(Guardian) - Italy's north-eastern Collio region offers a startling array of little-known wines, with small, friendly vineyards to visit and a selection of cosy places to eat and stay between gulps.

An hour's drive north east from Venice, the rolling vine-clad hills of the Collio region boast an outstanding selection of white wines and some surprising reds too. These can be followed on a narrow, winding Strada del Vino that runs for 50km from Dolegna del Collio, past the regional "wine capital" of Cormòns, as far as San Floriano del Collio. Winemakers are very happy to receive visitors, and many offer B&B accommodation too.

The distinctive local cuisine is hearty mitteleuropean rather than classic Italian, and every month sees some kind of wine event – from Cantine Aperte at the end of this month (26 May) to Jazz&Wine, (25-27 October). The great white wines here are malvasia, ribolla gialla, pinot bianco, friulano and sauvignon, but there are also interesting local reds such as refosco and pignolo, as well as the luscious dessert wine picolit.