superb - the last were our absolute favourites. Bettina was awesome. Everything about the tour, the tastings, the reception, the wines, the lunch, the company, the experience was truly magnificent. She was unbelievable. We loved her - and everything about that place. We felt the whole thing was quite surreal and we were treated like VIPs! Capanelle was wonderful too - in different ways. It was smaller and more personable. The wine was lovely. And that evening, at the abbey, and the dinner and the wines there - boy, was that an amazing night to remember. The guy who looked after us was awesome - we had a magical evening. Much love and thanks to all involved in a truly memorable holiday. "
- Graham and Helen White, United Kingdom. Luxury Tuscany Wine Tour September 2008
"The two wineries were amazing. At Capannelle, our guide was very charming, friendly and informative. The setting is beautiful and the tasting was educational and fun. They served amazing cheeses with the wine and we were very happy to have seen this winery. Badia Passignano was so different from our first stop, interesting to see such an old establishment. Our guide was full of energy and enthusiasm and gave us a royal tour as did the first winery. What can I say about the dining room.? The food in Italy is wonderful, but the food, service and ambiance here was OUTSTANDING.We drank the best wines that they had to offer, the food was superb and the service, very professional. Sauro was a first class gentleman, guide and driver. We felt very comfortable being in his hands. A wonderful day from start to finish."
- Carol and Neil Tryansky, Quebec, Canada. VIP Day Excursion to Chianti from Florence September 2008
"The selection of wineries was perfect. One of the things I enjoyed most was that the winemaking processes at each of the four wineries was so different. It really helped us appreciate the differences in the wines that are partially attributable to the winemaking process. I would recommend our exact itinerary for anyone who is passionate about Brunello and I would not have changed a single aspect of our tour."
- Rachel Perez and Christopher Schulten, New York. Montalcino Wine Tour September 2008
"Everything was as I hoped for. So to say perfect. Bertani was a good choice, since its not so famous in Scandinavia. And fun to see the method they used to produce the Amarone. Yet again, the contrast at Bersi Serlini from Bertani was nice. Also that it was sparkling wines. Perfect choice."
- Peter Widgren, Sweden. Valpolicella and Franciacorta VIP Wine Tasting Excursion September 2008
"We had a wonderful time--we all thought it was a perfect day. We thought both wineries were excellent and that the tours of their facilities and the wines they had for us to taste were well above the "common" wine tour. We loved the lunch---the attention to detail in all aspects, lunch and the tour as a whole, was terrific. We enjoyed both Elisabetta and Matteo, our driver. We would definitely recommend you and book you ourselves again in another region as well."
- Lisa K. Catapano-Friedman, M.D, Vermont. Montepulciano Wine Day Excursion September 2008
"Thanks so much for the email. Andy and I had a blast in Portugal, and we both agree that our best highlights are from the cellar tours time. We really fell in love with Portugal, its people, its food, and of course the WINE! "
- Sarah Freedman and Andrew Whitley, Connecticut. Portuguese Wine Tour of Douro Valley and Oporto August 2008
"We had our tour today and it was absolutely AMAZING!!! Both my husband and I feel that it exceeded our expectations which (I must admit) is very hard to do. We have been to many wineries all over the world (i.e., Krug in Champagne, Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, etc.) but our experience at Soldera was the best! Thank you for arranging it and making it happen for us. Our driver, Sauro was terrific and doubled as a great translator for Mr. Soldera who spoke virtually no English (as much English as we spoke Italian). The lunch was also wonderful! A beautiful setting, wonderful service, great food and with outstanding wines.. What can we say? This was an amazing day and we are very impressed with your operation. Also thank you so much for the lovely wine gift which we will enjoy some day at home. lease let me know if you handle other wine regions in France (i.e., Bordeaux, Armagnac, etc.) as well as Piedmont in Italy. These could be future trips for us.Thanks again."
- Marci and Andy Shapiro, New Jersey. Brunello Wine Tour, Tuscany July 2008
"Everything was absolutely perfect in every way!! Our drivers always there and on time and very fun to talk with, the guides always very informative and helpful. The winery tours and tastings were fabulous and each winery was so different in its own way. The restaurants always courteous and had a good wine for lunch and very very very special desserts, and the villa's were my favorite…so scenic and spacious and kind to us. Even "yes" our little experience in the Cinque Terre fishing village with our accommodating drivers. We also really loved Santa Margarita and Portofino area. Fun to hang out and walk along the sea and watch all the people in town and lovely hotel. Thank you again."
- Sue and Craig Damos, Iowa. 30th Wedding Anniversary, Italian Riviera & Tuscany, June 2008
"We thought the organization was simply terrific! Everything went according to plan, and the driver was able to make adjustments as we went along, in case we wanted to spend more time on one thing. The selection of wineries was great, we liked all of the wines, especially the Brunellos. The customized tasting notes and menus were a special touch. It was very personal and custom, and made the experience even more special. The view at Poliziano in Montepulciano was excellent, overlooking the valley and countryside, and it was a beautiful sunny day. The wild boar with chocolate was the most unusual dish, and it was just wonderful. Chiara, the guide in Siena, is very special! She was so much fun, and we laughed the entire time. Very vivacious personality, and very informative as well. Our education on the palio and the cantatas was very thorough and interesting. Her relationship with the James Bond film was an added bonus. The hotels were excellent, definitely what one would expect from five-star. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours, and have already done so. We'll do it again ourselves as soon as the opportunity arises."
- Polly and Curt Rickert, Texas. Luxury Tuscany Tour May 2008
"Contadi Castaldi was great. The hospitality and of course the wine quality was great, and we will never forget the view from the VIP room. Our guide was very informed about Italian wine, which made us want to visit other Italian wineries. She was both professional as wine expert and also like a friend to enjoy wine with. Definitely will recommend Cellar Tours and hoping we will be guests again."
- Yuki Yoshikawa, Japan. Luxury Gourmet Tour Franciacorta, Italy May 2008
"The tour was amazing, everything was laid out perfectly, we had the perfect time for breakfast before our journey and the driver was FABULOUS. The people at Fattoria Castellina were so nice and welcoming. The wines were incredible. They were so generous and really made us feel like VIP's. I would go back there in a heartbeat. Pepe Nero had an amazing table put aside for us, overlooking the vineyards below, but it was too windy to sit out. Food was great, the driver was great. We spoiled him, with a great gratuity simply because he spoiled us. He was perfect. To anyone, that would ever consider going with Cellar Tours, please use my name anywhere anytime and anyplace. We are your biggest fans and again I say everything was PERFECT... I would recommend that anyone who is truly looking for the ultimate vacation experience to put their faith in Cellar Tours."
- Eric Bilger, New York. Tuscany Wine Tour, May 2008
"There was a good selection of wineries with very different approaches to making wine and the tastings were fun because each was unique. Paradiso di Frassina in Montalcino was our favorite and we bought many cases to be shipped home. We felt the passion that the owners have in sharing their wine and their home is in a beautiful magical setting. The meal was delicious but only magnified by the relaxed atmosphere of the rolling hills with vineyards. The host family was very kind and hospitable. We have already made the pasta recipe that she shared with us!!"
- Betty Monteiro, Las Vegas. Tuscany and Umbria Tour,May 2008
"The winery tours were very interesting & enjoyable. The driver & vehicle were both excellent. After two tours with your company I would not hesitate to recommend your service to anyone. I am planning a trip for May 2009 to Spain--- when I get firm dates I will contact you about another tour. Thanks again."
- Dan Whittenburg, Kentucky. VIP Prosecco Tour, May 2008
"Cellar Tours is the best. The pre-tour correspondence and questions were handled in a professional and efficient manner. The service and suppliers were all professional and informed. There were no details missed. Bisol in Prosecco was a beautiful property and enjoyed the tour of the winery and vines. Villa Monteleone in Valpolicella - This woman is living a dream. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and hearing her story of moving from Chicago to Italy and starting the winery with her husband. Badia Passignano in Chianti was our favorite place. We were impressed to hear he was working on his Master of Wine. The service at Danieli was impeccable. The breakfast was a wonderful selection and the view was breathtaking. This was our favorite hotel. The book is very helpful and informative. We really enjoyed reading it, and it will be a useful tool as we purchase Italian wines in the United States. The driver from Florence really did a great job of getting us around, explaining what we would be visiting and seeing, discussing the wines of the region and various customs. The information from Cellar Tours was very informative. The staff was truly amazing. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours and would book another tour in the future. They took care of every detail. We were treated like royalty."
- Tina Montgomery, Colorado- Luxury Tuscany and Veneto Wine Tour, May 2008
"The organization of our vacation was perfect. The selection of hotels and restaurants was very well done. The wineries were all very nice and different especially in Badia Passignano. The cooking class needs special thanks, the group really enjoyed it and liked Leo and Monica. All of the meals such as Cibreo and Bigelli were excellent, would definitely recommend Cellar Tours after this experience."
- Iaroslav Jivov and Guests from Moscow, Ultra Luxury Gourmet Tour of Tuscany, May 2008
"The organization of the wine tours was great. We thought that the difference in the two wineries was wonderful. The Mercedes was a wonderfully crafted vehicle and a very comfortable and quiet ride. Can Bonastre was delicious! It was also very nice of the chef to come out and greet us. The scenery was fabulous!!! Outstanding dinner at Kresala!! Service was also great!! The Casa Fuster was magnificent. And what a view from the balcony of our suite!! Would absolutely recommend Cellar Tours. Your company and your choice of locations and businesses for our itinerary was: Very professional, very thought out - right down to the smallest details! My wife and I enjoyed every moment and will cherish the memories from this 'excursion' for a lifetime!!"
- Daniel Carlson, North Carolina. Luxury Honeymoon Barcelona December 2007
"I wanted to thank you on behalf of all three of us for a delightful day with Chef Jaume. We had an incredible day touring the market and cooking. Everything was wonderful and you exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much for making sure we had a great time and we will recommend you to anyone who is visiting Spain! Thanks for giving us wonderful memories!"
- Elisa Verhille, San Francisco. Luxury Gourmet Experience, Barcelona November 2007
"Great selection of wineries. We had an absolute blast at San Leonardo, which is one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen, and had the unexpected bonus of getting to play with the dogs. And the lunch and tasting at Roagna was one of the highlights of the entire trip. We had so much fun at Giolito cheese producer, and absolutely loved the truffle hunters, who gave us a beautiful book as a wedding gift. Stellar quality of service at Gabbia d'Oro, and the location cannot be better. And we very much appreciated the welcome gifts! Worth every penny of the price. We felt completely pampered, and also very privileged to meet the people we got to talk to at the various wineries, etc., who were so passionate about everything they were doing, whether it was wine, food, cheese, truffles, etc. We learned a lot, and it seemed like every day we had an experience where we'd look at each other and just gasp because we couldn't believe that we actually were getting to do something like this. It really turned out to be a fantasy honeymoon from beginning to end."
- Jody Frease, Mountain View California, Piedmont and Veneto Food and Wine Honeymoon November 2007
"The wine program was very professionally done, but the food was the shocker--the offerings went on and on, and though our opinion was probably influenced by the fact that it was our first "tapas" experience in Spain, it was all quite well done. Our standouts, not in any particular order: Cooking with Jaume, Picasso Museum, Remirez de Ganuza, Talai Berri, Tablao Carmen Flamenco (!) Yes, very touristy, but it made an emotional impact on us both. Pepe, Guggenheim, Barcelona, and everything about it. Can't wait to return. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours--this tour was a perfect blend of wine, food, culture, music and art--our most educational tour ever. And all arrangements were executed flawlessly."
- Tim and Janice Filice, Gilroy, California. Luxury Gourmet Tour Spain, November 2007
"I thought the organization was first class and the follow up, constant correspondence and timely response to all questions was great. It was very much appreciated. When you are booking a tour on line with an organization that you are not familiar with, it does make one leary at times. Cellar Tours made it an easy, very comfortable experience. I would absolutely recommend you again. I found you to be a 1st class, professional organization providing exactly what you promised and ultimately what we expected. I would look to booking more than a one day tour with Cellars the next time I am in Italy. Thank you for giving us a great wine experience in Montalcino!"
- Barbara Baird, Toronto. VIP Montalcino Wine Tour, November 2007
"The tour was absolutely fantastic - it exceeded our wildest expectations. Roagna was absolutely the high point of the trip. The opportunity to get to spend 3 - 4 hours with Luca, the lunch that he personally cooked including pasta made by his 96 year old grandmother. What an incredible experience. Both Drivers were just outstanding. They really went out of their way to make the trip a wonderful experience. JK was a terrific choice in Florence - we loved it. Splendido in Portofino was spectacular final location for the tour - fantastic. Cibreo was fabulous. I can easily see why many consider it the best in Florence. Simona was terrific and the fact that she was following up on our experiences each day and making sure everything was going well was an unexpected and exceptional level of customer service. The keepsake book was wonderful, we carried it throughout the trip and it was our daily activity guide. We will definitely recommend Cellar Tours to several friends interested in similar trips - First class experience from beginning to end. "
- John & Mary Ryder, Texas. Luxury Italian Gourmet Tour October 2007
"We were thoroughly pleased with our two-week, gourmet trip to Spain. Cellar Tours was very professional and extremely attentive to detail. It is quite obvious that they have a strong passion for this, which leads to their striving for excellence. Genevieve and Jessica were always helpful, personable and accommodating. They did their best to ensure we enjoyed our vacation. And they well succeeded. It was always a pleasure dealing with them. Our initial driver, Jose, was superb and assisted in our enjoyment of Spain. We wish we could have had him for the entire trip. We dined in many delicious restaurants, savoring the varied cuisines of Spain. Each meal was quite large, diverse and very tasty. We visited nine wineries, tasting some exquisite wines and being made to feel very welcome. The hotels, especially the Maria Christina and Casa Fuster, were luxurious and we were well pampered. A trip to La Perla Spa in San Sebastian was also another highlight. For foodies and wine aficionados, I would unconditionally recommend these vacations. We have so many great memories of our trip and will definitely look to Cellar Tours for another vacation, to a different country, in the future."
- Richard Auffrey, Passionate Foodie, Massachusetts. Luxury Food and Wine Tour, Spain October 2007
"Our trip was absolutely fabulous - we hated to come home. Vince and I cannot thank you enough – this truly was the trip of a lifetime. We can't wait to go back. The tour was outstanding. We loved every aspect of it – the places we saw, the people, the country. We learned so much. The only downside is that we are now rather picky when it comes to ordering wines. We have almost become wine snobs and are very choosy. But we have learned to appreciate some wonderful wines. Elisabetta was a great driver/guide. She was so very warm, friendly and very knowledgeable. She should get full congratulations. The walking tours were very good and truly informative. They also were flexible – if we wanted to do something they had not planned, they were willing to meet our wishes. Villa la Massa was magnificent. We could have stayed there for an entire week. The rooms, the hotel, the river running beside it, everything. We have already recommended you to some of our wine friends. We have literally raved to them about yourselves and the tour. We cannot wait to do another – we have never been to Spain and we are hoping to attempt Spain perhaps in 2010. That is unless we cannot tear ourselves away from Italy. We are truly in love with the country, its people, wine, food, etc.Anyone can contact us by email and we would happy to recommend you. "
- Vince & Valerie Pritchard, British Colombia. Luxury Veneto and Tuscany Tour September 2007
"Overall the tour was outstanding. Loved the walking tour in Siena. Your guide there is extraordinary. Really outstanding. LOVED Marco. A true professional. Enjoyed his company very much. We asked him to join us on the Pecerino and Truffle tours. The wine academy was the highlight of the trip for Steve. Massimo was knowledgeable about food and wine -- but about lots of other things as well. We thoroughly enjoyed the cooking class with Pamela. Marco joined us for class and even made pasta. That was fun. Everything went quite smoothly. As always, your attention to detail is excellent. The book is great. We showed our book to the family that we were staying with in Tuscany. Everyone was very impressed. "
- Sherri Leopard, Colorado. Gourmet Tuscany September 2007
"Fernando, our driver guide, was extremely helpful and always had our best interests at heart. He was always concerned about our enjoyment of the trip and made sure that we were aware of the various options available to us. Our time at Esporao could not have been any better. The tour was tremendous and included the tower museum along with the Esporao wine making facilities. The lunch was absolutely phenomenal. Enough can't be said about the quality of the food served along with the pairing of the wines chosen. Overall, this was a highlight of the trip. The cruise was a very enjoyable portion of our tour. The break for lunch was enjoyable and the stop at Pacheca was extremely interesting as they explained the various wines made at the Quinta as well as the differences between the various versions of Port wine. We enjoyed Oporto and spent the morning there. It was a marvelous city. We think that the tour was very well organized and was both enjoyable and worth the price. We felt as if Cellar Tours was concerned at all times about how our tour was progressing and if we were enjoying ourselves. "
- James & Diana Haynes, New York. Luxury Gourmet Tour, Portugal September 2007
"We loved the organization of the tour, Simona was super helpful and planned everything in a personal way tailoring each itinerary to our personal preferences. The descriptions and keepsake book were helpful and really added a special touch to the itinerary. We really enjoyed Poggio Antico the lunch and the wines were fabulous and the beauty of the Capannelle winery. The cooking class in Venice was definitely one of our most favorite experiences! We loved our hosts and the hands on experience of it all! We had so much fun with them as they made us feel very comfortable and treated us like family at the same time! We HIGHLY recommend your company and feel like you went "above and beyond" our expectations! We felt like true "VIP's" wherever you had arranged for us to go and you truly made our 25th Anniversary a special one!"
- Judi and Ray Malone, Texas. Venice and Tuscany Gourmet Tour September 2007
"We thought the tour was very well organized - our tour guide Elisabetta was always on time or early to pick us up. The transition from each place to the next was seamless and we didn't feel like we were rushed at any point. Elisabetta always went above and beyond to make sure that our experience was the best we could have. for example, drove us to Pisa just so we can take a few pictures of the Leaning Tower, although it wasn't part of the itinerary but was on the way to Florence. Paradiso di Frassina was a unique experience. The owner was very passionate about his wine and his scientific research on music in vineyards and we felt his enthusiasm. The owner of Salcheto walked us through his vineyard and explained the history of their wine. Petra was our favorite because it was so grand yet unique. Badia Coltibuono was the absolute best restaurant and food we had in all of Italy. Everything from the atmosphere, to wine pairing and obviously the food was delightful. We would highly recommend Cellar Tours to our friends and family if they ever decide to tour Italy and hopefully they'll get Elisabetta too and have the same great experience we had. "
- Wendy Kuo and Michael Ding, New York. Food and Wine Tour Tuscany August 2007
"We enjoyed the two wineries and our visit to the Castello Di Terriccio was one of the highlights of our trip. The meal was excellent, the atmosphere ideal and the accompanying Castello Del Terriccio wines were very good. We should have taken the name of the restaurant because it was superb. We enjoyed our tour and would recommend Cellar Tours. Your firm was well organized, pleasant and professional before, during and after our tour. Thank you for arranging a lovely tour for us and your choice of Castello Di Terriccio was excellent. We look forward to using your services in the future. "
- Julia and Jim, Toronto Canada- Maremma Wine Country Tour June 2007
"Dan and I cannot tell you what an incredible experience it was. We had an amazing time, from start to finish. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but we both agree that it was worth every penny. Ameriga was such a pleasure to be with. Her knowledge of not only wine, but Italian culture in general, was incredible. And Domenico, our driver, was a perfect gentleman. The organization, in our opinion, was flawless. We honestly can't think of how it could be improved. We loved both of the wineries. We especially liked that the first winery was larger and more commercial, and the second was a smaller, family-run winery. It was a nice contrast to see them both. The meal was incredible! We are still talking about how delicious it was. And the experience of dining with the actual winemaker is one that we will never forget. The trip was perfect and we are already planning on booking another tour with Cellar Tours the next time we travel to Europe. "
- Sarah Krech & Daniel Marsh, Missouri- Luxury Piedmont Excursion June 2007
"The organization was spot on. The holiday was relaxed from the beginning. We thought the keepsake book was not only helpful but a wonderful souvenir. The little side trips were of great interest and gave a break in the journey. Firstly the driver/guide was an essential part of the tour, and of course having someone to speak the language made you feel more comfortable wherever you go. Andres was always punctual, friendly and professional. It was all first class and highly professional. All the meals were of superb quality, helped along very nicely by Andres's love of wines! Everything was wonderful. All were beautiful places to visit as were the surrounding areas. We both saw Spain as a young person's place to visit, but instead discovered a beautiful Spain, with superb food and wines. Most certainly we would recommend Cellar Tours. "
- Robert and Yvonne Taylor, United Kingdom- Luxury Rioja & Basque Lands Tour May 2007
"We loved the wine tours. Our favorite was Luca (of course). Our second favorite was Petra. The tours were quite special and the selection of wineries were all excellent. Gian was great. He took very good care of us. We particularly enjoyed Ombrone. Dal Bolognese was also excellent. Our favorite is dinner on a terrace in our room so L'Albereta gets kudos for offering this option. Maria at the Wine Academy was great. You guys did a great job. The attention to detail was incredible. "
- Margaret Parker, San Francisco, USA- Luxury Italian Wine Journey May 2007
"Badia di Passignano - an outstandingly good visit. David and I will always remember that visit with great affection. The whole experience was truly wonderful. Castello del Terriccio - another very good visit, wonderfully conducted by their glamorous and knowledgeable Swiss marketing manager. The wines were outstanding. Poggia Antico and Le Logge restaurants were outstandingly good. Cecchini in Panzano was outstanding - a real highlight. Definitely. I was amazed at how good everything was, given the short notice we gave you. So, we will definitely use you again, and I would definitely recommend you to others. Once again, Simona, many thanks for organising such a great program for us. Cellar Tours is a very impressive operation and I look forward to using your services again at some stage. "
-Alison Lansley, Melbourne, Australia – Tuscan Gourmet Food & Wine Tour, April 2007
"Our trip was absolutely wonderful! It was obviously very thoughtfully organized and went very smoothly. Our anniversary gifts were a nice surprise! We enjoyed all of the wineries we visited and appreciated the way you arranged for several different types to visit. All the guides at the wineries were extremely warm, welcoming and informative. We especially enjoyed Ornellaia. Enoteca Pinchiorri was an amazing experience. We also enjoyed our wonderful hosts at Ombrone. Our guides Chiara and Emanuela were fabulous! We would of course highly recommend Cellar Tours to anyone wishing for a worry-free, luxurious gourmet wine trip in Tuscany. We are already showing everyone our anniversary book you made for us and everyone is quite impressed with it. You really did think of everything when planning our trip and it made our anniversary quite memorable. Thank you so much for all your hard work. "
- Brett & Debbie Barker, Reno, Nevada -Ultra Luxury Tuscany Tour, April 2007
"The wines were great. We particularly enjoyed Roagna (the wine and the entire visit were fabulous, one of the highlights of the trip, we are really glad we ventured into Piemonte for this! We enjoyed this visit immensely!). You have a real gem in Elisabetta. She is such a good representative for Cellar Tours. She was very professional and personable. She was a joy to be with and we learned a lot about Italy and the areas from her. We loved the Castle in Montalcino and really enjoyed JK Place in Florence. Also the setting at Ostelliere was wonderful. We have already recommended Cellar Tours and are looking forward to using you again in the future for perhaps an introduction to Spain or further enjoyment of Italy which we have fallen in love with. Everyone at Cellar Tours has been very helpful and professional and made the trip of a lifetime a reality for us. The locations and sites chosen were all top of the line and yet also very special and unique."
- Sabrina & Matthew Shumsky, Cypress, Texas- Italy Grand Gourmet Tour, April 2007
"Excellent- great job. We enjoyed meeting the local winemakers and the local people, most enjoyed the small towns in the Rioja region. Laguardia was the town we liked most. One of our favorite moments of the tour was the wine making visit at Pares Balta in the Penedes region. We recommend Cellar Tours! "
- Robert and Eileen Gutierrez, Texas. Luxury Food and Wine Tour in Spain, October 2006
"All we can say is that we had a fantastic time on our Prosecco Tour with our guide, Angelo. The tour was wonderfully organized, didn't feel too frenzied, yet we still felt like we learned a lot and were able to enjoy the overall experience. Also, the restaurant that Angelo took us to was amazing. It ranks high for both of us on our all time list of dining experiences. The food was great, the view was wonderful, and the service was impeccable. Thanks again for all your help and great organization. I will definitely recommend it to others who travel in Venice. "
- Yael & Jonathan Denbo, New York. Prosecco Wine Experience, October 2006
"We both enjoyed the tour very much. Highlights were the company, the excellent organisation and the cultural visits including the wine museum.We thought all of the wineries were excellent. We loved San Sebastian, Madrid and the classical buildings.We would definitely recommend Cellar Tours. Your presentation of materials was the best, the detail was superb. "
- Isabel and Bob Appelby, Victoria, Australia- Spanish Wine Odyssey Tour September 2006
"I wanted to let you and Simona know how much Sheilla and I enjoyed our 50th Anniversary Romantic Wine Tour of Italia. This trip was by far the most beautiful and well organized trip we have taken. Frankly each day was filled with more surprises and new and wonderful food and wine. We loved all of the hotels with marvelous services and beautiful rooms. We really enjoyed all of the villages, the historic tours, the personal wine vineyard tours and tastings. The introductions to Tuscany and Almalfi Coast cooking was not to be forgotten. Also a special note for our Mercedes driver for the eleven days was very important to our trip. He was fluent in English, knew much about the regions and had a great sense of humor for our American sometimes humor and fun. There are tours and then there are very special tours. This was very very special because you and Simona put in your personal touch and your personal interest into every aspect and every detail of our very memorable 50th Anniversary celebration. All together with the beautiful Tour Book and the many pictures we took, our memories of a very special and very romantic 50th Anniversary will not be forgotten. Sheilla and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. "
- Rich and Sheilla Klein, Houston. Luxury Italian Gourmet Tour October 2006
"Wow! What a fabulous vacation we had! I don't even know where to begin.... Our most memorable evening (and there were many) was definitely our first night in Rome at the International Wine Academy. We loved the location and sipping Prosecco on the terrace overlooking the Spanish Steps. Ian was a fabulous host and really gave us a great overview of Italian wines. What a great way to begin our trip! We loved all of our winery visits and they were all unique and informative. My personal favorite tours were Petra and Poggio Antico and of course we loved the wine at Ornellaia. They were all great and we really learned a lot about Italian wine production. L'Andana was amazing. We also really enjoyed Siena and the Grand Hotel Continental. Our driver, Andrea, was just fabulous. He really enhanced our experience and made the hours in the car pass quickly. All of the restaurants, lunches and dinners you arranged were amazing, although I am afraid that they took a toll on our waistlines! We really appreciate all of your hard work. We could not have planned such a fabulous trip on our own. Everything truly exceeded all of our expectations! I could go on and on."
- Kim and Paul Ariano, San Diego. Luxury Food and Wine Tour Italy September 2006
"The quality of the hotels was excellent, particularly Lapa Palace and the Convent hotel in Evora. Vintage House was also lovely. Pacheca was fantastic - good tour, great descriptions of their work, great tasting. The enthusiasm and detail of the owner was one of the highlights of our trip. The real joys of Esporão were the location, the wines and the restaurant. Sintra was gorgeous, Obidos was gorgeous, Evora was gorgeous, the boat ride down the Douro was great. Victor, our driver/guide, did all towns on the tour and he was remarkably good. He gave us great details of the places we were visiting, he knew the answers to 95% of the questions we asked and had reference to find out the other answers while we explored the towns. He did a good job of guiding us, giving us insight and advice, but leaving us alone time to explore the different towns."
- Cheryl and Chris Davin, Massachusetts. Portuguese Wine Journey September 2006
"Simona, we are back home after our wonderful excursion to Italy. The Cellar Tours part was fantastic, well planned and executed - we couldn't be more satisfied. Our driver, Georg, was great, as were all our hosts at Il Mosnel, Uva Rara, and Bersi Serlini. I've attached some quick photos because I couldn't resist."
- Richard & Pauline Proszowski, Illinois. Franciacorta Wine Tour, Sept 2006
"The bound itinerary is quite wonderful and will be cherished as a remembrance of our trip to Spain. It's impossible to choose our favorite winery because they were all so different. Certainly, Pares Balta and Clos de l' Obac stand out for us because of the extended period of time they spent with us. It's obvious that you only visit the most friendly and personable wineries. We were glad to have the Mercedes van for the trip to the wineries which was more spacious for a longer drive. Casa Fuster hotel was wonderful. The breakfast each morning had such variety, great hotel bar, and the nicest rooftop deck. Every detail of the tour was truly first-class and honestly you could not have done more for us! The most impressive part was whatever we mentioned as an interest in seeing or doing was provided immediately. We loved the balance of the meals included on the tour and the ability to go on our own. The food was wonderful and we will always remember the ice cream with olive oil. The bike tour was fabulous and a great way to see Barcelona in a few hours. We stayed close together, had time to talk about the city, take photos, and even share a beer by the ocean. It could not have been any better! Everything met and exceeded our expectations!"
- Scott and Pamela Kucsma, New York. Ultra Luxury Catalonia Tour August 2006
"We enjoyed all of the wineries, but particularly liked Loja de Vinho in Sintra, and Casal Branco. The owner of the former was extremely entertaining and interesting about the wines, and we could happily have stayed and talked to him for the rest of the afternoon. Sofia and her husband Jochen, and Dina their winemaker at Casal Branco, were wonderful, relaxed hosts and great fun, and they clearly love what they do and are fiercely proud of it. Luis our driver looked after us very well. He was thoroughly professional and punctual, and friendly but without ever being intrusive; he probably got used to us dozing in the back of the car in the afternoons after a tasting! The Douro Valley is quite extraordinary and just as beautiful as the photographs suggest. I think our two favourite episodes were the day spent at Casal Branco, and the trip to the Douro Valley. Would recommend Cellar Tours as very efficient and informative at the office end, and all proceeded smoothly and according to plan once we reached Portugal. We felt that we were being looked after at all stages, and that is the personal service that one expects to pay for."
-Louise and Kevin Studd, United Kingdom. Portuguese Gourmet Tour July 2006
"The wine tour of Chianti was one of the highlights of the trip. Filippo was the best. Very personable, engaging, knowledgeable and just great company. Our family not only learned about Italian wines but got a great history lesson on the Chianti region. The tour of Paneretta was outstanding. Gagliole was good but not on par with the tour of Paneretta. The stop in Radda was perfect. It was everything that I expected after reading so much about the small villages of Tuscany. I could have taken every meal at the place that you recommended for lunch. Great setting, wonderful food and wine and a very relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I can not thank you enough for the great day in Chianti!!. I will be back and would not hesitate to recommend Cellar Tours to others."
- Tom Brown, Massachusetts. Chianti Wine Tour July 2006
"Andrés was fantastic! After our miserable flight it was great to see someone who made us feel immediately relaxed. He was always on time, kept us informed about where we would be going and even helped us with our Spanish (which isn't very good!) We didn't know if we would be able to stay awake for the cooking class because we had so little sleep, but actually we really enjoyed it. It was lovely for us to be able to cook Basque food, and in fact we tried making a Marmitako last night. San Sebastian is a beautiful place. As you know I was hoping to propose to Diana and the place felt perfect for it - I'm sure we will be back there as soon as possible. Everything was so well organised. I couldn't imagine a better way to spend a holiday."
- Diana Coke, United Kingdom. Basque Country and Rioja Gourmet Tour July 2006
"Just to let you know I had a long conversation with an American Express Merchant Services Manager yesterday about our tour and how impressed we were with yours and Jessica's organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to really deliver a first class luxury tour. They were happy to hear some good news about a merchant. It seems they normally only get bad news. I asked them to pass on my comments to Concierge Services so that they could spread the word when people ask for food and wine tours. Hope it helps. You guys really deserve it."
- Ken and Kathy Plato, Texas. Spanish Wine Journey June 2006
"Badia a Passignano was fantastic and we had a wide range of wines to taste over lunch. Elisabetta was excellent!! Very professional, friendly, punctual, organised, resourceful, has a lot of initiative.....I can't think of more adjectives! She truly is a gem!!! Guido was excellent too. Very punctual, alert, informative, always pleasant and smiling. Restaurants were lovely. We enjoyed them all, especially Ombrone and would definitely go back! "
-Marinna Indot, Malaysia. Ultra Luxury Tuscany Tour June 2006
"The tour was amazing and we had an amazing time. It was so well organized, we forgot about what was coming next but Paulo our driver did not! He kept us posted and on schedule. My favorite wineries were: Quinta da Pacheca and the one that makes Xistu, the owners were so lovely and friendly and we had such an amazing time with them. We also loved the visit to the Palace in Bussaco. How amazing is it to be able to drink wine that has been produced the same way for the last 50 years? And that roughly tastes the same? If it hadn't been for Paulo, we wouldn't have made it anywhere! He was friendly, professional, organized, interesting, knew all the best places, etc. It was a pleasure to spend time in the car with him, and he indulged in my dad's curiosity of the sights we passed in the car, adding little facts about the things we were seeing. Amazing hotels. Would obviously recommend Cellar Tours and I wish I could be more specific than saying it was amazing and well planned."
Marianna and Richard Sackler, USA. Douro Valley Wine Journey, June 2006
"I came across the Cellar Tours website whilst searching the web for a romantic and somewhat original idea for proposing to my lovely girlfriend. I had already chosen the Lake Como region as being a spectacularly picturesque location and really wanted to make the proposal itself special. I contacted the team at Cellar Tours and everyone was immediately enthusiastic and helpful. I decided a day trip to the Franciacorta region was just what I was looking for and also chose to go with one of the suggestions from the team of copying a picture of my girlfriend to a Jeroboam of the Brut from Contadi Castaldi local wine. The organisation and communication throughout was excellent and in particular during the planning stages when it is important to feel things are under control. All of the wines were excellent with the Saten, Passito Sebino and Pinodise proving the most popular (Maree has a sweet tooth). L'Albereta was very beautiful and had a very 'upmarket' feel to it. The balcony to ourselves was perfect and provided spectacular views and the most perfect setting for our proposal. So finally, thank you very much for all your efforts. We had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the entire day and a huge reason for the success of the day was down to you and the Cellar Tours team. We will be spreading the word on your good work to all of our friends and encouraging everyone to visit beautiful Italy. "
- Vince and Maree Lane, New Zealand. Franciacorta Wine Tour and Wedding Proposal April 2006
"Simona showed great devotion to the job, always going out of her way for any request. She also demonstrated her breadth of knowledge of the wine and her true love of the wine and the region. The selection of wineries was good because of the variety of size and style. By far, the most memorable was Roagna because of Luca, our wonderful meal there and the amount of time he was willing to give us. His sincerity shines through and we felt like we were visiting friends. The Piedmont countryside was my favourite. Everywhere I looked was a painting. Monterossa was also a delightful town. Memories include our unbelievable meal at Roagna Vineyard, Sitting in the gazebo with drinks at sunset at Villa Il Tesoro. Absolutely would recommend Cellar Tours. There was every effort made to make us feel satisfied. Simona and Luigi were delights and our other guides were also so good. "
- Maria Grau, Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. Piedmont and Tuscany Tour April 2006
"We enjoyed all the wineries because it felt as if we got a good sampling of the different types of businesses, wines, and varieties in a region. Our favourite stands out as Miguel Merino's because of the personal attention and because he was has a likable personality. Honestly, we liked everything. There was just enough scheduled with just enough downtime. We got to do everything we thought we would like to do and saw even more than we expected. We loved the San Sebastian area and Barcelona. The Rioja Region was wonderful as well. We didn't get to spend too much time in Madrid, but we're intrigued to spend more time in the future. We loved meeting and spending time with the guides, drivers, winery owners/guides. That was the best thing—the fact that it was like travelling and meeting up with friends of a friend who were all willing to show us around their home town. Everyone was friendly and helped make our trip so unique!"
- Joshua Ford, Las Vegas. Spanish Gourmet Tour December 2005
"You were such a pleasure to deal with so understanding of all our issues - I can't thank you enough for your caring and flexibility. The hotels were outstanding. The service aspect of each of the hotels was exemplary with exquisite care being given to every detail. Simone was also a delight. I was blown away by his knowledge of Florence and the Uffizzi. I felt like I was walking with the encyclopaedia Britannica. The restaurants...what can I possibly say? Pinchiorri is an experience one is not likely to forget. The food, the wine, the service - world class. "
- Maria and Umberto Contestabile, Virginia Beach. Tuscany Wine Journey October 2005
"I just wanted to tell you both what an awesome trip we had! And to thank you for everything you did to make it come together. We couldn't have come close if we had tried to plan it without your expertise. I would be happy to give a word of reference to anyone who may ask me about your company. Hopefully we will be able to do it again sometime sooner rather than later. "
- Carla Grewe, Saint Louis. Italian Luxury Wine Vacation July 2005
Boa tarde and good afternoon!
- Paul Evans, Senior Product Manager, First Drinks UK - Douro Valley Custom Tour July 2005
"Spot on organisation. Excellent communication throughout the planning process and I was grateful to meet Gabriella before the event/ finishing touches added great value and your team were all friendly, unflappable and fun. The venue worked very well, too. All of the food was fantastic, the tapas were a huge success."
- Steve Kidney, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, UK. Spanish Wine Event May 2005
"My parting comment regarding 'above and beyond the call of duty' still sticks. The trip to Chinchon was highly organized which obviously afforded you to have a relaxed air when talking to the members - something they very much appreciated. The excursion was obviously a roaring success. You took us out of the hustle a bustle of Madrid and really set the tone for the rest of the limited time there. The relaxed nature of the afternoon tasting wines and nibbling on local cuisine further allowed complete strangers seated with each other to communicate and develop bonds which had not previously existed. As yourself Genevieve, Borja (the sommelier) was an excellent communicator and injected lightheartedness into the proceedings which further made everyone feel at ease. The food was great, the wine was wonderful. I'm especially happy to recommend Cellar Tours as a reliable company offering a quality product. It really was a pleasure to meet you - and I very much hope the opportunity will arise again."
Amanda Veysey PA to Simon Bolton - Worldwide CEO, Enterprise IG, Madrid Culinary Team Building evening
"We had a wonderful trip. We now know to book many MORE days we need and would request our guide and driver again. We will definitely tell our friends and be back again as well as use you in other countries in the future. "
- David Abele, Minneapolis. Chianti Wine Tour, Italy May 2005
"I can't seem to find the words to describe the wonderful time we had in a city so full of life, beauty and warmth. Thank you, Genevieve, for arranging the best vacation of my life. My husband and I found you and your associates to be not only highly professional and informed but warm and caring as well. We plan to use your services again some time this year. "
-Marc and Susanna Fantich, Texas. Spanish Food and Wine Vacation January 2005
"Simon and I had a marvelous time on both of our tours. We, honestly, could not have asked for anything more. The regions were beautiful, the drivers were wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable, the cars were great and we truly enjoyed the special treatment. Not to mention the most fabulous wines we sampled while on the tour. We were extremely pleased with our tours. Thank you. Again, thank you for the wonderful tours. I will recommend Cellar Tours to anyone even contemplating a wine tour. "
-Robin and Simon Elleston, Massachusetts. Portuguese Wine Excursion September 2004
"We really had a wonderful and memorable tour in Spain. It could only be done with your effort and your excellent professionalism. Your name remains on our list as a consultant forever and whenever we are planning to have a tour in Europe, we like to get in touch with you first. We all wish you to have more prosperous business and we have no doubt whatsoever that you'll achieve your goal in the near future. Thank you again for everything you've done for us!"
- Dr. Kyudong Peter Uhm, New Jersey. Spanish Wine Journey September 2004
"Genevieve, I want to say that everything that you arranged for us was outstanding. The quality and service was outstanding in all cases. I truly appreciate the time, flexibility, and personal attention that you and your co-worker provided to us. The superior level of service that you afforded us is uncommon these days and I look forward to working with you again for another trip. I will not hesitate to highly recommend you to others who may be travelling to Europe"
- Bruce Shaffer, Virginia, USA. Portuguese Wine Tour September 2004
"We wanted to thank you very, very much for the superb tour. It was by far the best tour I ever had and trust me I have travelled across the world. Every single aspect of the tour was perfect. The hosts that we met (which were the most gracious), the food, the tour through the cellars, everything was perfectly done. After the tour, we have a more enthusiastic appreciation to Spanish wines. So, my thoughts concerning the tour: PERFECT!!! Not only I'm recommending everyone the Cellar tour, I'll take more tours with you in future trips to Spain. Again, thank you very much for making our trip to Spain the most memorable one. Thanks! "
- Jose Marquez, Texas. Penedes Wine Tour June 2004
"Genevieve, thank you so much for setting this tour up for us, we all had a really great time. The tour was wonderful and we can't say enough about Anabela, she was fantastic! Very knowledgeable, informative and a real pleasure to be with. I'm sure you have lots of great guides but she must be one of your best. With so many places in the world that we haven't been it's hard to think about going back to the same place again, but we all want to get back to Portugal again. My only regret about the trip is only being able to bring back 2 bottles of port. Thanks again, hope we can use your service again soon, and please say hello to Anabela for us. "
- Jim, Judy, Joe and Barb, Huntington Beach, Ca. Portuguese Wine Tour June 2004
"Just to say many thanks for arranging our guide in Porto. We had an excellent sun soaked day with Costa Ferreira, during which we learnt some history, enjoyed tremendous views of the city, drank a lot of very good port (of course), had an excellent lunch at a recommended restaurant (which we returned to later in our trip), and drank a lot of very good port (did I already say this?). The lodge of Ramos Pintos was a particular highlight! Snr. Ferreira was charming and obviously rightly proud of Porto. Please pass on our thanks and recommendations." "
-Edward Duncan, United Kingdom. Port Wine Tour February 2004
"Words cannot express my gratitude for the magnificent trip you organized for Occasions Caterers. We must have been an intimidating customer (a high-end catering firm from Washington, DC, asking for a four-day culinary tour of Catalonia.) We doubted that we would find a tour operator who would understand our specific desires: exposure to the most trend-setting local chefs; a charming "out-in-the-countryside" dining experience; tours of the best local wineries; and a seminar with a local up-market caterer. How lucky we were to have found you! The choices you made were absolutely perfect. I hope that we will have the opportunity again to visit the Iberian Peninsula. If we do, you will be our first call. Please feel free to use Occasions Caterers as an enthusiastic reference for any other groups planning a similar trip. Once again, Genevieve, please accept my sincerest gratitude for all of your efforts."
- Eric Michael, President, Occasions Caterers, Washington DC. Catalonia Food and Wine Tour January 2004
"I was very impressed with the whole organisation of the tour. When booking activities over the internet there is always a level of concern as you really don't know what a company is going to be like and whether everything is going to run smoothly or not, however from our correspondence I felt confident that Cellar Tours was a very professional, well managed organisation and therefore was happy to commit our hard earned cash! I would definitely recommend Cellar Tours to others." "
-Karen Murray, Scotland. Spanish Wine Tour April 2004
"The view at Finca Valpiedra was memorable. The organization of the trip was superb. Everything went like clockwork, a credit to you and your driver. The company was marvellous, the tastings very informative, the hotels eclectic and interesting, the Guggenheim, the meal with the Count, and the sing song after with the "lads", were the aspects I enjoyed the most on the trip"
-B. Wyse, Dublin, Ireland. Spanish Wine Journey April 2003