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Cooking and Wine In Brunello Country
Italy: Cooking and
Wine in Brunello Country
Southern Tuscany, Italy - 4 or 6 nights
 About
one hour south of Siena, you’ll explore the lovely hill towns of
Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano. You will stroll along narrow
streets or quiet country roads and will see the vast, dramatic vistas of rolling
hills--velvety green, gold or brown fields, with olive trees
and vineyards.
You'll enjoy getting to know a long list of Tuscans in their
kitchens, on their farms, in their wine cellars--people you'd never
meet otherwise in places you'd never have found on your own. You'll
feel Italian for a week, immersed in genuine local life.
Lovely Countryside and Medieval Walled
Hill Towns
You'll also
visit an idyllic Tuscan valley and Sant'Antimo,
one of Italy's most beautiful Romanesque churches, that turns gold
inside and out when the sun hits. It stands on flat land where two
hillsides meet in a classic Tuscan landscape--a patchwork quilt of
olive groves, combed fields in rich brown or gold, vineyards and
dark green forests, with cypresses zigzagging up country roads. Sit
down on the grass, immerse yourself in all the beauty and get really
peaceful inside.
You'll also explore Siena for day on a guided visit
of art and architecture treasures and a free afternoon to shop and
or just sit in a piazza watching local life.
In the medieval hill town of Montalcino, Italy, famous for
Brunello wine, you can stroll the narrow streets, stop at
Italian wine, honey and gastronomy stores, or outdoor cafes, or sip
some Brunello at the medieval fortress, now an enoteca. Fabulous 360
degree views!
Pienza, Italy sits on a hill with sweeping views over the
vast Val d'Orcia with undulating fields dotted with olive groves and
farmhouses leading up to Monte Amiata. A sunny walkway with
marvelous panoramas takes you along one side of town past the Street
of Fortune, Street of Kisses. Pienza is famous for its pecorino
cheese.
The larger hill town of Montepulciano,
Italy is renowned for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine. Its
narrow streets and beautiful piazzas are lined with distinguished
Italian Renaissance palazzos, wine cellars with 13th century
grottoes, gastronomy shops, cafes and wine stores. From several
lookout points, you can admire fantastic panoramas all around.
 Cooking lessons with restaurant chefs and great home cooks in
their kitchens: learn lots of cooking secrets and experience a
variety of cooking styles and kitchens
In your four cooking lessons, you'll learn four Italian chefs'
secrets cooking right beside them in their restaurant kitchens or
country homes. Cook with our two friendly, creative, hospitable
restaurant chefs who own a well known restaurant in a mountain
hamlet, and an elegant restaurant featuring Tuscan dishes with a
creative flair in the heart of medieval Montepulciano.
Cook with very knowledgeable, creative, charming Chef Roberto,
born in the mountains nearby and owns a restaurant famous for
mushroom dishes in a mountain hamlet. Roberto is passionate about
bringing back traditional Tuscan dishes with little modern
touches--porcini mushroom soup, local pici pasta with ragu, slices
of grilled beef with arugula, wild boar with olives or chocolate
(!), pears stuffed with lemon custard with chocolate sauce on top.
Mmmm...! A feast for your taste buds!
Cook easy, tasty Tuscan dishes from the past with friendly
Alberto, a former restaurant owner, at his organic farm where he
also makes olive oil the traditional way using a granite wheel.
Enjoy lunch in his olive oil production room as he tells you
everything you ever wanted to know about making and buying olive
oil.
Cook with exuberant Sandra on her family's farm on a beautiful ridge
between two valleys, where she and husband, Ulisses make pecorino
cheese with their five children, raise animals, including a special
striped pig, and export their pasta. Local school groups come to
visit them to see how their ancestors made pecorino cheese.
In the medieval heart of Montepulciano cook with the chef in an
elegant restaurant where beautifully presented dishes have a
creative flair, and enjoy the friendly hospitality of the owner,
Massimo.
You dine later on your creations
accompanied by fine Tuscan wines in restaurants and good table wines
in homes. What a variety of people, kitchens, homes, restaurants,
cooking methods, food and wine to experience! You'll feel Italian
with your new friends!
 Taste Brunello and Vino Nobile wines at wineries and wine
cellars...with the owners
In the Brunello wine country in Montalcino, you visit a wine
bar in a medieval fortress for a private introduction to Brunello
and tour a Brunello winery in the country with the very hospitable
owner who lives with his family there. He tastes his Brunello and
Rosso di Montalcino with you.
In the Vino Nobile wine country in Montepulciano, with the
owner you visit a wine cellar in a 14th century palazzo with
panoramic terrace in a pristine, pretty hill town of Montefollonico
and a wine cellar grotto and shop in the medieval heart of
Montepulciano. Taste his great Vino Nobile, Rosso di Montepulciano,
Vin Santo.
La Vecchia Oliviera, a former olive oil mill, now beautifully
renovated, is perched high up at the gates of Montalcino. Rooms are
tastefully furnished in a casually elegant Tuscan style with rustic
wood beams. By the pool or in the garden, you'll love dramatic
panoramas looking north to velvety hills, vineyards and olive
groves. A short walk takes you to the heart of the historic centre.
Il Chiostro, a former 15th century convent, is a Relais
Chateau hotel in Pienza's historic centre. You can relax in the
quiet gardens or in the swimming pool as you gaze at wonderful views
of Val d'Orcia, the valley sweeping up to Monte Amiata. Rooms
feature modern bathrooms, tasteful country style furniture, vaulted
ceilings and some have frescoes.
Six Night Itinerary
Sunday
Private transfer from Chiusi railway station (about half way between
Florence and Rome) to your hotel in Montalcino, Italy. Welcome
dinner in a nearby restaurant.
 Monday
Guided walk through medieval Pienza. Stroll along scenic ramparts of
city walls, into the Italian Renaissance piazza and along quaint
side streets. Lots of pecorino cheese for sale
Optional walk on incredibly scenic
country roads outside Pienza up to walled hill town of
Monticchiello. (about 2 hours) Light lunch on your own in
trattoria there.
Drive to the countryside nearby to a
family farm where they make pecorino cheese the artisan way.
Cooking lesson there with Sandra and Ulisses who export
their pasta and are excellent cooks.
Drive to pristine, medieval
Montefollonico, Italy to a winery for a visit and tasting of
very good Vino Nobile wine on the panoramic terrace with views to
Montepulciano.
Dinner of your creations back at Sandra
and Ulisses farm.
Tuesday
10:00 a.m. Cooking lesson with exuberant Alberto
on his organic farm with lots of gardens, fruit, vegetables, olive
trees and exotic plants. Beautiful countryside 10 minutes south of
Montalcino. Alberto once owned a restaurant and loves bringing back
traditional, forgotten Tuscan dishes. He also makes olive oil
artisan style, using a traditional granite wheel. Lunch of your
creations in his olive oil production room. Discussion on everything
you want to know how to make olive oil and olives.
Visit a Brunello winery near Alberto's
owned by a very hospitable family for tour and tasting.
 Visit lovely, 1000 year old Romanesque
Sant'Antimo church in an absolutely idyllic Tuscan valley with
cypresses zigzagging up hills, olive trees, vineyards and fields
Guided walk in Montalcino. Introduction
tasting and discussion on Brunello wines at the wine shop in
medieval fortress in Montalcino.
Dinner on your own (not included). You
won't want much after your cooking lesson lunch.
Wednesday
Drive to Siena. Stroll the historic centre with a local
guide to see frescoes, sculpture, architecture and Italian
gastronomy shops. Light lunch on your own in Siena.
Afternoon free to shop or just wander and
hang out drinking cappuccino in a piazza.
Return to hotel for siesta. Dinner in a
good restaurant close to your hotel.
Thursday
Morning cooking lesson up in a mountain hamlet with charming, very
hospitable Chef Roberto in his restaurant famous for mushroom
dishes. Roberto is shooting for a Michelin star. People drive for
miles to eat there. Olive oil tasting with Roberto. Lunch of your
creations with wines specially selected by Roberto.
 Guided walk in Montepulciano. Visit
beautiful Renaissance church of San Biagio. Admire splendid views
over vast countryside from piazza. Browse in shops--best shopping in
the area for prices and variety of table cloths, ceramics and more.
Wine tasting at Crociani family's wine
cellar. With a member of the gregarious family, you descend into the
13th century grotto, where wines sit aging in big wood barrels and
that lovely Italian wine perfume permeates everywhere. Upstairs in
their shop, enjoy a great tasting of their Rosso di Montepulciano,
Vino Nobile, Vin Santo and more.
Free time for an optional country walk in
the vast, magnificent valley of olive trees, fields and vineyards,
or just hang out.
Dinner on your own (not included). You
won't want much after your cooking lesson lunch.
Friday
Hike or optional walk part way from Montepulciano to
pristine, little hill town of Montefollonico across the
valley from Montepulciano.
Lunch on your own (not included). You
won't want to eat much because you'll have a large dinner.
Afternoon free to explore and relax as you wish.
4:00 p.m. Cooking lesson at a fantastic restaurant which adds
creative touches and wonderful combinations of flavours to Tuscan
dishes in the heart of medieval Montepulciano.
8:00 p.m. Gala farewell dinner of your
creations there
Saturday
Breakfast and departure for Chiusi railway station.
| BOOKING INFORMATION |
2007 FEES PER PERSON
(US Exchange Rate ($) will be
calculated on day of booking) |
DEPOSIT |
Four Night
Double Room 2160€ (2 people)
Double Room 1890€ (3-6 people)
(please inquire for bigger parties)
Six Night
Double Room 2820 (2 people)
Single Supplement 345€
Double Room 2680€ (3 or more people)
Single Supplement 315€ |
After availability is confirmed, a 500€ per person deposit for the six
night tour or a 200€ per person deposit for the four night tour, along
with the completed and submitted registration form
will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full no later than 90 days before arrival date.
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| 2007 DATES |
INCLUDED |
Dates by request (excluding MID August) for a minimum of two (2) people
You may also join a group already booked
|
Four Night Tour
Four (4) nights accommodations,
all with private bath
Daily breakfast buffet at hotels
All meals with wine, except Brunello and Vino Nobile (see below)
Four (4) cooking lessons (2 with chefs in 2 restaurants, 2 great home cooks)
All excursions in itinerary
Attentive bilingual guide/driver throughout
Private transfers from/to Chiusi.
Not Included: Three (3) dinners; Brunello and Vino Nobile wines
(you can order these for your cooking lessons but good middle range wines are
included)
Six Night Tour
Six (6) nights accommodations
Four (4) cooking lessons
Three (3) lunches
Four (4) dinners with selected wines Excursions, private transport in minivan,
guides
Pick up and drop off at Chiusi train station.
Not Included: Three (3) lunches, two (2) dinners, Brunello and Vino Nobile wines
(you can order these for your cooking lessons but good middle range wines are
included), airfare and personal expenses.
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For further inquiries or to register, click here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Refunds are issued on written confirmation received prior
to departure date as follows: * over 60 days - no cancellation
fee except for 350€ and booking fee
* 30 - 59 days - 50%
non-refundable
* 29 or fewer days - 100% non-refundable
If operator cancels, all monies are 100% refundable. Trip
cancellation, trip interruption and medical insurance are strongly
recommended.
CLIENT REMARKS
References furnished upon request
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