DAY 1 – Arrival in the Italian Riviera
Your Italian wine tour gets its start in Levanto, a gorgeous seaside town on the Italian Riviera. All participants arrive in Levanto independently, and after checking into your hotel, as a group we do a short walking tour around the enchanting medieval city center, so that you can get your bearings. Afterwards, we will do an “apericena,” the Italian version of wine and light dinner, which will will be the perfect way to get you ready to head to bed early after your long day of traveling.
DAY 2 – The Incomparable Cinque Terre
What better way to start your wine tour than a full immersion in the Cinque Terre, the legendary stretch of coastal villages and a millennium of winemaking? We start by visiting Vernazza, where we will also meet up with one of the areas “heroic winemakers” on his exceedingly steep vineyard overlooking the Mediterranean, where he will explain the challenges of growing grapes in a fragile terroir. After the visit and a tasting, we will continue on to the village of Manarola, home to the best and most iconic views of the entire Cinque Terre.
After visiting Manarola together, everyone will be free to eat lunch on their own. Those who want to explore other villages at their own pace will be free to do so all afternoon, while anyone who wants a bit more guiding can join us in a visit to Monterosso before returning to Levanto.
In the evening, we will all convene at an “enoteca” (an Italian combination of wine shop and wine bar) in Levanto for a special event: an educational wine tasting exploring the traditions of Cinque Terre wines with a professional Italian sommelier. Dinner food pairings included with the event.
DAY 3 – Pisa & Bolgheri: Supertuscans, part 1
We hop on our private bus and head to Pisa this morning (about 1 hour and 15 minutes by bus). And when in Pisa … we visit the most famous tower in the world, which despite being massively touristy is absolutely not to be missed! You will have time to climb to Tower itself and visit the adjacent Cathedral in the “Piazza dei Miracoli.”
Everyone will grab something quick for lunch on their own before we get back on the bus to continue our drive to Bolgheri, home of the legendary Supertuscan: wines that broke away from the traditions of Tuscan winemaking to become some of the most famous bottles in the world. We will stop at one such winemaker for a visit and tasting of these wines. Afterwards, we will continue on to our hotel (just ten minutes away) near the beach, where you can relax in their salt-water hot pools and spa after a long day. We will gather later on for a group dinner.
DAY 4 – Supertuscans: part 2
We’re keeping the tempo high here in Bolgheri with a second amazing wine tasting at a Supertuscan producer in the late morning. You will then have the rest of the day free to enjoy as you wish until the evening, when we have a big event in store for you.
It’s a blind wine tasting featuring Tuscan wines, led once again by an Italian sommelier. This is a really fun and eye-opening way to learn what your palate really prefers without the prejudice of a label! Dinner included with the wine event.
DAY 5 – His Majesty Brunello di Montalcino
The Supertuscans may have become the darling of the international wine world, but there is only one true king of Tuscan wines: Brunello di Montalcino. We would be doing a disservice to their centuries-old tradition if we didn’t visit a Brunello maker, so on our way to Siena, we will stop in Montalcino in the beautiful Tuscan countryside in the heart of the Val’D’Orcia and visit one of the historic winemakers. We will do a wine tasting with lunch included at the vineyard.
Our bus will then take us on to Siena, where in the afternoon we will have a guided walking tour of this incredible Medieval stone city. For the rest of the day, you are free to explore as you wish.
DAY 6 – The other heavyweight of Tuscan wines: Nobile di Montepulciano
Who knew that a single grape could give birth to so many legends? Yet another brilliant wine made from Sangiovese grapes is on the plate (and in the glass) today: Nobile di Montepulciano. We travel to a wonderful organic vineyard today to learn about their techniques and taste their world-class wines. Lunch included with the visit.
After lunch, we take a short ride to Pienza, one of the pearls of Tuscan hilltop villages with spectacular views. While there, we will also do a cheese tasting of famous Pecorino sheep’s-milk cheeses, one of the high-end specialties of Tuscan farming, and learn how it is made.
Then it’s back to Siena, where you are free for the rest of the day.
DAY 7 –Chianti Classico Colli Senesi: black rooster vs. white rooster
This morning everyone is free to spend their time as they wish, and lunch is on your own. Siena is full of amazing sites to visit, so let us know your interests and we can assist you ahead of time in organizing tickets for whatever you may want to see.
In the afternoon, we begin our exploration of the world of Chianti, the soul of Tuscan winemaking. We start with the first of the two big areas of Chianti Classico: the part located in the province of Siena. We will learn about all the different types and cru that define various Chianti labels, plus the magic of Vin Santo dessert wines with one of our favorite producers, and do a fantastic tasting with their sommelier.
On our way back to Siena, we will give you time to explore the small, completely fortified hamlet of Monteriggioni, a hidden gem of Tuscan villages.
This evening in Siena – our last – we will do a group dinner at a restaurant specializing in Tuscan cuisine.
DAY 8 – Chianti Classico: discover a different terroir
Good wine is subjective, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but no one can argue with the objective magnificence and wonder of the Castello di Monsanto winemaker. This is the other side of the Chianti Classico, the Florentine side, and we will visit their vineyards and one-of-a-kind cellar to learn about what makes this terroir different. Enjoy a winetasting and lunch in their great noble hall.
After this event, our bus will take us on to Florence. After checking into our hotel, you will have the rest of the day free to yourselves.
DAY 9 – Florence: the legend that never fades
In the morning, we will enjoy Florence from the outside with a guided walking tour with a local guide. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you please. Florence is full of museums and monuments, but everyone has their own tastes and preferences, so while there are no events planned for this day, we can assist you ahead of time in organizing tickets for whatever sites you may want to see. Or you can just take it easy. It’s up to you!
As a farewell, we will do a final group dinner all together this evening in the heart of Florence.