Culinary & Wine Tours> Italy> Tuscan Wine and Food Tour
Italy: Tuscan Wine and Food Tour
Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights
This holiday is for those who appreciate fine Italian wines - and what wine lover wouldn't love Tuscany? Its beautiful landscapes have been celebrated by writers and poets for centuries. Its palaces and churches are brimming with magnificent art. And its wine has been grown since Etruscan times and lauded for greatness since the Roman Empire. In recent years, Tuscany has led the way in revitalizing Italy's wine culture and raising it to world-class status. This tour highlights three distinctive wine regions within Tuscany: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano.
Add a dose of history, culture, culinary excursions and even a
hands-on cooking course, and you've got an epicurean delight.
Highlights of this trip include:
- Wine estates: Castello di Brolio, Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Avignonesi & more
- Visit an olive oil producer
- Fun hands-on cooking lesson
- Pecorino cheese tasting
Meet & Depart: Florence (Clients need to arrive the day
before so as to meet the group the morning that the tour begins. For
your convenience, on arrival & departure days, a shuttle if offered
between the nearest train station or airport and the tour's first
hotel).
Day One - The noble wine of Montepulciano
After a morning pick-up in Florence, we shuttle to southern Tuscany and devote the day to Montepulciano. This beautiful Tuscan
hill town is know for its delicious red wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, famed since the 17th century and beloved by everyone from Voltaire to Thomas Jefferson. The tour starts with a visit to the countryside estate of Avignonesi, a leader in the revival of Vino Nobile. We'll walk through their experimental vineyards where disappearing grape types are being resurrected, see the racks for drying grapes to make Vin Santo, and taste their excellent Vino Nobile, Rosso di Montepulciano, and Super Tuscan wines. Our welcome lunch is in Montepulciano, a Renaissance town lined with stately palazzi designed by Florentine architects. Afterwards we'll reconvene at the tasting room of the Vino Nobile DOCG Consortium and sample an array of other Vino Nobiles.
We'll then head to Pienza, whose town square is one of the rare "ideal" Renaissance piazzas actually constructed, in this case by a powerful Humanist Pope. Pienza is also known for its pecorino cheese. The ability to make Pecorino Toscano cheese was once considered so valuable a skill that women could list it as part of their dowry. We'll learn how pecorino is aged in walnut leaves, olive paste, and underground in fosse or airtight holes, then taste some samples during a before-dinner tasting at our hotel in Montalcino, which will feature some other leading Vino Nobiles. Dinner will feature Tuscany's woodland-based cuisine, such as wild boar ravioli and rabbit stewed with black olives.
Day Two - Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany's triumph
Montalcino is a fortified town crowned by an imposing medieval fortress. In the morning, there will be time for a visit to the 14th century fortress of Montalcino, which houses an enoteca (a wine bar and shop) and offers a fantastic view of the Tuscan countryside from its ramparts. Or you can browse the many wine shops that line the medieval streets. Our first taste of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most prized wines, will be in the Renaissance palace of Ciacci Piccolomini di Aragona , where we'll try their esteemed Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, considered Brunello's younger sibling, and get a tour of the ancient cantina. Afterwards, we'll have lunch in rustic and beautiful countryside restaurant connected to the Ciacci family. Then we'll visit Sant' Antimo, a beautiful medieval abbey deep in the pastoral countryside where monks still live and work, and hopefully arrive in time to hear their afternoon plain chants. Our afternoon tasting is at the innovative wine estate Il Marroneto. From their charming stone farmhouse, this family creates magnificent Brunellos, featured in some of America's top restaurants. Here we'll be treated to a vertical tasting of Brunello straight from the barrel. Dinner is on your own at one of the many fine restaurants in Montalcino.
Day Three - The winding streets of Siena
As we transfer from southern Tuscany to Chianti, we'll stop off in Siena for the day. We'll start with a cappuccino at Nanini, Siena's most famous coffee bar, and sample their panforte, a dense cake laced with nuts, candied fruits, and spices - an ancient Sienese specialty. Next is a tour of Siena's serpentine streets and a visit to the Palazzo Pubblico or City Hall, which houses several Italian Gothic masterpieces by Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. We'll also visit Siena's black-and-white striped Duomo, home to artworks by Michelangelo and Pinturicchio. After lunch and time to shop, we'll continue onward to our first tasting in Chianti at Dievole. This property dates back to the 15th century, but its owners know a few things about modern marketing, offerings an elaborate and entertaining presentation of their excellent wines. Evening finds us resituated in Radda in Chianti. Dinner is at the hotel, situated in the middle of a vineyard and offering fare like homemade pasta, wild boar with olives, and fabulous torta della nonna (cream tort with
pine nuts).
Day Four - The birthplace of Chianti
The history of Chianti begins at the Castle of Brolio. We start the day with a tour of the castle's magnificent gardens and hear the history of the Iron Baron and the legend of his ghost. Today the Baron's spirit must be delighted over the quality of his estate's wines, which earned an "Italian Vineyard of the Year" award from Gambero Rosso in 2001. After lunch at a local trattoria, we'll visit the boutique wine producer Riecine, located deep in the oak forest near Gaiole. Our host, Alessandra, will give us insights into the live style and labors of Chianti winemakers. Dinner will be in one of Chianti's charming wine towns, where we can dine on traditional Tuscan fare like homemade pasta with porcini mushrooms and roasted game. As the evening fades, we'll toast the day with a glass of Vin Santo, the golden dessert wine of monks, traditionally served with almond biscotti.
Day Five - In the Tuscan kitchen
The basis for all Italian cooking is good, fragrant olive oil. Today we'll visit a boutique olive oil producer and learn the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, just for starters. After lunch, we'll head to the
sub zone of Gaiole in Chianti, where we'll visit the Castello di Ama. Not only does this estate boast an ancient castle and gorgeous property, it's also one of the leading voices in the whole Chianti region, making a wide array of first-rate Chiantis and Merlots. We'll finish off the day with an in-depth, hands-on cooking lesson in an old stone farmhouse. Here we'll roll up our sleeves and make our own dinner, learning some traditional Tuscan recipes like stuffed peppers, homemade pasta, and the classic dessert tiramisu.
Day Six - Buon viaggio
A shuttle to Florence and
assistance with your travel plans.
| BOOKING INFORMATION |
| 2008 FEES PER PERSON |
DEPOSIT |
Double Room/US$2795
Single Room SupplementUS$300
Standard accommodations are two people per room. If you are traveling alone, we will assign you a roommate of the same gender, or you may choose to room alone by paying a private room supplement fee.
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After availability is confirmed, a deposit of US$400 per person and the completed and
submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 60 days before your arrival date. |
| 2008 DATES |
INCLUDED |
May 19-24
June 23-28
July 7-12
September 15-20
October 13-18
*These tours start in Chianti and end in Montalcino, so the itinerary order is reversed
Meet & depart: Florence
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*Breakfasts
*One (1) lunch or picnic
*All dinners except one
*All tastings and wine at dinner
*Charming 3 and 4 star hotels, many in renovated villas, palazzi, abbeys, or on
wine estates and all with private baths
Transportation: We provide one van pick-up on day of arrival/departure at designated train station or airport (call for times). All ground transport during stay.
Not Included:
Airfare
Most lunches
Transportation to start/end points (except for above shuttle)
Personal expenses
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For further inquiries or to register, click here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations must be received in writing 60 days prior to the date of departure. You will receive a refund, less a $75/person cancellation fee (and less the $50 per person non-refundable booking fee). Between 59-45 days prior to the start date, you may apply 40% of the tour price towards a future trip departing within one year of the cancellation date. Cancellations made less than 45 days before the start of the trip will result in the loss of all monies received. No refunds will be made for a cancellation during the course of the tour, nor for unused portions of the trip. No exceptions to our cancellation policy are made, including weather or personal emergency.
Travel insurance is highly recommended.
CLIENT REMARKS
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