Check out our new video blog for all the updates as we head into the Spring season DuVine Style!
Spring is always an exciting time as we look forward to a new season of bike, eat, drink and sleep.
Alive and well and living in….Israel. [more like 'living it up'-DuVine style]
What…you were expecting Jacques Brel in Paris? Don’t get me wrong, it’s true that I am very fond of France, as it was my first destination to conquer… but as you know, I am constantly on the go in search of new DuVine destinations to offer you. So…after numerous inquiries about a tour to Israel, I am here scouting out our newest adventure. It is a work in progress…but my creative juices are flowing…so here’s a sneak peak at what’s to come.
My first stop after arriving in Tel Aviv was a quick visit to my hotel (which has an incredible view of the beach, I might add). A quick change and I was off to explore. Have bike, will travel…as I headed off for a scenic ride up the coast to the harbor and then on to the ancient port city of Jaffa – which is believed to be one of the oldest ports cities in the world.
Needless to say, Jaffa is a city steeped in history…from antiquity to present day…and is cited many times in the Old Testament, from being the port-of-entry for the cedars of Lebanon to the place where Jonah embarked for Tarshish before his eminent demise. It is also known for it diverse population of Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
As I returned to Tel Aviv, I was impressed by its moderness as well as its unique architectural style - designed in the Bauhaus school and recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. Dinner was at Dalal, a restaurant in the very hip area of Tel Aviv that is home to a plethora of wine bars and outdoor restaurants - a fantastic lamb shwarma with a lovely Cabernet/Merlot blend from the Flam winery. Then it was off to bed to fight off the jet lag and rest up for a visit north to the Carmel region.
I left Tel Aviv early and stopped along the way at the Tishbi winery for a tasting with its owner Golan. Tishbi has crafted some really nice Cabernets and Merlots and a tasty Sauvingon Blanc. Next stop was the Rothschild burial grounds with its gorgeous garden, and then a bike ride down to the ancient Roman port of Caesarea – where Herod, in 22 BC, constructed a deep sea harbor with markets, baths, and imposing public buildings on the ruins of Straton’s Tower. The Rothschild family has been, and still is very involved with this site - having created the Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation to advance education and culture across Israel. Needless to say, a very interesting place!
Next stop…the Carmel Forest Spa, a peaceful property set amid the lush forest with sweeping views down to the sea. Along the way to the hotel, I stopped for an amazing road side lunch of grape leaves, and rice stuffed cabbage from a Druze roadside stand. The Druze are a small religious community of people (considered to be an offshoot of Islam but unique because of their incorporation of other philosphies) who are recognized in Israel as both a distinct religion and ethnicity. Regardless of who they are, they made an amazing lunch! The day was topped off by an incredible massage at the spa and dinner with the hotel’s manager.
Another day down, and another yet to come…as today finds me off to frolic in the salty mist in a land called Galilee. We first pass through Nazereth and then Zefat – a very old and religious city located at the highest altitude in Galilee. The town is also recognized as the place where Kaballah originated. Hence, a fascinating place whose location also commands magnificent views – east to the Golan, north to the Hermon and Lebanon, west to Mt. Meron and the Amud Valley, and south to Tiberias and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
I also need to fill you on a great tasting I had at the Dalton winery. Set in the beautiful green and mountainous part of Upper Galilee, the winery is only 5 km from the Lebanese border and overlooks Hermon Mountain. Naama Mualem, perhaps the best woman winemaker in Israel, produces some really nice Cabernets, Barberas, at red Zinfandels at Dalton.
On a side note, I’d like everyone to know how amazing the breakfasts are here in Israel. Ask and ye shall receive…everything from salads to fruits to nuts to fresh breads…not to mention… eggs and lox and blintzes. A great way to fuel up for a big day biking the hills of Galilee! Even better, it seems that every hotel has a hot tub (apparently it’s a big thing here?)…perfect for the legs after a long ride during the day.
Well, tomorrow I am off to trek through Golan Heights and visit the Dead Sea to see if the myth is true about the incredible buoyancy! Stay tuned for more ‘on the road with Andy’ tales from Israel…and my visit to Jordan and Petra!
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Guide Post – by Tom Coppock
It was early October when I got an email from Justin, my fellow DuVine guide and cycling fanatic, about one of the stages of the 2010 Giro d’Italia following the gravel roads of Siena. The big cycling races love to keep their planned routes secret until the official unveiling ceremony (in the Giro’s case, this ceremony generally requires hundreds of supermodels). The result of all this supposed secrecy is a pretty reliable series of leaks about the route that seem manufactured to generate fan interest. Whether it’s which famous climbs will be featured in the Alps or a tour starting in a different country (Britain, the Netherlands, etc) fans and racers are rarely in the dark going into these unveiling ceremonies. In fact, this year, in typical Italian style, the sports newspaper Tuttosport printed basically the entire itinerary for the 2010 Giro weeks before the race organizer, RCS sport, with its rival paper Gazetto dello Sport planned to announce it publicly.
For DuVine, this early announcement about the Giro near Siena was great news. For years, people had been contacting us asking about a Giro trip, but we had never quite gotten around to putting one together. Now, the Giro was planning to come right through our backyard in the hills around Siena where we run our popular Tuscany tour and where the guides live during the season.
Justin guides our trips in France, but his involvement in this whole story began a few years ago when he came down to visit me in Tuscany during Giro season. As an avid cyclist he of course wanted to get out on these famous white (gravel) roads that make up the course of the region’s classic cycling route known as L’Eroica (the Heroic). So we set out on our road bikes to the closest section of the route. We were having a great time bumping along the acceptably smoothed gravel through the olive groves and wheat fields sprinkled with poppies until I decided to take us on a short cut I’d seen on the map. Needless to say we found ourselves a half hour later at the end a muddy track consisting of two ruts, the rain pouring down, and a condemned farmhouse offering the only shelter. Despite returning home soaked with our normally pampered bikes coated with mud, we were both elated from the experience, as basically, there isn’t any place as beautiful to cycle through as Tuscany in the spring.
So, thanks to Justin’s addiction to cycling news, he let me know immediately about the rumors surrounding the Giro’s plan to route one stage through this area. Once this was confirmed by the supermodels at the official presentation, I began thinking about how to structure a tour around this event. Because the riders ride so far every day, the Giro only has two stages in the Tuscany-Umbria area before heading farther south. Instead of dragging guests all over Italy to try to watch each stage, we decided to focus on watching only these two stages (7 and 8) while spending the rest of the tour cycling through this gorgeous area.
The highly anticipated seventh stage of the Giro on the gravel roads of the Eroica corresponds with the fourth day of our trip. We’ll have previewed a lot of the approach on the first days around Volterra and Siena and that morning we’ll ride to Montalcino to see this rocky climb for ourselves and await what should be one of the more memorable finishes of any tour. Imagine Paris-Roubaix on steroids (not hard to do, I know), as racers will face a 1000 ft. plus climb on steep gravel after 200 km of hilly riding. Then, the next day, we’ll head south and east, riding through Umbria on our way to Monte Terminillo, the first mountain finish of a Giro that is being hailed as a climber’s tour. Whoever finishes strong here has a strong chance of finishing on the podium in Verona. Inspired by seeing the pros up close, we’ll spend the last days of our trip, doing some of my favorite rides in Umbria, including an epic 3-pass loop from Cortona.
Daily mileages range from 50-70 miles, with full van support and the full range of DuVine perks, including beautiful rooms at luxury hotels, gourmet feasts, top-of-the-line Wilier racing bikes and two bilingual guides including myself and Giovanni, a semi-pro racer himself. The DuVine Adventures Giro d’Italia bike trip will only happen this one time, May 12-19, so be sure to sign up soon.
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“SLEEP” is an equal and integral part of the DuVine equation. Our mission to provide a unique and personalized experience extends to every facet of your adventure, even the nocturnal realm. The ”DuVine-style” standard is always in effect - from inception to completion of your tour – and your accommodations are no exception.
Great care and consideration are put into the selection. Our chateaux, villas and inns are small, luxurious and reflect the architeture and history of the region. And many of these are exclusive to DuVine travelers. We choose only authentic properities whose service meets the highest standards of hospitality as well as capture the essense of the region.
Not only do they reflect our own DuVine quality criteria, but many also measure up to the highest of travel industry standards. These are award winning properties that are recognized by Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast, Forbes, etc as some of the top hotels in the world.
Better yet, on a DuVine tour, you get to sleep at these exclusive hotels AND enjoy the other components of the DuVine adventure - biking, eating and drinking. So much more, for so much less! We offer you the same high standards at an incredible value – (basically a fraction of the cost of what you would pay for lodging alone). Just another unique feature that makes us DuVine.
DuVine’s Top 10 Award Winning Hotels:
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Free association Friday. I say ‘Montagues’…you say “bikes”. Wait, don’t you mean “Capulets”?
Well… not any more, as I have a feeling that this will soon be the response that comes to mind upon hearing that name. They do share a common thread, though, as both are noble families… one of Verona, the other of folding bikes.
Montague FIT model
And these aren’t your “circus style” small wheel specials, either. These bikes are designed with the philosophy that performance comes first – the folding aspect is secondary. As the designer proudly proclaims ”we design full-size, high-performance bicycles that fold, not folding bicycles”.
We had the pleasure of meeting the designer himself, David Montague, this past Tuesday when he joined us at our DuVine office to demo one of the new 2010 Montague models – the FIT.
Upon first glance at the FIT, you wouldn’t have a clue that this lightweight, solid geometry road bike with top of the line components and 700c wheels actually folds in half and fits in a closet! In less than 20 seconds, David popped off the front wheel, lifted the quick frame release, and voila…the bike was folded and ready to store. And no disassembly required - no allen wrench nor bike tool needed. It almost felt like some slight of hand magic trick. The frame remains intact - maintaining its integrity - and no crucial components have been sacrificed to allow for the conversion. Yes, folks…this is innovation at its finest! Funnily enough, it does take a rocket scientist to patent.
FIT folded
That’s right…David is an MIT graduate with a degree in aerospace engineering. His passion for innovation, coupled with his passion for cycling, led him to design bikes and start the Montague company…pretty cool, eh?
If you are interested in checking out these unique bikes, or finding out more information about David visit http://www.montaguebikes.com/.
Laguardia, Tapas and Burgos – oh my!
The wines of Rioja
We’re off to see Rioja, the inspiring region in Spain. Follow the banks of the Ebro and Duero rivers and explore a land that embodies a rich medieval past, a deep connection to the land, endless vineyards, fortressed stone villages, vintage cellars, stalwart castles and monastic wineries. When even its monks are producing some of the world’s finest wines, you know that there must be something wonderful in this Spanish soil!
It is no wonder that the Rioja is Spain’s most celebrated wine region…and that the name itself is almost synonymous with Spanish red wine. But wine is not the only “claim to fame” of this region – unforgettable Spanish cuisine, an epic countryside and a fascinating medieval history await.
Cycling in Rioja
If you were to ask Pablo, our Spanish tour guide, what is so special about Rioja…you should be prepared for a extended discourse. It’s a good thing you’ll have 6 days to enjoy his insights on our Rioja bike tour. From your 1st stop along the way in Burgos, the medieval Castilian town founded in 884 to see the most astounding Gothic cathedrals to your visit to a 15th century vineyard where you can kick off your shoes and participate in wine production the traditional way, Pablo will make sure your Rioja experience is a truly unique adventure.
You will also have plenty of time to sample tapas in Laguardia, relax a for a luxurious spa treatment in Marques de Riscal, visit Santa Domingo de Silos (the monastery that gave Gregorian chanting international renown), and picnic at the the castle of Peñaranda surrounded by the gorgeous landscape of the Yecla Gorge.
the spa at Marques de Riscal
Oh, and if you haven’t noticed, Spanish wines are becoming increasingly popular on menus throughout the country…here’s your chance to get a leg up on the competition. Go directly to the source for inspiration and education so that upon returning home, you can make the best selections, impress your fellow diners, and share your knowledge with others about these great Spanish wines.
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Earlier this week we had Andrew Bishop from Oz Wine Company in our office for an edition of DuVine TV. Andrew provided us with a review of two Spanish wines, one, Pena do Lobo from the Ribeira Sacra and the other, Ameztoi Txakolina produced in the Basque Country.
Because Andrew is a wine importer he travels to the regions and buys his wines from the growers, which gives him a unique understanding of the region and the personal aspects of the growers. Check out the video to see Andrew’s review and the stories of the people producing these wines and if you live in the Boston area check out Andrew’s list of restaurants and stores where you can find these wines.
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