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Just two weeks ago I had the honor of traveling to Italy to explore two incredible regions — Veneto, in Northern Italy, and Puglia, in Southern Italy.

I’m still in total awe of the beauty of these vastly different regions and the warmth of the people I had the pleasure of meeting. I can’t wait to begin sharing stories of the wines, sights, people, and food (OMG the food!). As I sift through my pages upon pages of notes, and hundreds of photos, I wanted to quickly share a few highlights as a preview of what’s to come in the next few weeks….

Veneto

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Located in Northern Italy, the Veneto is home to several wine producing regions, including Prosecco. We were there to visit with the producers of Masottina wine and to tour this ridiculously gorgeus landscape of the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene designation (the most important area for Prosecco production).

Upon my arrival we visited one of the most important vineyards of Masottina to watch them harvest Glera grapes (used to make their deliciously crisp and fruity Prosecco).

Driving through the vineyards and hillsides of this region is a jaw-dropping experience. The town of Conegliano ain’t so bad either…

Scenes from the town of Conegliano, Italy

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the awesome people I met in Northern Italy, including these guys.

The only person missing from the photo was Jonathan Cristaldi, wine writer and educator. More on these wonderful folks to come…

Puglia

After a few days in the Veneto region we traveled south to Salento, literally the heel of Italy, within the larger Puglia region, staying in the coastal town of Brindisi. The geography and landscape couldn’t be more different than the Veneto, but one thing was the same — the incredible people, and delicious food and wine.

I have a thing for doors in Italy. What can I say?!

Seriously, even the graffiti in Italy is beautiful.

The Food

The food from this region is simplistic perfection. It’s gorgeous, fresh, and absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to share some recipes inspired by the cuisine I experienced.

The Women’s Harvest at Tenute Rubino

There is a tradition in this region for women to be in the fields picking grapes at harvest time. The producers of Tenute Rubino recognize this each year with a celebration honoring the hard work of these incredible women known as simply, “The Women’s Harvest.” And we got to partake in this year’s celebration. What a special day!

Friends, family, and guests of the winery gather to help harvest the grapes in the morning, followed by an incredible pot luck lunch (cooked up by the very members of the vineyard team that were being honored that day) and a little dance party in the vineyard (why not?!). Pretty much, my idea of a perfect day.