Wine Tasting with Chef Luigi Gandola in Bellagio
Taste wine the way a sommelier teaches it, not the way a tourist drinks it.
Wine tasting with food pairing at Restaurant Salice Blu in Bellagio, led by professional sommelier Chef Luigi Gandola in the wine cellar. You taste local and Italian wines, learn about grape varieties and production methods, and sample food pairings chosen by the chef. The experience includes bottled water and is suitable for all fitness levels; minimum age is 18.
The Experience
Restaurant Salice Blu sits a few minutes' drive from Bellagio's center, just above Lake Como. Chef Luigi Gandola, a professional sommelier certified by A.i.s. in 2018, leads the tasting himself in the restaurant's wine cellar. He has spent seven years at Villa D'Este, a five-star property, and has won 50 gold medals in international culinary competitions -- but the tasting is not about credentials. It is about what he knows: how to match wine to the food in front of you, what the grapes tell you about where they grew, and why one bottle tastes the way it does.
You taste local wines and Italian selections, paired with food the kitchen prepares. The cellar holds 550 kinds of wine from 320 different producers, so the bottles change based on what is in season and what the chef wants to teach that day. Bottled water comes with the tasting. If you want to extend the experience, you can add a full lunch or fine dining service at checkout, which shifts the day from tasting into a meal where wine is the reason.
After the tasting, the restaurant sells its own homemade products and wine selections if you want to take something home. The space is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation stops nearby if you are not driving.
What’s included
- Wine tasting with local and Italian selections.
- food pairing chosen by the chef.
- bottled water.
- professional sommelier guidance from Chef Luigi Gandola.
- access to the wine cellar.
Operated by Lake Como Experience with Chef Luigi Gandola
Is this one for you?The tasting is led by Chef Luigi, so you learn as you taste rather than tasting on your own -- it suits anyone who wants to understand wine instead of just drinking it. If you prefer to choose your own wines without instruction, or if you want a full meal rather than a focused tasting, the fine dining option at checkout gives you that instead.
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Top questions
What wines will I taste at Chef Luigi's tasting in Bellagio?
Chef Luigi selects from the cellar's 550 kinds of wine made by 320 different producers, so the bottles change based on the season and what he wants to teach. You taste local wines and Italian selections paired with food the kitchen prepares.
Who leads the wine tasting at Salice Blu?
Chef Luigi Gandola leads the tasting himself. He is a professional sommelier certified by A.i.s. and has worked for seven years at Villa D'Este, a five-star hotel on Lake Como.
Can I add a meal to the wine tasting?
Yes. If you pay an additional amount per person at checkout, you can have an exclusive fine dining or lunch experience with the best Italian wines and Chef Luigi's cuisine instead of just the tasting.
Is the wine tasting wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All areas and surfaces at Restaurant Salice Blu are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby.
What is the minimum age for the wine tasting?
The minimum drinking age is 18 years.
