Puglia and Basilicata Wine + culture Tour
Seven Days | Six Nights
2024 DATES: Private Tours Only
2025 Dates: September 27 - October 3
Welcome to Puglia + Basilicata
The "heel" of Italy is no such thing. An endless crystal blue coast, ancient olive groves, fields of golden grain, sun-kissed hilltop towns, opulent Baroque architecture, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites abound in every direction. Its natural and historical beauty is startling.
Tasting through these two regions is a real treat too: On our 7 Day - 6 Night Wine + Culture Tour of Puglia and Basilicata, we will get to know the full-bodied and unmistakable Primitivo, Zinfandel's rowdy Italian relative, as well as Aglianico (Basilicata's vinous claim to fame), Negroamaro, Bombino Nero, Malvasia Nera, Aleatico and Uva di Troia—all wonderful and expressive reds. In the white wine camp, your palate will be pleased by the brightness of Verdeca and Bombino Bianco, the complexity of Fiano and the beautiful floral fireworks of Malvasia and Moscato. Each of these will be enjoyed with the local gastronomic treasures: mouth-watering cheeses like burrata and scamorza, Altamura's acclaimed bread, one of the most respected olive oils in Italy, incredibly fresh seafood, the native orecchiette pasta...for starters. For the main course, you will have to join us!
“Leslie successfully melded charming local personalities, culturally enriching experiences, and delightful regional foods and wines into a fabulous trip to beautiful and fascinating venues in Puglia and Basilicata. ”
Puglia + BasiLicata Wine Tour Highlights
Taste the most important wines from Puglia and Basilicata at top wineries with your sommelier guide
Private tour of the ancient city of Matera, the European Union's Capital of Culture in 2019
Learn how to make focaccia as well as other regional specialties in a hands-on cooking class
Explore the enchanting towns of Alberobello, Lecce and Ostuni
Visit to Castel del Monte, an impressive octagonal, thirteenth-century castle
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Puglia + Basilicata
The Sassi of Matera
(ALL Sites are TYPICALLY on the tour)
Cuisine of Puglia + Basilicata
Puglia and Basilicata have been called the bread basket of Italy. The ancient grains they grow are used to make the best bread in Italy (pane di Matera and pane di Altamura), focaccia, panzerotti (cheese-stuffed fried pizza dough) as well as the many pastas they make, orecchiette being the star. Incredibly fresh seafood is found throughout Puglia, while Basilicata leans toward lamb, sausage and pork. If you are a burrata and mozarella fan, you will be very happy in Puglia and Basilicata; both are made daily in the many caseifici (dairies). Cultivated and wild produce, such as tomatoes, eggplants, fennel, zucchini, artichokes, asparagus, bitter greens and fragrant Mediterranean herbs are menu staples, often simply prepared with the prized local Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Puglia and Basilicata drizzled on top. And, dessert? All the gelato you could want, delicate pastries and fruit tarts…if you have room.
Your EXTRAORDINARY AccomModations in Puglia + Basilicata
The uniqueness of the boutique hotels La Dolce Vigna has found for your week-long wine tour will leave you breathless. For the first three nights, we stay in Matera's sassi—the labyrinthine historic center carved into a canyon. Our home for the last three nights is an elegant masseria—a typical Pugliese farmhouse—complete with its own trulli (the iconic conical huts of Puglia)!
TOUR PRICE
ALL-INCLUSIVE $5800 / person
(based on double occupancy)
Meet Your Sommelier Guide + Founder of La Dolce Vigna
“Leslie knows all the special little nooks and crannies that you would never find on your own.”
Ciao! My name is Leslie Rosa. After a decade of working in the art world for eminent institutions and artists in New York and London, I moved to Italy, fell in love with the diversity of Italian wine and became a certified sommelier with the Associazione Italiana Sommelier.
As an art-curator-turned-sommelier, my passion is to create immersive experiences and itineraries in which each day tells a story and offers an in-depth look at the history and culture of a particular region through the lens of wine.
When not leading tours, you can find me doing pop-up wine tastings, writing for the Slow Wine Guide, or getting lost someplace beautiful with my travel watercolor set!
La Dolce Vigna Difference
Small Groups. Our tours are always limited to a maximum of 10 people to assure you an intimate experience.
Sommelier Guides. You will always have a certified sommelier guide to answer all of your wine-related questions on the road.
Family-Run and Historic Wineries. Our tours are centered around small, eco-conscious, family-run wineries that make truly outstanding wine, and packed with cultural insights.
Foodie Central. Be prepared to eat. A lot. We've picked out amazing spots for you, from the small, loved-by-locals osteria to the Michelin-starred restaurant.
Insider Access. We have special relationships with locals, which open up more unique and authentic experiences for you!
No Cookie Cutter Tours. Depending on the season and local events, we will custom organize the best and most insider experience for each group.
All-Inclusive. Rest assured that your tour price includes all meals (except for one dinner), activities, hotels, transportation from the moment we meet until our fond farewell.
Downtime. For those of you who have been on other group tours, you know what we're talking about. Part of living la dolce vigna is taking the time to truly savor your experiences and surroundings. We've built in time for you to do just that at your own pace and on your own terms. Long live slow travel!
Helping others. Besides helping local, artisanal economies through visiting small wine and food producers, eating at traditional trattorie and staying at charming agriturismi, a donation on behalf of each individual that takes one of our tours will be made to 10,000 Gardens in Africa, a Slow Food initiative aimed at cultivating sustainable and healthy communities throughout Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions about THE PUGLIA + BASILICATA Wine Tour
How many wineries will we visit on the PUGLIA + BASILICATA wine tour?
We typically visit 6 wineries on the tour. This gives clients a great cross-section of the appellations, wine styles, etc. without over-doing it. We will also try wines from different wineries during our meals.
I am not a wine expert; will I still enjoy this tour?
You do not need to be a wine expert to enjoy this tour, but a curiosity or love of tasting new wines comes in handy! A little more than half the trip will be focused on wine.
How is the weather in Puglia and Basilicata in the SPRING AND AUTUMN?
Spring temperatures in Puglia and Basilicata can range from the 60s to the low 80s during the day and dropping as low as the 50s in the evening. In September daytime temperatures are still quite summery (upper 70s - 80s), though temperatures begin to cool down by October, averaging in the upper 60s/ low 70s during the day with cooler nights. The key in the spring and autumn is to bring clothes you can layer. Rain is always a possibility in both the spring and autumn.
What is the transportation for the Puglia + Basilicata wine tour?
La Dolce Vigna works with local transportation companies that have luxury fleets. Tour vehicles are Mercedes Sprinters (or comparable) with extra space to spread out.
What is included in the Puglia + Basilicata wine tour?
La Dolce Vigna believes in curating a complete experience for its clients. This means that winery visits, meals, activities, etc. are all hand-picked and included in your tour price to give you the best a region has to offer. With the exception of one meal (on occasion), everything during the tour period is included. For further details, you can visit La Dolce Vigna’s Terms page for the Veneto Wine + Culture Tour.
Looking for a Private wine tour of Italy?
Look no further! In addition to our intimate group tours, La Dolce Vigna curates private wine tours—with or without a guide—based on your dates, travel style and interests. We will open the doors to authentic experiences complete with exceptional food and wine, colorful personalities, warm hospitality, not-to-be-missed cultural sites and many, many photo-worthy moments. (Trust us.)
EXCITED to explore Italian Wine + CUlture right now?
Join La Dolce Vigna’s Wine + Culture Club!
With each quarterly shipment, you will not only receive superb bottles of sommelier-selected Italian wine organized around a theme, but you will ALSO receive contextualizing cultural swag, ranging from traditional Italian crafts, specialty foodstuffs, books, films, and music. And, as a member, you get special access to virtual happy hours, field trips, dinners, savings on La Dolce Vigna’s Wine Tours, and more!
