Guided Tour in English
Montepulciano is one of Tuscany's finest small towns, often starring in movies and adverts as a picture-perfect backdrop and even as a stand-in for Florence! You will recognize the place from many Hollywood movies such as 'Under the Tuscan Sun,' 'New Moon,' 'The English Patient,' and the recent TV drama, 'Medici: Masters of Florence.'
Highlights
- Guided excursion for max 8 people by our English-speaking wine expert.
- Visit 2 owned family wineries in Montepulciano valley (with tastings of Rosso, and Nobile).
- Enjoy a delicious typical Tuscan meal.
- A quick stop at the village of Montepulciano.
Designed for those who want to get to know the Nobile di Montepulciano, this tour gives you an in-depth exploration of one of Italy’s oldest and most venerated wines. This DOCG red wine comes from an area to the southeast of Siena and can truly stand on its own against the equally famous Brunello di Montalcino that comes from a nearby region.
Explore to your heart’s content the surrounding vineyards and cellars of two of our favorite Montepulciano wineries. You will get to know the proprietors while they lead you through the painstaking process of making this unique red wine. Not only will you come out of this trip with an improved understanding of the wine itself, but you will also gain a better insight into Italian culture as a whole. The wineries will provide you plenty of opportunities to enjoy their Nobile di Montepulciano wines and we will stop in a small family business winery to have a lunch with fresh and local ingredients such as pecorino cheese.
Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of the classic Italian red wines. It comes from the vineyards that surround Montepulciano, a charming hill of 25 miles (40 km) south-east of Siena.
According to the DOCG rules, to be labeled as Nobile Wine of Montepulciano, a wine must come from vineyards on the hills surrounding Montepulciano. This area consists of slopes that reach an altitude of 250-600 meters.
The grape variety grown here is Sangiovese (locally known as Prugnolo Gentile). The Nobile di Montepulciano must have at least 80% of Sangiovese and can be blanded with Canaiolo (10-20%) and other local varieties allowed in the province of Siena, including the rare and violet Mammolo.
The aging period for any Montepulciano Nobile wine is minimum 24 months (36 months for reserve wines), of which at least 12 months must be spent in oak barrels. Oak barrels are used here not so much for their flavor as for the slow and controlled maturation they provide.
Montepulciano's Noble Wine is usually of ruby-red color and takes on a thin garnet color over time. It is characterized by its fragrant flavors of strawberry and cherry, and a "leaf tea" delicately tannic finish. It is also known for its medium body, strong tannins and acidity that makes it a particularly worthwhile wine. Some have described this wine as having the scent of Chianti Classico with the richness of Brunello di Montalcino.
Shared tour
Hours
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Including lunch and more
Montepulciano
Departure from Florence
Departure from Siena
INCLUSIONS
- Shared transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan
- Informative English-speaking tour guide
- Multi-course traditional Tuscan menu paired with complimenting wines
- Entrance fee to the wineries
- Guided visits of the cellars and wine estates
- Rosso di Montepulciano, Nobile di Montepulciano, Riserva, Vinsanto and Rosso IGT wine tastings
- Extra-virgin olive oil tasting
- Opportunity to buy and ship home both wine and olive oil
- Stop in Montepulciano with approx. 45 minutes' free time
- Small group of maximum of 8 people per guide
not included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Tips and gratuities
All tours require a guarantee
If you have booked a Single (private or shared) day tour, cancellation terms are:
• Up to 30 days before: we will return the deposit minus administration fees
• 29 – 8 days: Deposit
• 7 – 4 days: 50% of tour cost
• 3 days or less to date of departure: 100% of tour cost.
Children on SHARED TOURS
- Recommended minimum age to participantes is 16 yrs.
- Infant and children are not allowed on shared tours. (infant age 1-3 yrs)