Our Story & Who We Are
VIP Winery Vacations began with a simple truth: the best wine experiences aren’t found on tourist routes—they’re shared at family tables, in hidden cellars, and in vineyards where friendships matter more than signs on the road.
For more than twenty years, Marcus and Jamie Guiliano have been at the center of this world. They opened Aroma Thyme Bistro in 2003 with one mission: elevate food and wine with integrity, curiosity, and heart. Under their leadership, the restaurant became an award-winning destination known for boutique wines, sustainable sourcing, and a style of hospitality so personal it felt like home.
Marcus is a Michelin three-star trained chef with a deep obsession for flavor, farming, and the stories behind every ingredient. Jamie is the grounding force of warmth and service—an intuitive hospitality professional who ensures every guest feels seen, welcomed, and cared for.
Together, they’ve visited more than 350 wineries across Europe and the Americas. But they didn’t just taste—they formed real relationships. Winemakers invited them into private cellars, family kitchens, aging rooms, and unpublicized vineyards. These weren’t tourist experiences. They were insider experiences.
Guests at their restaurant felt that story and wanted to experience it for themselves. VIP Winery Vacations was born as the natural extension of a life deeply rooted in food, wine, and connection.
Today, Marcus and Jamie personally host every journey. The result is an intimate, elevated, insider travel experience unlike anything in the traditional tour industry.
This isn’t tourism. This is hospitality at its highest level.
Our Philosophy & Approach
Great travel should feel curated—not crowded, rushed, or generic.
Every itinerary is handcrafted with the precision of a chef and the intuition of a seasoned host. We choose boutique hotels with character, wineries selected for soul and story, chefs who cook from the land, and experiences that reveal the region beyond its surface.
We do not outsource hosting. We do not hand you off to a guide who doesn’t know your name. Marcus and Jamie are with you at every turn—translating culture, guiding tastings, and ensuring you experience each region as an insider, not a visitor.
We approach travel the same way we approach food: slow, intentional, immersive, and personal.
What Makes Us Unique
Most wine tours take you to the same public tasting rooms and photo spots. We take you where almost no one can go.
Our itineraries are built on personal relationships forged over decades. Many of the wineries we visit have no sign, no tasting room, and no commercial hours. They open their doors because they know Marcus and Jamie—and trust the guests they bring.
Every journey blends the expertise of a Michelin three-star trained chef and a lifelong hospitality professional. This means deeper pairing knowledge, richer storytelling, and a level of access that is exceptionally rare.
Group sizes are intentionally small. Experiences are unscripted and genuine. The moments guests remember most—the winemaker pulling a bottle from his private collection, the owner cooking a simple meal over the vineyard, the quiet cellar conversation after dinner—are moments of true privilege.
These are experiences you cannot purchase. Only receive.
Our Destinations & Experiences
VIP Winery Vacations hosts boutique wine and gastronomy journeys in Italy, France, Spain, Mexico, and select U.S. regions such as Santa Barbara and the Finger Lakes.
A typical day may include a vineyard walk, a barrel tasting in a centuries-old cellar, a visit to an olive oil or balsamic producer, a market stroll, or a long lunch at a restaurant beloved by locals.
We specialize in small-group, chef-hosted tours that favor authenticity over crowds, connection over checklist itineraries, and meaningful access over mass-market attractions.
Custom private tours are available for guests seeking a fully tailored experience.
Press, Awards & Testimonials
Aroma Thyme Bistro and VIP Winery Vacations have earned national recognition for sustainability, boutique wine curation, hospitality, and culinary excellence. The restaurant has received multiple awards for its commitment to organic agriculture, eco-conscious operations, and its promotion of small producers.
Industry press, respected travel writers, and countless guest testimonials consistently describe our journeys as intimate, immersive, and unlike any wine travel experience elsewhere. Many guests return year after year—often bringing family and friends.
Our IATA accreditation and impeccable reputation reflect our commitment to professionalism, safety, and genuine hospitality.
Community & Sustainability
We believe responsible travel enriches the communities we visit. Our itineraries support small winemakers, farmers, artisans, and chefs who preserve their region’s traditions.
We partner with family-owned vineyards, sustainable producers, independent restaurants, and boutique hotels that honor local culture. We minimize waste, support charitable initiatives tied to agriculture and education, and design experiences that uplift—not exploit—the regions we love.
Travel should give back more than it takes.
Meet Marcus & Jamie
Marcus Guiliano
A Michelin three-star trained chef, storyteller, and wine educator. Marcus brings a rare combination of culinary mastery and deep curiosity about how things are grown, crafted, and aged. His favorite moments are unscripted: sharing a bowl of pasta in a winemaker’s kitchen, talking viticulture in a quiet vineyard at sunrise, or discovering a tiny local restaurant that becomes the soul of the trip.
Jamie Guiliano
The heart and hospitality behind every journey. Jamie’s expertise spans restaurant management, guest experience, travel coordination, and event design. She ensures every traveler feels cared for from start to finish. Her favorite moments are market mornings, sunset aperitivo hours, and surprising guests with unexpected delights.
Together, Marcus and Jamie host with warmth, refinement, and an instinct for connection that turns travel into something personal.
They don’t guide trips. They guide people.
If you’re ready to travel in a way that feels personal, exclusive, and deeply authentic, explore the journeys now open for priority access.
If you’re dreaming of a private experience, Marcus and Jamie will personally help craft a custom itinerary built around your interests, pace, and ideal dates.
To receive first access to new itineraries and openings, join our Priority Waitlist. Most tours fill from the waitlist alone.
For questions or personal guidance, you’re welcome to reach out directly:
Phone: (845) 800-0449 or (845) 647-3000
Email: marcus@marcusguiliano.com
Website: vipwineryvacations.com
Travel is personal. Let’s create something unforgettable.
