Paula Maia's Wine blog

Romeo and Juliet were lucky to have had so many good wines on hand. Being from Verona, a beautiful Roman city in the Veneto, the two had Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella within 5 miles or less. Pioneer in implementing the first wine road, or strada del vino, and to open Italy’s first wine school, the Veneto has more DOC wines than any other wine region in Italy.

This time around we decided to stick with sigh seeing and not visit any producer as we barely had a weekend. The first night we spent in Verona and the second in Lake Garda, another famous tourist destination in the Veneto, and one I was looking forward to visiting. Now I know why it attracts so many people. All tackiness aside, the place is magnificent.

We climbed Monte Baldo, not on foot or on bicycle like most people, but embarrassingly by car. Nonetheless, we got to the top and enjoyed the breath-taking view of Lake Garda just like everyone else, without breaking a sweat. I just wish we had a bottle of the local Bardolino to enjoy while up there.

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Trier is known as the oldest city in Germany, founded by the Romans around or before 16 BC. The vineyard-covered university city lies on the east bank of the Mosel and has been producing wine for as long as it exists.

Not too far from Porta Nigra- the best preserved Roman city gate- and across from the Cathedral, is the city’s largest Weinstube, with its cellar right underneath the City Hall. The adjacent wine bar has a gorgeous garden, which happens to be City Hall’s garden, is a favorite hang out spot amongst locals and visitors.

It was there that I had my first Federweisser, a young wine that’s mostly must. Almost like a grape juice with about 4%alc that’s not entirely fermented. Sounds complicated, goes by many different names, but nonetheless delicious. It’s worth googling both Federweisser and Trier.

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