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]]>Go Stargazing
Elqui Valley is best known as one of the world’s top destinations for stargazing, and that’s one of the main reasons why it’s a huge hit with travelers. You can book a tour at one of its many observatories and take a close look at its clear skies filled with countless stars.
Camping Adventures
You don’t even have to go to one of Elqui Valley’s observatories to have the best stargazing experience of your life. Just plan an overnight camping adventure, and you’ll get to enjoy marvelous views of the night sky and fall asleep beneath the stars.
Wine Paradise
Stargazing isn’t the only fun activity that will make you enjoy your visit to Elqui Valley to the fullest. This region is also known as the wine tasting paradise and it’s home to some of the best distilleries in this part of the world. It’s the best place to taste some of the traditional Chilean drinks, starting with brandy pisco.
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]]>But if you haven’t been to a lot of wine tastings, it may make you feel a little bit awkward, uncomfortable, or intimidated. What if you don’t know anything about wine? How do you act like you do? Here’s a quick guide.
What Happens During a Wine Tasting?
First, let’s talk about what to expect at a wine tasting. You may or may not do a tour around the winery, but you’ll definitely end up in a tasting room where a sommelier will walk you through a tasting menu of wines made and sold at the winery. They’ll give you time to try each one, talk to you about them, and at the end, you’ll have an opportunity to buy wine if you want to.
How to Taste Wine
While it may feel like a high-pressure situation, the point of a wine tasting is to just to allow you to get an impression of a wine. So follow the 5 Ss: see it, swirl it, sniff it, sip it, and savor it. Afterward, spit it out or swallow it depending on what you prefer. And most importantly, don’t take it too seriously. This is just for fun, after all.
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]]>Tenuta Torciano is a familY-owned winery in San Gimignano, Tuscany, about an hour’s drive from Florence. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, after all it was only 30 euros per person, which is affordable for a tasting.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a kind woman who would be our guide for the afternoon. She took us into a vast wine cellar, where there was a table set for two, with eight glasses at each setting.
She talked about the history of the winery, and proceeded to teach us how to taste the wine. Yes, most wineries will teach you to swirl, sniff, and spit the wine, but our guide showed us a new way to taste new flavors that you’ll need to visit to understand.
She paired the first three wines with a plate of meats and cheeses, as well as with homemade cold pressed olive oil and balsamic.
Then, she poured another three glasses to try with her grandmother’s veal truffle oil lasagna dish, which was truly the best food I ate in all of Europe.
Once we devoured the heavenly appetizer, she brought out our entree of chicken, potatoes, and spiced vegetables to try with a seventh wine. We consumed the last sweet wine by dipping biscotti into the glass for seven seconds so it soaked up the fruity flavor from the wine.
This tasting was private, delicious, and extremely romantic. You definitely get your money’s worth for your wine, food, and experience. Make sure that you have a designated driver as the alcohol portions are large! Enjoy.
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