It sounds fun, right? And it is! But only if done correctly. A staycation may seem like an easy thing to plan, but the truth is that it can be quite boring if you don’t have at least an idea of what you want to do. Don’t stress; this post is here to help.

Get some wine
To really get you in the mood for your staycation, why not celebrate with a nice glass of Champagne? Champagne is a staple item when it comes to most vacations, so it only makes sense to include it in your staycation as well. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, a glass of non-alcoholic sparkling wine is sure to get you in the mood. Of course, you can choose any wine you like – have a look at Dune Wines for some options – but nothing gives you that relaxed holiday feeling like a glass of bubbly.

Make an itinerary
It may sound a bit over the top to make an itinerary if the whole idea is to stay close to home, but it’s worth it. Otherwise, you may end up never leaving your house, and the entire point of a staycation is to find a balance between rest and adventure. Make a list of all of the places you want to visit and the sights you want to see.

However, every day shouldn’t be jam-packed; you need time to rest as well. Write down some fun things to do at home, like catching up on your favorite series, or having a DIY spa day.

Find balance
As mentioned above, a key part of any staycation is finding a balance between having fun and resting. You may be tempted to squeeze in as many things as possible during your staycation, but you’ll likely go back to work feeling even more exhausted. Try to be home at a decent hour each day, so that you have time to sleep.

In fact, you should use your staycation to catch up on some sleep, since most of us don’t get enough rest. Be sure to implement habits that will help you sleep. Some people say that alcohol can help you sleep better, but you can read more about whether that’s true here.

Get the timing right
If it’s a busy time at work, it’s probably not the ideal time for you to take a staycation, especially if you know you’ll be stressed out the whole time. You should also not take your staycation during a holiday season – all of the places you head to will likely be filled with tourists, which could mean you’ll spend most of your time off standing in a queue.

It’s also not always the best idea to ask for time off if you’ve just started a new job, as it might leave a bad impression. Either way, when you do ask for time off, be sure to follow these tips.

We will mostly see vineyards with waterways passing through or those which extend up to the hills and mountains, lots are also produced on simply flatter land enabling a much easier year-round maintenance and harvest. The more desirable and better performing the terroir then the likelihood of a costlier price point of the wine.

The Prosecco region of Italy, producing its world-famous namesake sparkling wine, is a great example of a wine region that starts off with large plains of flat land for mass production to some of the most wonderful picturesque steep hillsides full of vines. Prosecco is split into two classifications which acknowledges the differing terroir quality – The DOC and the DOCG.

The Prosecco DOC classification is produced in 9 areas across two regions, spanning about 20,000 hectares of relatively flat land. Here mostly the mass-produced bigger wineries use their grape harvests to produce their most popular and easy drinking labels. When visiting your local supermarket store it will usually be the ‘DOC’ Prosecco that you see and especially those which are on offer/promotion.

The Prosecco DOC region will produce standard quality though this will not mean that many are not of very good standard. Though if we compare the classification of the DOC to that of the DOCG  then we are highly likely to experience a difference in quality, some cases it is quite noticeable.

The Prosecco DOCG (superior) classification is produced in one compact region (between the towns of Conegliano and Valdbiadenne of the province of Treviso). The area is much smaller, some 6,500 hectares and in most parts is made up of steep hilly terrain. It is truly the most wonderful destination for those that wish to explore the world of wine tourism (since 2019 a Unesco’s World Heritage Site).

Cartizze region

Within this region, we will also find what many agree is the premium grapes for producing Prosecco, this is the Cartizze (107 hectares) which really is the ‘Grand Cru’.

“When it comes to the best Proseccos then we must take to the hills in order to discover them.” Christopher Walkey

I have enjoyed over 15 trips to the Prosecco wine region in the last few years and tasted through countless labels to clearly see an indication of how the terroir affects the final quality. Many Prosecco houses/producers will have a range of labels that they sell which usually sees both DOC and DOCG examples. You are nearly always presented first with the DOC then scale up to DOCG – Price per bottle will also run in this order.

I am pleased to currently be the top reviewer of Prosecco on Vivino in the UK: https://www.vivino.com/users/glassofbubbly

Some wine experts will say that planting of vines on hillsides does not guarantee you a better quality of wine, that I understand to an extent, not all hillsides/slopes offer the best terroir and we have to determine the correct grapes to use – Wine production will also play an important part of the final quality of wine produced. Though, slopes and hilly terrain will offer the likes of added drainage/irrigation, better sun exposure, warmth/heat, soils as well as certain protections against frost. In most cases, we do see the vineyards located within the hills from wine regions across the world showing some of the most iconic and loved wines.

As you approach the region of the Prosecco DOCG you will see the foothills of the Dolomites, the ‘Prosecco Hills’. This wonderful expansion of hills and valleys are what contain much of the grape production for making the wines, during harvest time these are all full of ladies and gentlemen pickers. Some of the hills have a slope of 50% making harvest incredibly challenging (and dangerous) every year.

With thanks to Villa Sandi Prosecco for the sample bottles – I decided to share with you not only the visual delights between the three regions (DOC, DOCG & DOCG Cartizze), but also the expression via the wines. Villa Sandi is a multi award-winning winery world-famous for their Prosecco production of which they produce and have vineyards in each of the classifications.

Tasting DOC DOCG and DOCG Cartizze

Presented with the three styles of Prosecco it is quite clear how they differ immediately from the aromas and this thought is further proven to be correct by the flavours. The styles are without a doubt the artwork of a single wine-house / winemaker, yet they express very different values and will certainly cater for many different requirements.

Prosecco DOC Label: “Clean and fresh yellow and green fruits on the nose. Fresh, smooth and elegant flavours with a soft near creamy expression of green pears and yellow apple.”

Prosecco DOCG Label: “Golden fruits and cream on the nose. An expressive delight of fresh green and yellow fruits in flavours with a creamy, honey edge.”

Prosecco DOCG Cartizze Label: “Complex aromas from passion fruit to a touch of Italian cured ham. As if the wine goes through many years of ageing with an expression of dried apricots, green apple, white floral even a whisper of a caramel pastry that competes for attention in the palate.”

Fine Prosecco – Villa Sandi Italy

The three wines tasted from Villa Sandi were:

Prosecco DOC: Il Fresco Brut Treviso

Prosecco DOCG: Valdobbiandene Millesimato Superiore 2019 

Prosecco DOCG Cartizze: Vigna La Rivetta

But I’ve still got a lot to learn, so when Villa Sandi offered me the chance to take the WSET Level 2 Exam at their winery in Prosecco, I gratefully accepted.

There is one person that needs to be mentioned because without her this whole experience would not have been possible.

That person is Diva Moretti Polegato, Brand Ambassador for Villa Sandi, she has been leading in promoting their range of wines across England and the world.

The Villa Sandi WSET Level 2 course ran through 3 days, with 2 and half days of learning followed by the exam.

Thank you, Diva, Flavio, Leonardo and the whole Villa Sandi team for everything!

Day 1

Arriving at Venice airport in Italy, we met two other people taking this course, including Shane from Slow Food UK, a fellow English man and a lovely woman from the Villa Sandi team in Hungary.

We took a one hour taxi ride to the hotel right next to Villa Sandi where we were all staying for the weekend.

After we settled in we walked over to Villa Sandi to be given a guided tour, we walked through their massive cellars seeing thousands upon thousands of bottles, we watched a short video explaining some more about Villa Sandi and then walked through some tunnels created during the world war 2, it was mind blowing to think that I was walking through history, the final steps for some solders as marched to the battlefield, of course, the Prosecco wouldn’t have been lining the walls, but the feeling was there.

To finish the tour we walked through the Villa Sandi House, getting to see the majestic rooms and taking some stunning pictures in front of the house on our way back.

We were then taken to Locanda Sandi, their own restaurant where we enjoyed a fabulous meal with the winemaker, Stefano Gava, who explained about the wine every time a new bottle of Villa Sandi came out.

The location, the people, the food and of course the wine were all phenomenal, creating an unforgettable evening, but little did we know at this point, that this each evening was going to get even grander than the next.

Day 2

This was our first full day of learning, so we made sure we had a nice breakfast at the hotel and then we walked over to Villa Sandi.

To start off the lessons we were formally introduced to both of the teachers and learned how the course was going to run, we tasted wines, took notes and learned a lot.

We were treated to a lovely lunch at Yuri’s Restaurant then went back to the class for an afternoon of learning.

We enjoyed dinner at Lòmo restaurant in Asolo city, where we sat at a table with Diva and Leonardo, afterwards we walked through the streets, taking in the sight of this Italian village.

Day 3

The second full day of learning had begun, with even more wines tasted and notes made, each wine we judged, we learned to judge without using a biased opinion, instead we looked at the quality of the wines, how much acidity they had, how long the finish was and how high the tannins were on the reds, those are a couple of ways to judge a wine unbiased.

Stefano Gava Villa Sandi Head Winemaker

We enjoyed lunch at the same place and went in for the afternoon of learning.

This was going to be the final dinner that we all shared together as after the exams tomorrow, some will be heading off home.

So to celebrate this occasion, Villa Sandi had organised a magnificent dinner at the Villa Sandi House itself, a truly stunning property fit for royalty, a Jeroboam bottle of Villa Sandi was opened as a wine to be paired with the aperitifs.

We then took our seats at the tables in the main hall, with live music playing, where we were served flavourful dishes, celebrated someone’s birthday and all signed a bottle of Villa Sandi to remember the moment.

The unforgettable evening then came to a close, we walked back through Villa Sandi’s cellars to our hotel ready for tomorrows final morning of learning and the exam.

Day 4

On the day of the exam, we spent the morning revising what we had learned in the past two days and going over the fortified and sparkling wine chapters.

We then went out to lunch for the final time at the restaurant and when we arrived back at Villa Sandi, the room was set up for the exam to take place.

We went through all the exam checks and were as ready as we could all be.

One hour later we were all done and before you knew it, the head winemaker was opening bottles of Villa Sandi to celebrate, now was the time to relax, the exam was finished and we had a few hours to spare before going out for our final dinner in Italy.

Day 5

Few of us remained as most had travelled back home, but that didn’t mean that the day was going to be any less special, we arrived at Borgo Conventi, a winery and estate in Friuli Venezia Giulia that Villa Sandi had recently bought.

We were shown all around the winery, with us first going up into their vineyards to look at their grapes and enjoy a bottle with wonderful views.

We then went back to the winery and took a tour around their winery, seeing the large vats and venturing into their cellars, where we enjoyed a glass of red wine straight from the barrel with the winemaker.

Afterwards, we went upstairs to taste a range of their wines, this was a moment that I really enjoyed to be able to sit and taste some great wines without needing to dissect them for the exam.

To finish off we had a great lunch in their home, sitting with the winemaker and enjoying wonderful food, including a risotto to die for.

This was it, we took a one hour car ride back to the airport, where after a flight delay we were back home, we had enjoyed an experience like none other, all put on by Villa Sandi.

Once more I would like to thank Diva, Leonardo and the entire Villa Sandi team for the experience of a lifetime.

I am pleased to hear that I have passed the WSET Level 2 exam and look forward to receiving my certificate and pin soon.

There is a place where taking in all of this is a treat for the senses and nourishment for the soul. In the Golfo Aranci in the North-Eastern quarter of the Island, overlooking the sea with a view of the Island of Tavolara, stands Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites, one of Sardinia’s most exclusive and elegant hotels. It has been owned by the Datome family for more than 50 years and is currently managed by Sergio and Marco Datome along with Sergio’s wife Antonella and their son Tullio.

Here, greeted by the hospitality of the family Datome, you can immerse yourself in the wonders of this island enjoying its beauty and goodness: allow yourself to be enchanted by the shades of blue of the sea that is second to none in its own private beach that rests on the beautiful Terza Spiaggia of the Golfo Aranci. You will be able to swim with dolphins at sunset and enjoy a sense of freedom that will fill your heart with joy. You can dive into the crystal clear waters and go back in time to discover the MuMart Museum, an underwater museum that hosts 14 statues representing subjects related to the sea world created by internationally renowned artists, positioned on the sea-bed of Golfo Aranci, the only one of its kind in Europe.

You will be able to taste exquisite dishes and wines with a marked minerality. Whilst sitting on the terrace of The Blú Restaurant, recently awarded an Espresso ‘chef’s hat’ and considered one of the best a la carte restaurants on the island, in a context of refined beauty with wrought iron seats and gazebos with sinuous lines, enchanted by the view on the Gulf, the Executive Chef Daniele Sechi will delight your senses by presenting contemporary dishes using rare Sardinian delicacies, creating harmonies of bright colours, clear aromas and unique flavours.

In the enchantment of a unique atmosphere, overwhelmed by lush nature, here is a selection of three dishes accompanied by three sparkling wines:

Mullet ‘Amrecca’ with herbs with pompia pearls and avocado. A dish with a strong aroma, created using a local ingredient, the Sa Merca mullet and a citrus fruit, Sa Pompia, that is only found in Sardinia, and only in Siniscola.

Paired with Cantina Pedres Rosè Brut
97% Vermentino and 3% Cannonau grapes, a delicate pink colour, fine and persistent perlage. Fruity and spicy with cinnamon and vanilla notes with pleasant mineral sensations. On the palate it gives a distinctive saline tangue balanced with smoothness for a harmonic feeling.

Mezze maniche pasta, violet prawns, basil purée, fresh chilli, spring onion and dried tomatoes. A dish with bright and captivating tones.

Paired with Ferrari Brut Trentodoc
100% Chardonnay, straw yellow with light green reflections and a fine and persistent perlage.
Intense with a caressing fruity note of ripe golden apple and wildflowers, with a base of yeast fragrance and hints of bread crust. Sublime elegance with a harmony of sensations.

Sea capon with vegetables and tomato and fennel puree. A preparation with marine notes, vibrant and decisive.

Paired with Cantina Mancini, Spumante Brut Adelasia Vermentino di Gallura DOCG

100% Vermentino, beautiful straw yellow with a lasting and fine perlage. It offers fruity and spicy aromas with aromatic herbs nuances such as sage. Exceptional length lying on vivid and fresh notes.

What is extra special about these wines and food pairings…
The harmonies created in these three dishes by Chef Sechi, combined here with the individual sparkling wines, are enhanced by remarkable freshness and minerality that these various wine pairings share, for a pleasant intense aromatic and flavoursome combination.

The scents, perhaps more than any other characteristic, have an incredibly evocative power; it doesn’t matter where you are, but when you catch an olfactory note that reminds you of a place, your mind begins to travel between memories, desires and emotions. As soon as you arrive in Sardinia you are overwhelmed by the mixture of its scents of Mediterranean scrub, almost as a welcome for the visitor to an island that conquers the heart. Likewise, the aromas of its wines with notes of strawberry tree, jasmine, melon, salt and flint, wherever you are in the world, will lead you back to its land, releasing all its essence. All we have to do is enjoy the infinite wonders of Sardinia, sitting here on the terrace of the Blù Restaurant admiring the inlets of the Golfo Aranci.

Champagne Roger Brun‘s Réserve Familiale 2004 Vintage took home The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Trophy in 2019 and has seen great success, with only a very small collection left.

Arriving at Champagne Roger Brun, you can see their certificates in the window showing that they won The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards in 2019 and you can even see a picture of Philippe Brun holding the trophy at the awards ceremony, entering their building, you can see the trophy displayed proudly with a couple of their Réserve Familiale 2004 bottles surrounding it, with one of these ever rare bottles being opened up for us to taste.

Then there is the man himself, Philippe Brun, he is the winemaker, a well known, well respected and well loved man in Aÿ and the whole of Champagne.

Philip knows how to make great Champagne, he prefers to make his Champagne on the slightly sweeter side and he also sells his grapes to big Champagne houses like Krug and Bollinger.

We spent several unforgettable evenings with Philippe Brun, along with a couple with his wonderfully kind family, on one of these evenings, we live streamed, for you all to see and hear about his Champagnes and to get to know the man himself, it was the longest live stream of our tour to France, clocking in at just under 2 hours and getting around 600 views in the first 24 hours, every second keeps you wanting to hear more, you can watch it here:

There is something truly amazing about being able to see and talk to the winemaker of a Champagne or Sparkling Wine house, with some, like Philippe Brun, it makes the next bottle you open 10 times more special.

To me, Champagne Roger Brun never disappoints, with their Réserve Familiale 2004, Romance Rosé and La Pelle Millésime 2013 being amongst some of my all time favourite Champagnes.

At the end of our visit, we had to sadly take back the Trophy so it can be awarded to this year’s World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly, it took some negotiation, but we finally reached an agreement, although Roger Brun doesn’t have the Trophy any more, their Réserve Familiale 2004 Champagne will always be The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly of 2019.

Thank you, Philippe, Sophie and Alexander for an unforgettable week and your very generous hospitality.

Château de Boursault is situated higher than most other wineries we’ve visited, with the views from the château overlooking a beautifully large area of Champagne.

The château itself has a long and very interesting history to it, with it being made into a makeshift hospital during World War 2, you can listen to Alex explain the fascinating history to us on the walk down to the phenomenal château right here:

The decor in the rooms we entered was made for royalty, exquisite sculptures and a cellar full of Champagne.

Before all this, we were taken on a guided tour through Champagne Château de Boursault’s range of Champagnes which you can watch here:

This place is truly one to visit whether you love Champagne or just want to see the architecture.

Although this is a rather big Champagne brand, with an enormous château, it is still a family business, you can see this by the hard work and passion this husband and wife team put into it.

Laurent took us on a tour of his winery, showing off his cellars, bottling and labelling station, as well as giving us access to his personal tasting room, where he goes with family and close friends to taste his still ageing Champagne to see how he can better improve it.

Before the grand tour, he sat us down in his tasting room, open to the public, to enjoy some of his Champagne, which you can watch here:

The Autréau Family are based in the picturesque village of Champillon, near Epernay and have been involved in growing grapes and producing Champagne since 1670. I highly recommend a visit to this wonderful Champagne house.

Thank you, Laurent, for your time.

A lion roars on their label, but when visiting, you are greeted by two young gentlemen that couldn’t be kinder.

We toured Champagne Moutardier’s winery, being shown their bottling station, storage, vats and even some old classic cars.

After this, we were taken up to see their vines and sit at a picnic table situated in a perfect position looking over rows of vines, we were taken up in one of their fantastic cars, I sat in the back with perfectly clear views of the picturesque landscape and vineyards which I also filmed for you to see.

 

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Tasting 6 amazing Champagnes in the Vineyards with Champagne Moutardier

A post shared by GlassofBubbly (@glassofbubbly) on Jul 23, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

At the picnic table, Champagne Moutardier gave us a guided tasting through their range of Champagnes, with each offering something for everyone.

Thank you, Jasper & Simon, at Champagne Moutardier for the tour, car ride and tasting.

We were all welcomed in with a warm smile and sat down in their garden, with the weather being perfect on the day.

Visiting Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire felt like visiting family, they were so welcoming and made you feel relaxed, we enjoyed several bottles of their Champagnes, even some yet to be released bottles.

All those years ago when I picked a bottle of Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire to enjoy on my 18th birthday, I picked it because I liked their label, a shield, protecting the delicious Champagne inside.

It’s nice to know the people who made the Champagne that I enjoyed on the day, it makes the memory even nicer.

Thank you Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire for your time and kind hospitality.