Carmelo Messina is a bi-lingual (Italian and English) Gold Pin sommelier of the Italian Sommelier Association with an additional master certification in professional wine tasting in the United States. He understands how the English, Italian and French systems are used to analyze and describe wines so well that he has led numerous accreditation classes for others seeking their sommelier licenses.
sommelier
A sommelier is a time-honored position that dates back hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years. It requires a vast amount of knowledge about viniculture (the science, cultivation and harvesting of grapes), geography, year by year weather patterns, service standards, as well as local and international wine laws. The goal of a good sommelier is always to help his or her customers explore the complex topic of wine in pleasant and enjoyable ways.
workshops
While living in Las Vegas, Carmelo used his extensive knowledge of the mouth-watering best of his home country and represented over 300 different Italian wine producers from all over Italy to others in the Las Vegas wine business. He also managed to grow ten thriving, 20-foot tall olive trees under the blazing Mojave Desert sun, along with coaxing beautiful heirloom tomatoes, red onions and other vegetables, and delicate herbs like basil and rosemary, out of the dry, rocky soil.
Experience
With over 20 years of experience working in the hospitality, restaurant, and wine distribution business in the U.S., England, and Italy, Carmelo Messina knows how to present the very best in epicurean delights. In addition to working for Princess Cruise Lines in both the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, he has opened and worked inside many of the top restaurants in Las Vegas, including as Head Sommelier at Valentino’s inside the Venetian. (Valentino was a Wine Spectator Grand Award restaurant with over 2,000 labels on their wine list — that’s a lot of wine to keep track of and Carmelo knew every bottle!)
Carmelo has been an in-demand consultant in the wine distribution business for over 10 years and has accompanied Italy’s top winemakers to almost every single restaurant in Las Vegas. After soaking in their knowledge and years of experience making wine in Tuscany and every other part of Italy, he now wants to share all those delicious insider tips with you.
With first-hand knowledge of the incredible amount of information collected for generations by Italy’s best wine-making families, Carmelo is uniquely qualified to guide you through the best of Italian wine culture for an experience you will never forget.
"My passion for wine and my knowledge of the hidden gems
of Italy are what I want to share with you.”
carmelo messina
wine
20
years of experience
tours
2014
since
travelers
1500+
happy Customers
Seeking adventure in the everyday
With access to over 1000 wineries and 300 restaurants, we're honored to be the premier choice for wine enthusiasts seeking the most comprehensive wine tour experiences in Italy.
group tours
Designed for small groups of 6–10 people, each tour weaves visitors into the cozy villages and distinctive charm of Italy while exploring and tasting the best each region has to offer.
exclusive access
On Italy’s Best Wine Tours you skip commercial tourist traps and are guided through the beautiful, red, blue, and gold-tinted landscapes of the Italian countryside.
wine tour includes
Discover Beyond the Grapes: Wine Tour Inclusions
Transportation
All ground transportation ( chauffeured )
Accommodation
Accommodation at luxury hotels and historic residencies
Wine tasting
All wine tastings and cooking classes
Meals
All meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner
Sites seeing
Guided tours of monuments
