CHEESE & WINE TASTINGS ON TOUR

Unique, culinary experiences for artisan cheese, food and wine enthusiasts

Every Cheese Journeys tour is rich with culinary experiences and we pride ourselves on hosting the most unique, mouth-watering artisan cheese and wine tastings. Whether we’re in an ancient wine cellar in Northern Italy or visiting a heritage dairy farm in Britain’s Somerset - we carve out time to champion fine food and drink, and the makers behind it.

Tenaya Darlington, our very own Cheese Educator and Co-host, has been with us since launch and is the author of Madame Fromage’s Adventures in Cheese as well as The New Cocktail Hour which she co-wrote. Her stories and talent know no end! Jilly Sitch, our Events Manager, Educator and Co-Host, is truly the Mary Poppins of Cheese and elevates every Cheese Journey through passion and professionalism for fine food education and best-in-class hospitality. 

Emilio Mignucci is an Educator, Co-Host and Cheese Professional, he’s the owner and VP of Culinary Pioneering at Di Bruno Bros., and master of all things Italian. Di Bruno Bros. offers the highest quality specialty foods and fresh products in the market (including some of the UK’s finest artisan cheeses) across its seven retail locations. Like every Cheese Journeys host, Emilio’s knowledge of artisan cheese and wine spans multiple regions and when he’s on tour with us, he leads educational tasting sessions where travellers learn how to build the perfect cheese board, master the perfect pairings and how best to buy from local mongers. 

Patrick McGuigan, British Cheese Writer and Educator, also brings a wealth of cheese expertise to select tours (he talks about it for a living and teaches at The Academy of Cheese in London) and shares in our passion for promoting cheese knowledge and artisan makers. Then there’s Jennifer Greco, a Cheese Educator, Culinary Tour Guide and Food Writer based in Paris who, to date, has tasted over 500 of the 1600-2000 French cheeses in existence. She’s a joy and an open-book when it comes to regional French cheese and wine.

We’re also proud to have Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo, owners of the award- winning Fairfield and Greenwich Cheese Company, as Tour Co-Hosts. Their enthusiasm for artisan cheese and educating on the full cycle (making and maturing through to retail and food service) is at the centre of everything they do, so they make for the perfect partners. As do power couple Andrea and Bryan McGinness of WineStyles, an innovative retail concept dedicated to simplifying wine, craft beers and gourmet food through a convenient boutique shopping experience. Andrea and Bryan curate educational tasting events, and have a vast knowledge of fine wines (how to categorise, pair and serve) so their recommendations are invaluable. 

Guests can expect unparalleled industry knowledge and insight on the world’s finest artisanal cheese and wine from this Cheese Journeys team. Roll on the tasting, pairings and tantalising tour menus.

If cheese and wine tasting is your favourite thing to do and you want to be more knowledgeable about artisanal produce, check out our Savoie France and Switzerland, British Cheese Odyssey, Netherlands and Belgium tours!

Discover our 2024 and 2025 journeys and the itineraries we’ve curated, they’re full of unforgettable culinary experiences.