Ciao a tutti! We are Luca, Lauren & Luca… again.
We are two Tuscans (Luca & Luca) and one Californian (Lauren) who love wine and (until recently) loved showing visitors the best of Italy. We all work in the travel industry as art/history/wine/food guides but in 2020 Italy’s tour industry came to a halt so we’ve been thinking about how we can bring some of Italy to you.
Luca B is our wine guy. He’s a certified sommelier with ten years in the business working with restaurants, enotecas and travelers coming to Italy.
Lauren and Luca M are the owners of Unlock Italy Guided Tours, a boutique tour agency that creates customized experiences for those coming to Italy in search of a more personal, local and sustainable approach to tours and travel planning.
Lauren writes the newsletter and responds to emails, Luca M edits the videos and makes the deals, and Luca B imparts us (and hopefully you!) with his infinite wine knowledge and wine connections!
Our Philosophy
In ancient Greece, the “symposium” was a part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, or conversation. And that’s essentially what Italian food and wine culture is still all about. Wine isn’t an impenetrable mystery. It’s a part of daily life here in Italy. It’s about community, connection and sharing. In each glass are the stories of the winemaker and the land where the grapes are grown, the history of the country and the people who live here. That’s what we want to share with you.