Umbria and Tuscany Educational Wine Tour

White Wine Vineyards of Castello dela Sala (Umbria/Tuscany border)

This time two weeks ago I was waking up in Umbria. Umbria is known as the Green Heart of Italy, located in Central Italy. My home base was located in a sleepy town called Piegaro. Piegaro has a rich history as a Medieval Village dating back to 290 B.C. when it was founded by the Romans and became part of the Papal State in the 16th century.

Piegaro is a commune or municipality of Umbria known for its glass masters/artisans. If you enjoy drinking the sparkling water of San Pellegrino that comes in the green hued bottles you can attribute that to the glass artisans of Piegaro who perfected glass making and coloring techniques.

Learning about the history of the town where we were based helped to provide context about the region of Umbria and also bordering region of Tuscany to the West, which we spent our time as well.

Street in Piegaro

I was invited to take part in a week long Educational Wine Tour of Umbria and Tuscany made up of an intimate group of wine enthusiasts, culinary professional, wine entrepreneurs and even a couple of winemakers. It was such a unique trip filled with exclusive yet welcoming and always friendly visits to historic, impressive and most times picturesque estates and wineries throughout Central Italy.

Wines from Scacciadiavoli Winery

It was a trip filled to the brim with history, led by wine scholar and instructor, Tanya Morning Star, providing her expertise of the region & explanation of cultural significance and modern day relevance, tours of numerous cellars, wineries and estates of prominence along with one on one winemaker wine tasting lunches, delightful culinary experiences including a Michelin Star restaurant, a fully interactive Italian cooking class and a healthy amount of group bonding which included a communal dinner we all helped to prepare utilizing the truffles that were foraged earlier that day (truffle footage shared via @jazmineladouceur on Instagram).

Essentially I was part of an intensive week long course of Italian wines and Umbria & Tuscany were my classroom. Orvieto, Brunello, Sangiovese, Grechetto, Sangrantino and Bianca Umbria are just some of the styles and varietals that I was able to learn about and taste. Education and wine go hand in hand. Everything from climate, soil, style, aging, vessels and techniques determine the outcome of a wine—a living product.

For me the goal of a trip like this is to gain knowledge and build community. Utilizing everything I learn, experience and taste to be translated in a unique way for you to enjoy & experience at Noire Wine Lounge. I can say this trip allowed me to accomplish those goals and because I enjoy alliteration, I would sum up the experience with the words: Competence, Confidence and Community.

It was a trip of a lifetime that I’m so grateful to have experienced and be a part of, all of which will impart my perspective and knowledge in wine both personally and professionally.

Banfi Winery in Tuscany

Duomo di Orvieto

So far visits to La Querciolana, Castello Monte Vibiano, Banfi, Casato Prime Donne, Scacciadiavoli, cultural sites like the Duomo di Orvieto, wine vessels and terroir have been shared on the NOIRE and my personal Instagram pages. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think 🍷

(@noirewinelounge | @jazmineladouceur)