TOASTING TUSCANY

Soak up the Tuscan countryside on this full-day excursion from Siena. You will taste some of Italy’s most celebrated wines and toast the delights of the UNESCO-listed Orcia Valley, famous for its breathtaking landscapes, enticing cuisine and perfectly preserved medieval and Renaissance towns.

Your private chauffeur will pick you up at your accommodation and drive you to an estate located west of Montalcino. The land belongs to a prestigious Florentine family that has been producing wine for some seven hundred years. The family owns six estates and some of Tuscany’s most highly regarded vineyards and aims to become the reference producer of fine Tuscan wines. Indeed, among their core values is the promotion of the region’s different traditions and territories by producing high quality wines, each an expression of a specific, unique terroir and environment. Accompanied by a member of staff, you will enjoy a tour of the cellars and get to know the different stages in the wine-making process, from the moment of harvest to the choice of the image on their wine label, featuring a condottiero on horseback. You will also find out about the strict regulations that define the production of Brunello which must contain 100% Sangiovese grapes and be aged in oak barrels for two years and at least four months in a bottle before being released. But every estate has its own precious formulas which you will have the chance to unravel and applaud! After the visit sit down to a delicious light lunch made with locally sourced products and washed down with a selection of first rate wines.

In the early afternoon a 20-minute drive will bring you to Montalcino, internationally known as the capital of the Brunello wine region. The town has undergone few changes since the 1300s, when it was a stronghold belonging to the city of Siena. Protected by fortified walls, Montalcino has maintained its medieval appearance and offers splendid views of the surrounding landscape from the top of its 14th century fortress: hills crossed by country roads winding though vineyards and olive groves, a canvas splashed with golden sunflowers and deep green cypress trees. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the town’s narrow alleys lined with wineries, craft shops and cafes and linger in the distinctive medieval aura of the quaint Piazza del Popolo before setting off for your next stop.

Standing proudly on top of a steep hill, overlooking the Orcia Valley on one side and the Chiana Valley on the other, Montepulciano still boasts a medieval and Renaissance urban fabric which has remained remarkably untouched since 1580. Rural, yet chic and romantic, Montepulciano is Tuscany’s pride and joy. A collection of sumptuous palazzi punctuates the town centre, proclaiming the importance of the site and the wealth of the local nobility during the 14th and 15th centuries, although it was not until the 1500s, under the rule of the Medici dynasty, that Montepulciano truly thrived. Amble along the main Corso and reach Piazza Grande, the very heart of the town. Here you will find the beautiful unfinished Duomo and the imposing Palazzo Comunale with its characteristic clock tower. Climb to the top for a sweeping view of Montepulciano and the surrounding countryside. The square is the setting for the folkloristic Bravio delle Botti, a wine barrel racing contest held every year in August, that pays homage to Montepulciano’s most important trade. Indeed the history and fame of this small town are inextricably linked to its world-renowned, full-bodied Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, one of Italy’s oldest wines. The earliest documented reference to Montepulciano wine dates back to 789 AD, when the cleric Arnipert offered the Church of San Silvestro in Lanciniano a plot of land planted with vineyards located on the estate of the Policiano Castle – the name by which Montepulciano was known in the Middle Ages. After more than 1,200 years Montepulciano wine continues to triumph…. and you will have the opportunity to discover why on a visit to a local wine cellar.

Wander through the steep, narrow alleys lined with shops selling gastronomic specialities, leather goods and all sorts of rigorously hand-made crafts then rejoin your driver and return to your accommodation in Siena.