November (and some December) Events in Italy

Here is the line-up of events that I find interesting in Italy for this November. Are you surprised they are all about wine and food?:

#1: Voterragusto in Volterra, Tuscany. Through November 25. Not only is it dedicated to that great tuber - the white truffle, but also to olive oil, cheese and chocolate. What is there not to like about that? http://www.voterragusto.com/ for more info.


#2: Gli Antichi Sapori di Valle di Non/The Old Flavors of the Valley of Non, now through November 11. Gather in the stunning region of Trentino/Alto Adige for a celebration of the ancient flavors of the area. Hotels and restaurants offer special deals during this time. See http://www.valledinon.tn.it/ for more information.


#3: Riesling Tage/Riesling Days, Naturns, Alto Adige, November 10-12. You can hit two festivals in the same region at once! This one celebrates the great Riesling grape with tastings, speakers and educational seminars. http://www.rieslingtage.com/


#4: Roma Wine Festival, Rome, November 16-18. Another wine festival! This one shows off many of Italy's best wines with tastings and seminars. http://www.romawinefestival.it/.


#5: Mostra del Gelato/Gelato Show, Longarone, Veneto, December 2-5. In case you are tired of truffles and wine, you can head to Northeast Italy to indulge in gelato from all over the world. http://www.nostradelgelato.com/.




One notable Italian event in New York City:


"Vino e Cucina", Cipriani, NYC, November 13. This is the annual fundraiser for Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani which is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering and promoting authentic Italian cuisine in America's Italian restaurants. This event features wine and food samplings from the association's members. http://www.gruppo.com/ for more info.



And a bit of self-promotion:
Don't forget if you are truffle lover, I will leading a November 2008 trip to Piedmont during the famous White Truffle Festival in Alba (through Passionate Palate Tours). We will be visiting many great wineries, having meals with winemakers and of course, learning about and eating truffles. Email me if you are interested in more information (price to be announced soon): passionatepalate AT gmail DOT com.

Happy Travels!