Spicing Up Your Winter Travel

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Balmy Breezes and A Pinot Noir Fest
Season swapping in New Zealand is an ideal way to spend a winter vacation. In December things are just beginning to heat up here, offering a hospitable climate to enjoy soothing air and a wonderful Pinot Noir festival.

Now in its fourth year, the Central Otago Pinot Noir celebration (pinot celebration.co.nz) is staged in the South Island town of Queenstown in Central Otago, one of New Zealand's fastest-growing regions for the Pinot Noir grape. Modeled after an established Pinot Noir festival held in the summer in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, New Zealand's celebration is still in its early years and is brimming with innocence and enthusiasm.

Be prepared for two packed days starting on the morning of Friday, Jan. 28, and ending sometime in the wee hours on Sunday as Saturday night's gala grand dinner winds down. The days offer ample opportunity for tasting wines from the 42 Central Otago wineries as well as those from some international guests, which this year include the British wine writer Jancis Robinson and some famous Burgundy producers. Many of the local bottles are quite rare and never make it out of the area, unless they are packed home in a suitcase. There are also winery visits, intense debates about farming and winemaking and a chance for the best chefs in New Zealand to tempt palates too.

A few words of advice. For starters, you're on your own for lodging, but the options are pretty spiffy. Matakauri Lodge is the tony spot of the moment, and it's located just outside town. It offers packages that include meals. Another fine option is the Dairy Private Hotel-- luxury smack in the middle of town but with a great right-at-home feel.

Most important, book early. The instant you make up your mind to attend the festival, start booking the air travel and accommodations. The event is limited to 240 people and usually sells out by the end of December. Even with the new direct air service from Los Angeles, this is a long way to travel, and you'll want to stay for more than a weekend. Besides great food and Pinot Noir, Central Otago is filled with worthy inns, spas, water sports and top-notch fly-fishing. So come prepared to stay a while. And once you arrive, arm yourself with tips from the locals who will befriend you over the weekend. One to get you started: don't miss a chance to grab breakfast at Joe's Garage in Queenstown.

Looking for Truffle? Try a Visit to Italy
For many foodies, white truffles might as well be gold. These clumps of fungal fruit grow in the damp crevasses beneath oak trees in only a few places on earth. They are extremely rare and cannot be cultivated. They also stir the hearts of many chefs and can cost a small fortune to purvey. If you want to see for yourself the land of the truffle hunter, then take a plane to the Italian region of Piedmont in the Langhe hills. Alba, a two-hour drive north from Milan, is considered the spiritual city of the treasure, and prime truffle time spans from November to Christmas.

This region isn't the only great truffle turf — white truffles can be found in Croatia's Istria region too. But the Langhe hills have it over Istria in one major respect: they're home to the Nebbiolo grape, which produces some of the best wines to complement your truffles. These red and noble Barolos and Barbarescos match beautifully with the musky truffle. This is a pleasant trip any time of year, but the late fall and early winter are the only times you can experience this gustatory extravagance. Even if you have never eaten a truffle, don't be intimidated. Everyone has a first time. Why not make yours while on vacation in these vineyard-laced hills?