All Posts By

Allan Wright

Mar 06
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What Is Agritourism? A Tuscany Case Study

By Taste Vacations No Comments

Agritourism, also known as agrotourism, is any sort of offering that attracts tourists to a farm or ranch. And vineyards, just to be clear, are farms.

There are many examples of agritourism, ranging from visiting a pumpkin patch before Halloween to eating a farm-to-table dinner at a local farm. Many vineyards have tasting rooms and some vineyards and even farms – especially in places like Italy – have lodging as well.

We at Taste Vacations actually prefer the term “culinary tourism” because it encompasses more activities travelers actually do. For example, culinary tourism can include:

  • Traditional agritourism offerings getting people to a producer such as visiting an olive oil mill or a sheep’s cheese farm
  • Visiting a local farmer’s market to buy local products
  • Eating and drinking local by dining in restaurants known for having local products
  • Shopping local by visiting bakeries, butchers, or other retail outlets featuring local food and wine
  • Take a local food tour that stops at a number of local restaurants and often introduces you to the chefs
  • Take a cooking class when you travel

Only the first truly encompasses agritourism but all fall under the umbrella of culinary tourism.

It is entirely possible to be a culinary tourist traveling on your own. You can easily find restaurants featuring local produce, wineries, or even agricultural producers open to the public where you plan to travel.

However, for a truly amazing vacation steeped in culinary tourism, you might need to travel with a pro. Consider our Tuscany Food & Wine Tour, as just one example. Activities on the seven day tour include:

  • Lunch of local farm products and tasting of Chianti wines at the Fattoria Poggio Alloro farm
  • Learning about the butchery trade from butcher
  • Observing coffee roasting and barista training at a cafe in Arezzo
  • Truffle hunting and cooking class with famous agriculturist Augusto Verando Tocci
  • Demonstration of gelato making
  • Touring a local pecorino (sheep’s cheese) farm in Pienza followed by a picnic
  • Winery visits and tastings in both Tuscany and nearby Umbria

You can see that Culinary Tourism is a broad term that can include all sorts of fascinating local activities tied to an area’s food and wine. To experience this in person, join us in Tuscany!

Mar 01
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Taste Vacations’ Owner Allan Wright on VinVillage Radio

By Taste Vacations No Comments

This past week I had the opportunity to be on VinVillage Radio, which is part of the wsRadio network, “the world leader in internet talk radio.”

I had actually been on the show once before, with host Lynn Krielow Chamberlain, talking about Wine Tourism Day, the annual event we organize. This time, I spoke with producer Rob Barnett who was filling in for Lynn, and discussed how Taste Vacations came about, our Tuscany food and wine tour, and what to expect on a typical trip.

The radio network was very professional. Rob sent me multiple emails to make sure I would call in on time, I spoke with a tech staffer in advance who made sure I was set up, and everything happened right on schedule. It is hard to say how many people listen to internet talk radio but it was a great opportunity to chat about two things we love best – wine and travel.

Click on the above link to hear me opine about Taste Vacations!

Dec 16
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Belgium Top Beer Tourism Destination

By Beer, Taste Vacations No Comments

Belgium is the number one destination for beer tourism in the world, according to the Vancouver Sun in British Columbia, which just posted an article on Belgium and its beers.

Joe Wiebe, the writer, attended one of our tours there last summer. Although he writes in the article that he attended a Taste Vacations’ tour, he actually attended our sister company Zephyr Adventures’ active Belgium Hike, Bike, & Beer Adventure.

No matter – if you are interested in taking a beer vacation, the article does a good job of giving you that flavor. Please consider joining us on either our Taste Vacations or Zephyr Adventures Belgium tours in 2015:

Taste Vacations Belgium Beer Tour: July 26 – August 1, 2015: This tour does not have the biking and hiking and so focuses on the local culture, food, and beer. We agree with Joe that Belgium is the top destination for beer tourism and this is the only beer tour on our schedule. You can book your own private tour on any date you choose with a minimum of six people.

Zephyr Adventures Belgium Hike, Bike, & Beer Adventure: August 30 – September 5, 2015: This trip combines beer, hiking, and biking but is suitable for most activity levels. The trip ends in Brussels just prior to one of the biggest beer festivals in the world, the Belgian Beer Weekend, so you can combine an awesome tour with an incredible consumer fest.

Photo is from Joe Wiebe and the Vancouver Sun. Brussels’ Restobières features a gourmet menu where beer is an ingredient in every dish.

Nov 02
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Taste Vacations in the New York Times

By Food, Taste Vacations No Comments

Taste Vacations was included in today’s New York Times travel section.

I would like to say we were “featured” in the paper but the article was just a few paragraphs. Still, the New York Times is one of the best locations for a tour company (or any company) to appear in print and we have already received information requests from all over the country from this one article.

The article focused on Taste Vacations’ food tours and the New York Times’ interest in this shows how hot food in general and food tourism in particular is right now. Cooking shows are immensely popular on television, eating local is a priority for many people, and food tourism – actually engaging with local producers while you are traveling – is also on the upswing.

Consider joining Taste Vacations’ 2015 food tours in Peru, the Basque country of Spain, or Tuscany in Italy!

Oct 15
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Kentucky Bourbon (Tour) Riding a High

By Spirits No Comments

I recently read an interesting Associated Press article about the Kentucky bourbon industry.

I must admit I can’t remember the last time I read an article about Kentucky Bourbon. I am sure if one lives in Louisville these articles appear all the time. But for those of us in the rest of the country, this seemed an unusual event.

It turns out the Kentucky bourbon industry is predicting a bright future for themselves:

  • Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon
  • Production has surged more than 150% in the last 15 years
  • Bourbon production is at a 44 year high
  • Bourbon storage (all bourbon has to be aged at least two years) is at a 37 year high

Apparently high-end consumers in China as well as the American public have developed a taste for Bourbon and the Kentucky industry is humming along to meet the demand. Sure seems like a good time to offer a Kentucky Bourbon Tour!