Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile

Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile 6 Days

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Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile
Tuscan Wine Treasures: Chianti, Brunello & Vino Nobile

Overview
Itinerary
Nuts & Bolts
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Overview

Highlights

Duration: 6 Days
Comfort: 66.6666666666667%
Language: English
Rating: 100%
Trip ID: 130531
Start Location: Quercegrossa, Italy
End Location: Florence, Italy

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Primary Activities: Wine, Walking Tour
Other Activities: Religious and Spiritual Sites, Castles & Fortresses, winery tours, cooking

If you’ve never been in Italy, this tour is for you. When people dream of Italy, it’s Tuscany in their mind’s eye: rolling hills punctuated with slender cypresses, quaint stone farmhouses bordered by lavender and rosemary, tidy vineyards flanking dense forests that seem ready to burst with Renaissance falconers on horseback.

It’s not a fiction. Tuscany’s wine country is situated in some of the most gorgeous, pastoral, and carefully preserved countryside on earth. Here you’ll find wines of equal splendor. Gone are the days of the straw fiasco. Tuscan winemakers are now among the most forward-thinking and iconoclastic of Italian enologists, and today’s Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Super Tuscans are powerful, modern expressions that will surprise and delight even the most discerning wine drinkers.

This tour covers two subregions within the ancient heart of Tuscany. We begin in Chianti Classico. Lying between Florence and Siena, this sprawling, forested land was contested by the rival city-states for nearly 400 years, and its fortified towns and storybook castles bespeak a history of warfare. We’ll visit the crenulated castle where Chianti was born and talk with winemakers whose bloodlines and properties go back to the 1100s.

While in Chianti, we’ll also delve into Tuscany’s cucina povera during a cooking lesson in a rustic farmhouse kitchen. Prepare for fun! Even cooking-phobes who only boil water will be merrily whipping out ravioli and tiramisu before the night is over.

The second half of the tour is in southern Tuscany. Barren of trees except for the lone cypresses that dot the brown hills (which inspired the color ‘burnt Siena’), this is far different from forested Chianti. A medieval feeling characterizes Siena, where we’ll have an art day, and Montalcino, our home base, as well as the Romanesque abbey of Sant’ Antimo, where we’ll listen to monks chant in an austere, spiritually resplendent environment. In contrast, the Renaissance architecture of Pienza, an “ideal” city built for Pope Pius II which today is brimming with pecorino cheese, will seem downright modern.

Famous for its red wines since the time of Charlemagne, Montalcino is producing what’s widely considered Tuscany’s top wine: Brunello di Montalcino. Meanwhile, economy-minded wine enthusiasts will appreciate our time in Montepulciano, whose Vino Nobile has found fans as far back as Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire.

Altogether this tour provides an excellent overview of the great historic red-wine zones of Tuscany and their centerpiece grape, sangiovese. With its judicious mix of art, culture, and culinary sidelights, this will truly be your dream vacation!

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome To Chianti Classico

After a 9:30 a.m. pick-up in Florence, we shuttle to Chianti Classico (1 hour). Our first winery is a gorgeous old property, the family-run Vecchie Terre di Montefili. Here we’ll have an introduction to the noble sangiovese grape, the concept of terroir, and the legend of the black rooster. A complementary welcome lunch follows in Greve in Chianti, birthplace of the explorer Verrazano, and, if time allows, a visit to the Greve Enoteca, where 200+ wines are available to taste. For our afternoon tasting, we move to the Conca d’Oro (golden bowl) in Panzano, a high-elevation, warm amphitheater of land in a preeminent sub-zone of Chianti. Here we’ll visit Castello dei Rampolla, a biodynamic winery and pioneering renegade in its emphasis on cabernet. We then settle into our hotel, a renovated farmstead outside the medieval town of Radda in Chianti. Dinner is in a tiny hamlet called Volpaia, meaning “place of foxes.” Here we’ll have family-style servings of homemade pasta, wild boar stew, and fabulous torta della nonna (cream tort with pinenuts).

Lodging: Le Noci
Description: The Hotel “Podere Le Noci” is situated in front of beautiful Vertine’s Castle and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, cypress trees and woods. Located in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, the land of the famous Black Rooster wine, it has a splendid panorama.

Day 2: Ricasoli & The Birth Of Chianti

America had Thomas Jefferson. Italy had multiple politicians with close ties to viticulture. In Tuscany, the most important was Bettino “Iron Baron” Ricasoli, Italy’s second Prime Minister and inventor of Chianti wine. We’ll visit Castello di Brolio, where the Ricasolis have been making wine since the 1100s. Walking through the magnificent gardens and on the castle’s crenulated walls, we’ll hear about the Iron Baron’s winemaking—and the legend of his ghost. Then we’ll taste their highly regarded Chiantis and Super Tuscan, and continue sampling over lunch at the winery’s Osteria del Castello. The afternoon is devoted to the Baron’s cousin at Rocca di Montegrossi. Here Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi diligently handcrafts some of the most elegant, refined Chiantis you’ll ever find. In the late afternoon, we'll roll up our sleeves for a hands-on cooking lesson at a Chianti farmhouse. We'll dine on our brilliant labors and toast the day with a glass of vin santo, the golden dessert wine traditionally served with almond biscotti.

Lodging: Le Noci
Description: Our “country” hotel: Surrounded by vineyards and woods, this old stone farmstead has been transformed into a tranquil 3-star hotel, with modern bathrooms and furnishings. A patio overlooking the Chianti hills provides a perfect setting for breakfast, aperitifs, and stargazing, while an outdoor pool offers cool respite in the summer.

Day 3 : The Gothic City Of Siena

Transferring from Chianti to southern Tuscany, we’ll stop in Siena for the day. We start with Nannini, a famous old coffee bar where we’ll sample panforte, a cake dense with nuts, candied fruits, and spices. After refueling on this medieval snack, we’ll be primed and ready to visit the Palazzo Pubblico, a splendid town hall lined with Italian Gothic frescoes. We’ll pay homage to the most famous: Simone Martini’s Maesta and Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Good & Bad Government. Then we’ll circle by the striped Duomo, home to artworks by Michelangelo and Pinturicchio, for an optional visit. Free time for lunch, shopping, and museum-going follows. Wine lovers can use this time to visit the Enoteca Nazionale, Italy’s national wine bar/showcase, housed in a Medici fortress. Mid-afternoon we’ll continue south to the hilltop town of Montalcino and our second hotel. Before dinner, we’ll gather on the terrace for an introduction to Brunello and enjoy a glass of wine while admiring the spectacular view of the Val d’Orcia. Dinner is at a lively, family-run trattoria that offers excellent pinci pasta and succulent veal glazed with balsamic-juniper sauce.

Lodging: Hotel Dei Capitani
Description: Our hotel is situated in part of the eighteenth-century "Catasto Leopoldino" in the historic centre of Montalcino. However, there is reason to believe that the building may have been used since the Middle Ages (owing to its location in the vicinity of Porta Burelli) as a shelter for the Sienese people fleeing from the Florentine army. The rooms at the back afford a splendid view, taking in the Val d'Orcia and the Val d'Arbia.

Day 4 : Brunello Di Montalcino, North To South

Today is dedicated to Brunello di Montalcino. Tuscany’s most prestigious wine is made from sangiovese, a site-sensitive grape, so we’ll visit wineries on the north and south sides of Montalcino to let you compare Brunellos made in different microclimates. First is Donatella Cinelli Colombini (aka Casato Prime Donne) on the cooler northern fringe of the DOCG zone, which is run by an all-female staff. Our hostess will provide an entertaining history of Montalcino as we tour the cellars. After lunch in Montalcino, we move 10 km south and get into a contemplate mood at the Abbey of Sant’ Antimo. In its austere Romanesque church, we’ll listen to Gregorian chants sung by the friars who live at this still-active abbey. Then it’s on to our second Brunello tasting at Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, a southside estate with great wines—and a great Cinderella story to match. Dinner is on your own in Montalcino.

Lodging: Hotel Dei Capitani
Description: Our hotel is situated in part of the eighteenth-century "Catasto Leopoldino" in the historic centre of Montalcino. However, there is reason to believe that the building may have been used since the Middle Ages (owing to its location in the vicinity of Porta Burelli) as a shelter for the Sienese people fleeing from the Florentine army. The rooms at the back afford a splendid view, taking in the Val d'Orcia and the Val d'Arbia.

Day 5 : Pecorino And The Noble Wine Of Montepulciano

The ability to make pecorino cheese was once considered so valuable a skill that women could list it on their dowry. We'll taste three types of pecorino in the cheese capital of Pienza and see how aging cheese in walnut leaves, olive paste, hay, even grape must affects its flavor. Pienza is also famous for its architecture, being an “ideal” city commissioned by the Renaissance Pope Pius II. We’ll tour the Piccolomini Palace, stroll through its beautiful light-filled church, and learn a bit about Renaissance architectural theory and Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man. Then we move to another Renaissance city, Montepulciano, for lunch. A summer retreat for Florentine aristocrats, Montepulciano has palazzi and piazze embellished by Florence’s leading 15th C. architects. Wine took center stage in the 1700s, when its popularity among nobles and literati earned it the moniker Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Our tasting of the day will be at Icario, a rising star in Montepulciano, which recently built a gorgeous state-of-the-art winery. Our farewell dinner back in Montalcino features Brunello-worthy Tuscan fare, such as gnocchi with wild herbs and beef braised in Brunello.

Lodging: Hotel Dei Capitani
Description: Our hotel is situated in part of the eighteenth-century "Catasto Leopoldino" in the historic centre of Montalcino. However, there is reason to believe that the building may have been used since the Middle Ages (owing to its location in the vicinity of Porta Burelli) as a shelter for the Sienese people fleeing from the Florentine army. The rooms at the back afford a splendid view, taking in the Val d'Orcia and the Val d'Arbia.

Day 6 : Buon Viaggio!

A shuttle to Florence, arriving by noon, and assistance with your travel plans.

Nuts & Bolts

Trip Includes

5 nights accommodations (double room) in two 3-star hotels, with breakfast buffet
3 gourmet dinners (three courses with wine)
1 hands-on cooking lesson, with dinner & wine included
1 welcome lunch
All wine tastings mentioned
Admission to Castello di Brolio
Shuttle at beginning/end of tour, as described

Trip Excludes

Air travel
1 dinner on your own and most lunches
After-dinner drinks, or special wines at tastings that are not part of what is provided to the group
Items of a personal nature
Anything not specified as included
Travel insurance

Trip ID#: 130531

CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

Operator

For the specifics on this tour operator, please contact AdventureLink directly.

Reviews (1)

Pat Dye Jr, Atlanta

My wife and I are well-traveled wine enthusiasts and foodies, and this was hands-down the best trip we have ever taken.
- Overall Rating
  100%
- Guide Rating
  80%
- Value Rating
  80%
- Itinerary Rating
  90%
- Accomodation Rating
  90%

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