Blogzine

Life of a Tour Guide: Wine scouting around Lucca

Categories Food/Wine in Lucca Outside Lucca

I would like this to be a regular column in my blog: the life of a tour guide. People are always very curious about my job, sometimes they think it is just a hobby: anybody one day can wake up and invent himself as a tour guide. A licence instead is requested, at least in Italy, not just because you are born or lived your entire life in a city makes you automatically a guide…a good guide.

I would like my readers to understand that it can be a full time job … seasonal, in most of the cases and it has lot of aspects which usually are not considered. I would like to start with a good one: my wine scouting experience!

Each year, before the season starts, I get together with a group of fellow guides and we organize a mission to discover new places or to confirm the old ones. There are several wineries around Lucca: traditional, modern, family run, small or big producers, biological…Each one has its own specific style and philosophy and I strongly believe that it is fabulous! It makes the world of wine accessible to everybody’s interest and taste for experts or for lovers of a day in the amazing Tuscan countryside.

 

Why do I go to visit the wineries?

I like to see the location in person and check what it can offer: is it better for groups or for private individual tours? What’s the landscape around? Easy to find?

I like to meet the people working there whether it is the owner, the family or the staff. Sometimes the English is not as good.. but the passion and authenticity this people are passing down is so worthy!

I like to learn about their production: what are they famous or good at? Prosecco, red or white or maybe holy wine? How many bottles? And what about biological and biodynamical? Do they make extra virgin olive oil, too?

I like to see what kind of wine tasting they will offer: budget? Paired with food? Do they have space outdoor? Will be people allowed to have a walk in the vineyard?

Last but not least… I like to taste the wines, of course!! So you might think that at end of the day I was totally drunk since I visited five places! No, I just had a sip of some of them and then how can I make sure my customer will drink a good product?

Anyway, our expedition ended safely as we were driven back home by a driver…and that it is something I recommend you to have! So, in case you are planning to do a wine tour around Lucca, please get in contact with me straight away! In the meantime you can Download the Brochure “Wine with Paola” to have an idea of the wineries I have selected. You will find descriptions, pictures and prices and more information.
Cheers! Salute!

Download the Brochure “Wine with Paola”