Water into wine

Wine speak has always baffled me, especially the annoying habit of referring to a wine as if it were a living being. "A friendly, cheerful wine," they would say. "An offensive, arrogant grape."

I'm not claiming that I am now a wine connoisseur after spending a few days at a vineyard, but a wine tasting experience has allowed me to discover a plethora of new tastes and opened up the world of food and wine pairing. In fact I have found that matching food with the perfect wine can change your sensory experience.

Some wines are made for eating with red meats, some with fish, some with desserts and some are to be gulped alone.

I learned that you should think about what wine you would like then order food to complement it and in some cases, like restaurants such as Battery in Canary Wharf, the food menu is created around the wine list.

I'm not often lost for words, but Lake Garda had that effect on me.

And no this wasn't because I was so sloshed from all the wine tasting that I couldn't string a slur together. There is something about the lake, its serene and still presence, the surrounding cobbled streets, the expanse of lush vineyards and the Italian spirit that you absorb like the sunshine.

As soon as I arrived at the hotel and saw the view of the glistening lake, my body and head switched to relaxation mode.

Lake Garda is Italy's largest lake and it has blue clear waters and a glass-like mirror surface that reflects the surrounding lush mountains. The lake acts like a giant solar panel with the ring of mountains retaining the heat, giving grapevines, lemon groves and pointy cypress trees an environment in which to thrive.

Located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Venice and Milan, this is a great base for exploring other places. And the wines produced in the Bardolino region capture all the passion, the warm clear air and the history of the land in which the vines grow - all evident in a single sip.

A trip to the Guerrieri Rizzardi estate, wine cellars and vineyards was an eye opener. It wasn't a scene filled with ladies hitching up skirts crushing grapes with their feet. Instead, it was a sight of traditional and time honoured methods mixed with new technologies to produce wines that are wonderfully sweet and rich.

I was honoured to meet the driving force behind the label and estate, Contessa Maria Cristina Rizzardi - the matriarch of a family with a long tradition in wine making.

An aristocrat of the wine world she runs the winery after the death of her husband and is passionate about every grape that goes into her products. Her face is one of beauty, knowledge and passion, with every line telling a story. Her skin is soft and smooth, which I'm sure is thanks to a diet of olive oil, good wine and fresh Italian food.

Guerrieri Rizzardi is a family business producing wines and many other products, including elegant olive oil and aromatic honey which I discovered complements nutty cheeses.

The Contessa and her family have sought to produce wines that are unswayed by commercial tastes and aim to produce wines that arouse the senses.

A visit to the Bardolino vineyards meant not only tasting the wine but also imbibing the stories of the families tending the grapes and walking around the lush Gardens of Pojega which are stunningly green and filled with ancient sculptures and landscaping.

This is great destination for a long weekend and a sunny paradise for foodies.

So quit buying the same old wines you always do. Wine tasting is more art than a science, so experiment and drink what you like best.

The purpose for finding good wine and food pairings is simple - wine can change the way your food tastes and vice versa and you want to pick a combination that will make the whole dining experience a pleasurable one.

You don't have to go all the way to Italy to discover what Guerrieri Rizzardi wines have to offer, you can taste them at many of the Inc group's bars and restaurants.

Canary Wharf restaurant Battery and Greenwich's The Spread Eagle have both launched food and wine pairing evenings where you can experiment with flavours from around the world.

Future food and wine pairing events: Battery August 12, September 23, November 4 (£50 per head) and The Spread Eagle August 25, October 6, November 17 (£40 per head). Contact info@greenwich-inc.com

Details:

My favourite: Vapolicella Classico DOC, a smooth and light red wine that tastes of cherries and spice. It is quite dry and I found it goes great with cured meats and tomato based pasta dishes. Available at Tompkins (£29.50)

How to get there: I flew with British Airways from Gatwick to Verona. Prices start from £69 one way. Go to britishairways.com

Where I stayed: Hotel Vela d'oro, a traditional hotel situated on the lake front and within walking distance to the main promenade lined with bars and restaurants. Single rooms with breakfast start from 62 euros. Go to hotelveladoro.it

What to do: At only 30km from Verona, 100km from Milan and 130km from Venice, Lake Garda is well placed for road, rail and air connections.

Gardens of Pojega: A lush botanical garden in Valpolicella featuring a temple, a theatre, wall constructions, viewpoints shaped from trees, hedges, waterways and sculptures.
Go to pojega.it

Ancient Guerrieri Kitchen Garden: Located in the historic centre of Bardolino and is a unique example of Lake Garda agriculture. Wine tastings also take place. The garden houses kiwi trees and a Bardolino Classico grape vineyard labyrinth. It is possible to visit the cellar and the restored 17th century kitchen garden as well as have the opportunity to taste a range of wines.

Go to guerrieri-rizzardi.com