Private Insider Wine & Gastronomy Experiences
Hosted by Chef Marcus & Jamie Guiliano
Five Countries · 400+ Producer Relationships
Chef-led wine and gastronomy journeys built through two decades of trusted producer relationships, private access, and genuine hospitality.
Built through relationships, not booking engines.
Campania, Italy
Now Booking
A chef-led wine and gastronomy journey through Irpinia, the Amalfi Coast, Cilento, and the island of Ischia.
Experience
Wine, food, culture, and family-run producers
Best For
Hosted, non-touristy Italy experiences
2026—2027
9 JOURNEYS + PRIVATE EXPERIENCES
VIP Winery Vacations is built around access you cannot buy from a booking engine.
Marcus and Jamie introduce guests directly to producers, private cellars, vineyards, distilleries, and family tables.
Small groups. No vendor handoffs.
Experiences built away from the mass-market trail.
Private tastings, family-run estates, and producer-led moments.
Small groups designed for conversation, comfort, and connection.
Meals, tastings, stays, transfers, and gratuities handled upfront.
Every departure is intentionally small — 8–14 guests — so time with producers stays personal.
Two decades of relationships, from Aroma Thyme Bistro to estates across five countries, open doors ordinary tour companies cannot.
Marcus and Jamie shape each journey and manage it from the first conversation through the return home.
Each country is here because Marcus and Jamie have real producer relationships on the ground.
Italy began at the table, not on a map. Relationships with families at estates such as G.D. Vajra and Vietti anchor journeys from Piedmont to Sicily.
Featured regions:
Campania · Apulia · Emilia-Romagna & Veneto · Piedmont · Sicily · Tuscany & Central Italy · Sardinia
Marcus returns to Burgundy and Champagne season after season. Those repeated visits lead to private dining rooms, generational domaines, and cellar conversations most visitors never see.
Featured regions:
Rhône & the Riviera – Cote d’Azur · Champagne & Burgundy
Catalonia pairs Penedès and Priorat with chef-led dining and regional context. It rewards travelers looking for substance over spectacle.
Featured regions:
Catalonia
Aroma Thyme Bistro has anchored the Hudson Valley since 2003. From the Finger Lakes to Santa Barbara, long-term producer relationships shape the same intimate access as the international journeys.
Featured regions:
Finger Lakes · Long Island
Years of sourcing alongside producers, plus a long-standing collaboration with Primo Imports and Tom Bracamontes, shape VIP’s Mexico journeys. Access starts with people, not a booking engine.
Featured regions:
Oaxaca · Jalisco · Valle de Guadalupe
Chef Marcus Guiliano and Jamie Guiliano are restaurateurs, wine educators, and agave-industry authorities based in the Hudson Valley.
Since opening Aroma Thyme Bistro in 2003, they have built direct relationships with winemakers, estate owners, and agave producers across Europe, Mexico, and the United States.
Those relationships shape every journey.
Tastings, transfers, stays, meals, and gratuities handled upfront.
8–14 guests, designed for conversation and comfortable access.
Marcus and Jamie host each journey personally.
Markets, artisans, and regional experiences beyond the standard trail.
Visits with winemakers, distillers, cellar teams, and families.
No scripts, crowds, or mass-market itineraries.
Every hosted experience is priced individually based on the destination, length, accommodations, transportation, and private experiences included.
Typical for Finger Lakes and Long Island experiences.
Final pricing depends on the destination and itinerary.
Every meal, wine, tasting, gratuity, private transportation, accommodations, and personal hosting are included unless otherwise noted. There are no optional dining packages or surprise tasting fees.
Wine Tour Operator of the Year by the Global Prestige Awards, three consecutive years. Sustainability and hospitality honors from LUX Life, Corporate Vision, and additional international bodies. Trusted by producers in eight countries.
★★★★★
“The professionalism and organization is outstanding. Thank you Marcus and Jamie.”
★★★★★
“They meet with owners and winemakers personally, never as part of a big group tour.”
★★★★★
“First-class travel, great wine, hotels, dining, and access to the winemaking experience.”
★★★★★
“Great connections, amazing trips, and great food and drink.”
★★★★★
“He brings knowledge, personality, and a genuine desire to create something memorable.”
Personally welcomed, not simply booked.
Tell us where you would like to go and how you prefer to travel. We will contact you personally to discuss the journey that best fits you.
We will only use your details to contact you about your consultation.
