Nikki & Sonia came together more than a decade ago over their mutual love for gastronomic travel, and have worked together in this exciting space in the travel industry ever since. When both of their travel careers came to a complete standstill in 2020, they decided they wanted to continue travelling, even if that was only possible through their taste buds. They wanted to remain connected to the destinations they loved as well as the people in them, so by reimagining what they did best, TwelveDegrees °Co was born.
The optimum temperature for both a wine cellar and a cheese cave, TwelveDegrees seemed a fitting name for a concept that would bring together one of the world’s biggest power couples – wine and cheese! And so they got busy curating wine and cheese pairings and designing custom made packaging that would uphold the integrity of the products they wanted to showcase - and soon after, they launched The Taste Tour. A fun and yawn-free masterclass, featuring wines & paired cheeses from across the globe – the virtual taste tour has been taking Australian travellers and their taste buds on journeys through some of the world's great cheese and wine destinations, from the comfort of their own homes.
Sonia has over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry, designing and running high end cultural, food and wine tours around the world. Throughout her career she has had the pleasure of arranging (and often hosting) tours for thousands of delighted travellers and has gluttonously eaten and drunk her way through most countries around the globe - all in the name of research! As a result, her little black book could sell for millions…
Nikki has hosted small luxury food and wine tours in Europe for the past 12 years. She has lived and worked in the US, France, Spain and Switzerland where she has completely indulged her passion for wine and cheese – perhaps a bit too much! Having formed great relationships with some of the world’s best sommeliers and wine makers, Nikki and her tour guests have had unbridled access to experiences not available to the general public.
We're a couple of gourmet travel experts from Melbourne, who are passionate about what we do - and do it well.
We are obsessed with getting under the skin of a destination by exploring its hidden gems, experiencing the local produce & bringing to life the stories behind the people who make it.
Our Taste Tours are above all fun - and designed for lovers of wine, cheese & travel - without the boring bits, definitely without the boring bits…
Vive la Vie!
Nikki & Sonia xx