New Direct Line from London to Bordeaux to Launch in 2026

The “wine train” a new direct train line launching in 2026 will transport you from London to Bordeaux in just five hours!

Currently, anyone making the journey will need to get a flight or two trains: the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris’ Gare du Nord and a TGV service from Paris’ Montparnasse station to Bordeaux.

A spokesman for HSI, which operates the UK Eurostar route, said there was a “clear demand” for a direct train route from London to Bordeaux, and said they were aiming to begin in 2026.

The direct train is still in the planning stages. The new direct train line is also expected to pave the way for future wine trains. This is the ultimate aim from HSI chief exec Dyan Crowther (behind the UK leg of the Channel Tunnel railway line), is hoping to open a series of new routes from 2026 in a bid to offer lower carbon emission alternatives.

#winetrain #winetourism #wine #winetravels #winelovers #travelling #London #Bordeaux #Bordeauxwinelvoers #Bordeauxwine #Eurostar #instagood #trains #winenews #winetrends

Abruzzo Wine Region is in an Exciting Phase of Transformation – Part l

I discovered, during my recent trip to the Abruzzo wine region, that it’s in an “exciting phase of transformation” – there are a higher number of family estates; I see more wineries adopting organic farming; and the winemakers are moving toward terroir-focused wines – which are more complex and have distinctive characteristics of the region.

In the early 1970s through to 1980s, this region was dominated by large co-op wineries. During this period most families sold their grapes directly to the co-ops.

About the Abruzzo Wine Region
Abruzzo is an Italian wine region which is on the East coast of Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. I found the geographical features of Abruzzo to be quite extraordinary. It’s a rugged, mountainous region with an extensive rugged coastline, a landscape of lush green, scattered with national parks and forests. Abruzzo is situated between the Adriatic Sea (to the East), the Apennine Mountain range with the Maiella massif (to the West). Gran Sasso, one of Italy’s highest peaks at 2,912m (9,554 ft) can also be found here.

There is only one DOCG, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane, and there are three DOCs: Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and one white: Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.

The grape varieties include native red Montepulciano and native white Trebbiano. Other native grape varieties include Sangiovese, Passerina, Pecorino and Cococciola. Other international varieties include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Please Note: Abruzzo’s signature red grape “Montepulciano de Abruzzo” should not be confused with Vino Nobile de Montepulciano from Tuscany.

Fun Fact: According to local legend the native white grape “Pecorino” was named after the sheep that ate this grape in the vineyards.

According to the Consorzio Vini d’Abruzzo (the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo) this region currently has approximately 250 wineries, 35 co-ops, 34,000 hectares of vineyards – which produces over 1.2 million bottles of wine per year.

Weather
The coast has a Mediterranean climate – abundant sunshine, with average rainfall of 26 inches per year, followed by cold winters. Inland has more of a continental climate. with snow in the winter. In the high altitudes there are measurable diurnal temperature variations, combined with cool mountain air currents. There are also moderate temperatures on the slope-vineyards, which provides a mesoclimate for the vines.

Abruzzo Viticulture – Vine Training
80% of the vines are Abruzzo-pergola training system which was designed to shade bunches and to make harvest less arduous. The remaining 20%, which are mainly new plantings, have planted in rows with spurred cordon, free cordon, GDC.

Interesting Facts

  • Winemaking traditions in Abruzzo date back to the sixth century BC due to the Etruscans, who played a major role in introducing viniculture to the area.
  • There is also evidence that vine-growing goes back further, as far as the fourth century BC, when sweet, Moscato-style grape “Apianae” was grown. It is also believed that when Hannibal made his epic journey over the Alps, his soldiers were given Abruzzo wine from Teramo, previously known as Pretuzi.
  • In terms of quantitative wine production, Abruzzo is Italy’s fifth most notable wine region followed by Sicily, Puglia, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.

Located a scenic two-hour drive east from Rome, the Abruzzo wine region marries centuries of tradition with modern style. Cin-cin!

Stay tuned for Part ll – Abruzzo Wine Region is in an Exciting Phase of Transformation, where I will do a deep dive into some of the estates.

#vinidabruzzo #abruzzowines #abruzzo #abruzzoitaly #abruzzowine #wine #winelover  #winetravel #winetourism #womeninwine #wineexperience #winetravels #winetasting #wineinfluencer #wineadventures #winenews #instawine #italianwines #vin #abruzzowines #vinidabruzzo #abruzzolovers #abruzzo #abruzzodocpecorino #montepulcianodabruzzo #trebbianodabruzzo
#abruzzodoc #cerasuolodabruzzo #italianwinelovers

The Trabocchi Coast – Abruzzo

I’m just back from Abruzzo, Italy – It’s a fascinating region of majestic mountains, national parks, stunning seascapes, charming villages, breathtaking views, and exceptional wines.

The coast of Abruzzo ranges from flat golden sandy beaches to dramatic coastlines with high cliffs to pebble beaches, which is on the Adriatic Sea.  The water temperature can reach 28 degrees in the summer. I was told by the local lifeguards that you can swim starting in April to the first week of October.  It’s interesting to note that Abruzzo has one of the highest densities of “blue flag” beaches in Italy!

What I found fascinating is the “Trabocchi Coast” a UNESCO World Heritage-protected for its traditional wooden fishing structures “Trabocchi.” This stunning 70-kilometer coast goes from Ortona to San Salvo (Chieti) and is a beautiful drive where you can see the striking collection of these stilt wooden huts. Some have been left abandoned, which make them more mystical, and some have been turned into restaurants.

Trabocchi were constructed by local fishermen in the 18th Century and were simply an extension of the rocky coastline. In order to facilitate fishing, boards were placed on the submerged rocks on the beaches so the fishermen could fish further offshore. Gradually, wooden stilts were used to erect freestanding platforms, which allowed the fishermen to project further out into the sea and were connected to land by long narrow boardwalks. The local fisherman fished for for anchovies, sardines, sea bream and sea bass.

The Trabocchi have been described as “colossal spiders” and “machines that seemed to live their own lives”  Gabriele D’Annunzio.

After speaking to locals, I found out that some of the Trabocchi are a few centuries old and still belong to fishing families.

It truly was an amazing experience .. walking along the boardwalk suspended above the sea, the smell of algae and crashing waves over the rocks – the atmosphere is both magical and romantic.

Having dinner on the Trabocchi we ate fresh fish and drank local white wines Pecorino and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo – an unforgettable evening with amazing views!

The “Trabocchi Experience” is a must when you visit Abruzzo!

#consorziotutelavinidabruzzo #montepulcianodabruzzo #cerasuolodabruzzo #trebbianodabruzzo #abruzzodoc #abruzzopecorino #winelovers #italy #discoverabruzzo #abruzzowines #abruzzowineinusa #vinidabruzzo #discoverabruzzowine #abruzzotourism #italianwine #Trabocchi #italianwinelovers #vinidAbruzzo

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Tourism enjoys strong start to 2022 while facing uncertainties

International tourism continued its recovery in January 2022, with a much better performance compared to the weak start of 2021. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine adds pressure to existing economic uncertainties, coupled with many Covid-related travel restrictions still in place.

Based on the latest data, global international tourist arrivals more than doubled (+130%) in January 2022 compared to 2021 – the 18 million more visitors recorded worldwide in the first month of this year equals the total increase for the whole of 2021.

While these figures confirm the positive trend already underway last year, the pace of recovery in January was impacted by the emergences of the Omicron variant and the re-introduction of travel restrictions in several destinations. Following the 71% decline of 2021, international arrivals in January 2022 remained 67% below pre-pandemic levels.

Europe and Americas perform strongest

All regions enjoyed a significant rebound in January 2022, though from low levels recorded at the start of 2021. Europe (+199%) and the Americas (+97%) continued to post the strongest results, with international arrivals still around half pre-pandemic levels (-53% and -52%, respectively).

The Middle East (+89%) and Africa (+51%) also saw growth in January 2022 over 2021, but these regions saw a drop of 63% and 69% respectively compared to 2019. While Asia and the Pacific recorded a 44% year-on-year increase, several destinations remained closed to non-essential travel resulting in the largest decrease in international arrivals over 2019 (-93%).

Prospects for recovery

After the unprecedented drop of 2020 and 2021, international tourism is expected to continue its gradual recovery in 2022. As of 24 March, 12 destinations had no COVID-19 related restrictions in place and an increasing number of destinations were easing or lifting travel restrictions, which contributes to unleashing pent-up demand.

For further details… https://bit.ly/3La7MlK

Source: https://www.unwto.org

#winetourism #foodtourism #tourism #travel #travelgram #instatravel #tourist #trip #vacation #traveller #travelnews #winetravels

Divino 2ed “Wine Hospitality and Travel “ Round Table – Villa Artimino, Tuscany

I am so thrilled and honored to participate in a Round Table [Divino – Wine Hospitality and Travel Round Table, Villa Artimino, Tuscany] Sunday, November 14th with these distinguished panelists:

Filippo Magnani (fufluns.com), Philip Goodband MW (philipgoodband.com), William Goodacre – Tastes of Italy (tastesofitaly.co.uk), J.C. Viens (grandepassione.com), Cristina Mascanzoni Kaiser (wineho.it), Matteo Lunelli, President, Ferrari Trento

I will be sharing my views on “Wine Investors & Collectors: The New Trend of Luxury Travel” with global wine journalists, tour operators, luxury hotel operators, Italian wineries (owners, marketing teams), and representatives of Italian tourist boards.

 

 

#DivinoRoundTable #winetourism #luxurywinetourism #italy #roundtable #Divino #lizpalmer #winedestination #luxurytourism #divino2021 #wineinvestors #wineinvestment #winecollectors #traveltrends #winelover #winecollector #wineenthusiast #winecollection #finewines #winelife #luxurywine #womeninwine #womeninwinetalks #womeninwinebusiness #italianartofliving #winehospitality