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 Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights
Available May, June, September
Explore Tuscany’s most historic wine zones: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano. Two to three in-depth wine tastings per day are complemented by the art of Gothic Siena, a tasting of pecorino cheese in Pienza, Gregorian chants in Montalcino, and a hands-on cooking lesson at a Chianti farmhouse.
ITINERARY
DAY ONE WELCOME TO TUSCANY
From Florence, drive into picture-card perfect Tuscany: the hills of Chianti Classico. A morning tasting at a boutique winery offers an introduction to the Sangiovese grape, the basis of Tuscany’s most famous red wines. After lunch in the wine village of Greve, we’ll delve further into the difference between Chianti and Super Tuscans at the Greve Enoteca, a tasting room with 200+ wines to sample, then at another family-run winery, such as the biodynamic cult winery Castello Rampolla. Dinner is in a medieval borgo, with family-style platters of homemade pasta, wild boar, and lots of Chianti wine. Watch the stars at our farmstead hotel, deep in the Chianti countryside. . DAY TWO  IN THE CHIANTI KITCHEN
Visit Chianti’s birthplace, a crenellated, fairytale-like castle from the 1400s: Castello di Brolio. We’ll tour, taste, and lunch at the winery. Then we visit their cousins over the hill at Rocca di Montegrosso, a boutique winery with exquisitely elegant renditions of Chianti. A hands-on cooking lesson at a Tuscan farmhouse will give you pasta-making bragging rights. DAY THREE  THE SIGHTS OF SIENA A day in the Gothic city of Siena combines a tour of its most famous landmarks, the Palazzo Publico and the striped cathedral, with time on your own to browse the museums and churches, the wonderful ceramic shops, or the National Enoteca. End the day at our second hotel, in the wine town of Montalcino, overlooking the Orcia Valley. DAY FOUR  BIG INTO BRUNELLO Two tastings today focus on the terroir of Montalcino and how this changes Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most coveted wines. Featured estates might include the historic property Ciacci Piccolomini and newscomers like Il Maronetto or Fanti. An afternoon pause includes a visit to the still-active monastery Sant’ Antimo, where we’ll hear monks sing mid-day chants. DAY FIVE  RENAISSANCE ART, CHEESE & WINE
Pienza is famous for its pecorino cheese and its Renaissance architecture. We'll taste cheese and tour this "ideal city", created by Pope Pius III in the 1400's.
Then lunch in Montepulciano, a hill town lined with Renaissance palaces, and taste its famous Vino Nobile, drunk by nobles since the 1700s, focusing on one of the up-and-coming wineries of this DOCG area.
DAY SIX Buon viaggio! A shuttle to Florence and assistance with your travel plans. GROUP SIZE A minimum of 2 participants is required to run this tour and the tour in limited to a maximum of 14 participants. HOW TO ARRIVE Meet: Florence
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). *These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour. BOOKING INFORMATION
Double Room/US$3095
Single Room Supplement/US$350 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 *Pricing may vary depending on market fluctuation . 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 75 days before your arrival date. May 13-19
June 25-30
September 3-8
*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
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
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CANCELLATION POLICY Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended. CLIENT REMARKS "Dear Jo-Ann - Claudio was simply terrific - we could not have asked or a better guide. Every day was well thought out and executed. The Gourmet Wine and Food Tour was one of the best tours we have ever taken. The quality of the vineyards visited were superb with either the cellar master or owner giving superb commentary. The towns we stayed in and/or visited were just fabulous. A trip not to be missed." "Claudio and Pat are gracious guides to Italy: tireless in their efforts to serve you; generous in their choice of hotels, restaurants, and wines; and masterful navigators of Italy's country roads, art, culture, churches, and vineyards." "I've lived and traveled in a lot of countries, but I honestly can't remember a more beautiful experience - the countryside, the food, the wines, the people. Everything was about as perfect as could be." "We thought ourselves very lucky to be in a group of knowledgeable wine people and benefited at lot from their experience. We loved Tuscany and thought the tour was an excellent introduction to the region." "Pat and Claudio were perfect hosts! They both worked hard to insure we had an enjoyable journey while being comfortable companions." "It was a great tour and a terrific way to get a feel of the region." "I appreciate all the research that went into finding beautiful walks, great restaurants, and interesting wine tastings and tours. Thanks for a great week." "I've never had better support on a bike tour. I learned a lot about wine, but also about architecture, art, food, and Italian culture. Keep up the good work!" "I feel like I've become a "mini-expert" on the wines of Piedmont. Instead of being baffled by the variety of Italian wines available, now I can say, here's something from Alba, and this little Dolcetto will go well with my dinner." "I really did not know what to expect. I'd never been to Italy, knew very little about Italian wines, and never had been on an organized tour. I kept saying tomorrow just can't top this, and then it did. This truly was an awesome experience." Click here to return to top of page. MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 
*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page.
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