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One of the great things about Tuscan cuisine is that, as one of the region’s most important cultural treasures, it is almost an obligation for visitors to sample and enjoy as many dishes as possible. Wine, of course, falls neatly into the same category.
Italian Journeys offers a series of classes and visits designed to allow travellers to fulfill these cultural ‘obligations’ - and thoroughly enjoy themselves in the process. In each case, participants are met at their accommodations by an English-speaking driver and returned there at the end of the day. Parties of 1 – 3 travel in Mercedes Benz saloon cars; parties of 4 – 8 travel in air-conditioned mini-vans.
Our group sizes are small; for example, there is a maximum of 12 participants in the cooking classes (very small parties may be joined by additional guests).
Italian Journeys is offering winery tours in five different growing areas of Tuscany: Chianti Classico, Vernaccia, Nobile, Brunello and Bolgheri. These tours have itineraries that include not only vineyards but also sites of local interest. As well as full-day Depending on the distance from the pick-up point, the tours are either half-day or full-day in length. Canapés and tastings are included in the tour fee; if required, participants can elect to have a light lunch or, on whole-day tours, a full lunch.
Beginning in Greve-in-Chianti, at the heart of the region, participants have an opportunity to explore this lovely old village before continuing to a beautiful castle that has been a wine centre for generations. Here we’ll be tasting a simple Chianti, a Chianti Classico, a Chianti Classico Riserva, a Super Tuscan - and a superb balsamic vinegar. Our guide will recount the history of the castle and its wines, and discuss the evolution of wine-making techniques during a tour of the castle’s wine cellars.
For the full-day option, the tour continues after lunch with a drive along the impossibly picturesque Chiantiggiana road, which skirts many of the region’s best vineyards, to the medieval village of Monteriggioni. The day’s programme concludes with a visit to Colle val d’Elsa or San Gimignano.
Vernaccia is the clear white wine produced in the San Gimignano area, which also happens to be one of loveliest regions of Tuscany. Our visit begins at a local winery that specializes in the Vernaccia but, like most Tuscan fattorie, also experiments with different blends of grapes to produce traditional as well as non-traditional vintages. You’ll be able to compare these during a tasting session. We’ll then move on to the town of San Gimignano itself, its hilltop silhouette dominated by 14 medieval towers - a fraction of the 70 originally built by 12th and 13th century noble families vying for social status.
Participants in the full-day tour will enjoy a traditional Tuscan meal in San Gimignano before continuing to the lovely villages of Colle di Val d’Elsa and Monteriggioni for visits and walking tours.
The highest-ranking Tuscan wine made from the Sangiovese grape is the Brunello di Montalcino, which is marketed under more than 100 labels. Our first stop will be at one of the better-known wineries in this region, where an expert will present the wine’s history and give an overview of the evolution in wine-making. From here we’ll carry on to the beautiful hill-top town of Montalcino and wander through its narrow streets up to the medieval Fortezza. The building’s ground floor has been converted into a very well-stocked enoteca (wine bar) with a tremendous range of Brunellos available for sampling by the glass.
After lunch in Montalcino, participants have a choice of several options: a short drive to Siena for a look at the magnificent Campo; a visit to Sant’Antimo, one of Tuscany’s most beautiful abbeys, or a walking tour of Pienza, transformed in the 15th century by Pope Pius II into his vision of the ideal Renaissance city.
The Vino Nobile of Montepulciano has been called ‘the aristocrat of wines’ since the 17th century, when it enjoyed tremendous popularity with the local noble families. It is made from a varietal of the Sangiovese grape known as the Prugnolo Gentile. Our tour begins at a beautiful winery with a short lecture about the wine’s history followed by a tasting session. Montepulciano itself, the next stop on our itinerary, is a stunning walled town set on Tuscany’s highest hilltop, at 605m/1950 feet above sea level. Its long association with wine-making is evidenced in the ancient cellars that dot the town, some dating as far back as the Etruscan period several centuries before Christ.
After lunch at a wine bar in Montepulciano, participants may choose between a visit to Siena with a walk through the famous Campo, or a tour of the town of Pienza, the perfectly preserved ideal city of the Renaissance.
For Tuscans Bolgheri is simply a summer retreat for the wealthy along the coast; for wine-lovers it is better known as the epicentre of a revolution in Italian wine-making that began in the 1960s and has resulted in a range of exceptional non-traditional vintages known as the Super Tuscans. The revolution began when two prominent growers began experimenting with grape varietals that had never previously been planted in Tuscany, and aged the result in oak barrels. Tignanello, Sassicaia and Ornellaia are among the most prestigious (and pricey) labels in this group, but there are many lesser labels waiting to be discovered. Our visit to this area will include two wineries, where we will sample the wines and learn about modern wine-making techniques, as well as a look into the production of another specialty of the area, extra virgin olive oil. Lunch will be served in the village of Bolgheri, where there will be time to explore the cypress-lined via Bolgherese and view an 11th century castle.
All prices are per person, and include a light lunch
- travelling to Chianti & Vernaccia:
2 people £145
3-5 people £125
6-8 people £110
9+ people £105
- travelling to Chianti & Vernaccia:
2 people £165
3-5 people £135
6-8 people £115
9+ people £110
All prices are per person, and include a light lunch
- travelling to Chianti & Vernaccia:
2 people £165
3-5 people £135
6-8 people £115
9+ people £110
- travelling to Brunello & Nobile:
2 people £175
3-5 people £140
6-8 people £120
9+ people £115
- travelling to Chianti & Vernaccia:
2 people £185
3-5 people £145
6-8 people £120
9+ people £115
- travelling to Brunello & Nobile:
2 people £195
3-5 people £150
6-8 people £125
9+ people £120
- travelling to Brunello & Nobile:
2 people £195
3-5 people £150
6-8 people £125
9+ people £120
- travelling to Chianti:
2 people £185
3-5 people £145
6-8 people £120
9+ people £115
- travelling to Bolgheri:
2 people £195
3-5 people £150
6-8 people £125
9+ people £120
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