Small group tour Wine tour of Tuscany Italy

British Airways flight departs from London Heathrow at 08.25 and arrives at 11.35. Your wine tour manager, Cindy-Marie Harvey, is waiting to greet you at Pisa airport for the private mini coach transfer to our hotel located in the very heart of Chianti, in Radda-in-Chianti. After checking into our hotel on the main winding road of this delightful hilltop village, we dine together at the hotel’s restaurant, where a Tuscan menu will be paired with a selection of regional wines as your introduction to the many styles of wine that the Sangiovese grape can produce.

After breakfast, we head to our first visit in the Chianti Classico classification, Isole e Olena. Widely revered as one of the best wine makers in Italy, Paolo de Marchi hails originally from Piemonte, but moved to Tuscany many vintages ago. His passion for attention to detail in the vineyards and in the cellar is reflected in his iconic wines including the ground breaking Cepparello. We taste a selection of these seductive wines at the cellar surrounded by his immaculately tended vines. Our lunchtime appointment is at the nearby estate, Castello di Monsanto, where the Bianchi family are producing lovely, appealing Chianti wines with a great ability to age. The family bought the Villa and grounds in the 1960s, (having fallen in love with the property when visiting it for a wedding!) and today have 56 hectares of Sangiovese, but also some plantings of Chardonnay and Cabernet. We taste their wines over lunch at their beautiful estate. After our leisurely lunch, we return to Radda-in-Chianti, where there is free time for the rest of the afternoon to explore this peaceful village. The main street, unsurprisingly, has several wine shops, but also a couple of leather shops with soft Italian leather bags and shoes to tempt! Or simply, relax with a glass of wine and a book, enjoying the views of the rolling Tuscan countryside. This evening, we are invited to the hilltop hamlet of Castello di Volpaia, which dates from the 11th century and is one of the best preserved mediaeval villages in Tuscany. The Stianti family continue to produce both wine and olive oil using an ingenuous system of production hidden away so not to disturb the beauty of the village. We will be welcomed by the charming owner, Giovanella Stianti, into her private residence for dinner, where we will taste her wines paired with a Tuscan menu.

Breakfast first and then this morning, we head south from the Chianti classification towards Montalcino. After the dense Chianti forests, the land opens out south of Siena to the wide, rolling hills of the Crete Senesi. As we draw closer, the skyline is dominated by Monte Amiata, a dormant volcano which rises to almost 2000 metres. Our visit is to the estate of Col d’Orcia, which belongs to the Count Francesco Marone, of a noble family originally from Piemonte, but who own this estate in Tuscany and also one in Chile. The estate is named after the Orcia river which runs along the south west side of the appellation. They have been instrumental in the experimentation taking place in the region and their attention to detail shines through in the purity and elegance of their wines, which we taste over lunch at the estate. Much of the produce on the menu is grown on the property. After lunch, we call in to the mediaeval small town of Montalcino, dominated by its clock tower and fortress, and which remains barely untouched since the Middle Ages. The flagstones of the narrow streets invite a post-prandial stroll passing numerous wine shops or perhaps simply relax in the beautiful Liberty-style Café with an affogato. From here it’s about an hour and a half bck to the hotel, with time to freshen up before our evening tasting. This evening, our visit is to an estate located a short distance of just 15 minutes from the town walls of where we are staying in Radda. Fattoria Poggerino is a boutique, family-run winery, following organic principals of viticulture. The owner and winemaker, Piero Lanza, is passionate about allowing the fruit flavours of his vines to show through in the wine without the over dominance of oak. We taste their wines this evening at the cellar, with a simple supper of local cheeses and hams. We return to the hotel after supper.

After breakfast, we visit the Castello di Brolio, a dramatic castle featuring mediaeval, romanesque and neo-gothic architecture. It is on the border between the ancient states of Florence and Siena and featured in many of the on-going battles for territory between these warring neighbouring cities. The wine estate is one of, if not the, oldest in Italy dating back to 1141, but it was in 1872 that the Baron Ricasoli wrote down the original blend of Chianti. After a visit to the Castle, we taste a selection of their attractive wines in their modern cellars. Just 35 minutes later, we reach the award-winning estate of Felsina Berardegna on the southern side of Chianti Classico, where the terroir gives a rounded, deep style of Chianti, with rich plum and dark chocolate notes. They also produce single varietal olive oils from four varieties made in the Veronelli style. Following a visit to the historical cellar, we taste their alluring wines and oils over lunch at the property. Returning to Radda late afternoon, there will be some time to relax before we saunter through the old mediaeval gallery to a local wine bar for a tasting of wines from other Tuscan classifications such as the crisp white Vermentino from the Tuscan Coast through to non-Sangiovese based red wines, such as Syrah or Merlot followed by a rustic Tuscan supper, to show how very food-friendly these wines truly are when paired with the local produce. It’s just five minutes on foot from the hotel, so an easy walk back.

We check-out of the hotel after breakfast and leave the vineyards of Chianti behind, and make our way to one of the most iconic of Tuscan towns, San Gimignano. The vineyards of the classification here are mostly planted with the white Vernaccia grape variety, which we discover during our visit to Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara. This estate makes three styles of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which are fascinating to compare and contrast during our tasting. The profile of San Gimignano has long dominated the skyline in this part of Tuscany thanks to its towers; striking in size, number and state of preservation. In mediaeval times, there were 72 towers within the 13th century walls of this hilltop town, though today only 14 towers remain. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a delight to explore the narrow streets, lined with artisanal shops of ceramics, print and local foodie specialities such as saffron, wild boar salami and of course wine! There is free time over lunch for you to explore this picturesque town before we depart for the return transfer to Pisa airport, about one and a half hours’ away, before the flight to Pisa leaving at 20.10 and arriving at 21.25 hrs.