Food & Wine
Wine Tours
One of the first things you associate with Tuscany is the wine, as no other image better represents the fruit of our earth, because the wine looks like us, it looks like its people and speaks to its culture, both regionally and nationally.
Tuscany is one of the most important Italian regions for wine production, an ancient tradition that was passed unto this land and its inhabitants first by the Etruscans and then the Romans. Tuscany is a region of wine excellence with numerous designations, such as DOC, DOCG and IGT. These Italian warranty marks indicate the origin and quality of the grapes, approved by Ministerial Decree and controlled through a strict guideline of production.
From the famous Chianti, to the Brunello di Montalcino, to the Nobile of Montepulciano, to the Vernaccia and through to the Sassicaia, just to mention a few of the best known ones, this land offers wines to suit every taste. Paired with local specialty foods, such as extra virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese, and salami, these are the co-stars to the famous headliner wines featured on all of our tours.
The following are some sample itineraries. Please note that all tours are customized to your distinct preferences, so please contact us for further information and pricing.
Here are some suggestions as examples:
Chianti Classico tour
“Life is too short to drink bad wine” (Goethe)
Just the name “Chianti Classico” makes you feel like toasting! So let’s visit this charming area in the heart of Tuscany, between Florence and Siena, immersed in its delicate but wild countryside, admiring its breathtaking views with vineyards and olive groves as far as the eye can see. We will first stop in a beautiful villa that is said to be the place where Leonardo da Vinci started his most famous painting, the Mona Lisa. There, we will visit an ancient winery and an Italian garden and we will have an unforgettable wine tasting paired with various local products. After that we will walk through the picturesque village of Montefioralle and onto the main piazza in Greve-in-Chianti. Considered to be the capital city of the Chianti Classico area, here we will also visit a famous and ancient “macelleria” (a butcher). From Greve we will travel to Radda-in-Chianti to enjoy another winery and to take some amazing pictures. No longer thirsty, we head back with warm memories, ready to start this wonderful tour again!
Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano tour
“Wine is the poetry of the earth” (Mario Soldati)
The Brunello of Montalcino and the Nobile of Montepulciano are two of the excellent wines of our region and the first Italian DOCG designated and nationally recognized wines. Typical of the high-quality wines you will experience, touring with us is the perfect way to get to know these and other vintages. We will drive through the stunning hills of the Val d’Orcia, a Unesco World Heritage Site, where we will visit a winery in an unforgettable setting to appreciate the king of wines, the Brunello, complemented with regional cheeses, salami, and local olive oil. After a walk through Montalcino we will enjoy a tasty lunch created with fresh, regional products. Then it’s on to Montepulciano where we will see two ancient wineries located among amazing and beautiful Renaissance buildings. Our tour will have its final stop in Pienza, an idyllic Renaissance town, for a unique cheese tasting. Full and satisfied, we will meander our way back taking in the scenery and the picturesque landscapes.
San Gimignano & Chianti tour
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well” (Virginia Woolf)
Come with us and visit this medieval jewel with 14 perfectly preserved towers that make San Gimignano “the Manhattan of the Middle Ages”! There is nothing better than walking through its narrow stony streets to relish the Medieval atmosphere and since you want savor something more, we will taste the distinctness of this territory known as the Vernaccia of San Gimignano. This ancient wine, named from the Latin vernacolum meaning “local” was referred to by our famous poet Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy. Vernaccia is a white, fruity wine that was the first labeled Italian DOC in 1966 and today is also a noted DOCG from 1993. We will sample it in one of the several surrounding wineries of the town where we will appreciate another perfection of this territory: the saffron of San Gimignano known as DOP, the red. But this is not the end! We will then be lured to the rolling hills around the towered town to reach yet another winery in the nearby fortress-town of Monteriggioni to taste fine Chianti reds and the Vin Santo, full bodied and sweet. After this brilliant excursion, we will return home, happier and more satisfied than before.
Castles and wine
“Wine is made of humor and light” (Galileo Galilei)
The Chianti area was originally a disputed territory between the two most important cities of central Tuscany, sworn enemies: Florence and Siena. The fights and wars lasted for centuries and the land of Chianti was gradually filled and embellished with castles and fortified villages to protect their territories and as strongholds to the front lines.
Our tour touches three wonderful castles in the area of Gaiole and Greve-in-Chianti where, besides admiring the beauty of the architecture and of the gardens, we will taste the best products of this land: the exquisite wine and olive oil. This tour provides two different wine and olive oil tastings in two castles plus lunch with local products in a third Castle. A unique experience through one of the most awesome countrysides in the world with breathtaking views for unforgettable memories (and lots of photos)!
