"Ramble Through The Rolling Hills Of Chianti" with lunch and 2 wine tastings

8 hours

Group

English

What you’ll do

A full day trip traveling through the rolling hills of Chianti, among avenues of cypress trees, medieval villages, fields of sunflowers and legends. Tasting of the best Chianti wines with a delicious lunch in a family-run farm. This is the best private tour for couples, families or small groups of friends: Itinerary: • In the morning meeting with the driver at your hotel or another place of your choice (B&B or private apartment) • We will cross the rolling hills of Chianti, among olive groves, cypresses and vineyards. • We will visit the magnificent Towers of San Gimignano and the historic center. • For lunch we will move to a real Tuscan farm, to understand the secrets of wine production and enjoy a lunch with typical Tuscan foods and 6 tastings of local wines. • After lunch we will visit the invincible Monteriggioni Castle • On the way back we will have a second wine tasting at a local winery, which produces its Chianti Classico wine following the old way. Check out "What to Expect"

Itinerary

Our driver will pick you up at your location and take you on a journey through the rolling hills of Tuscany.

the first stop will be in San Gimignano for a self-guided visit.

San Gimignano is a small fortified medieval town known as the “City of Beautiful Towers”, during the Middle Ages there were more than 70 towers in the city. Now it is a real open-air museum, where it feels like walking in the medieval period. The city is also known for saffron, Prosciutto d'Oro and its white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from the ancient Vernaccia grape variety that is grown on the sandstone hills of the area. In the main square don't forget to taste the best ice cream in the world (Gelateria Dondoli), and in the streets of the town you can admire the extraordinary work of expert artisans. You can also climb the museum tower to see an incredible view and listen to the legend of the Devil's Tower.

Later we will drive through one of the most beatifull Wine Road in Tuscany. The symbol of the Chianti is a black rooster. The legend said that one day, during a long war, the 2 cities decided to enter into a peace agreement, they would redefine their borders using 2 knights: one departing from Florence and the other from Siena. Both knights would leave the city centre at sunrise, when the first rooster crowed, and the official border would be set at the point where the knights met. The Sienese chose a white rooster, Florentines chose a black rooster, they took a black rooster and locked it in a darkened room, without food for many days. On the big day, as soon as the hungry black rooster was set free, in the middle of the night it crowed! So, the Florentine knight was able to ride much further than the knight from Siena. He got as far as 12 km from the Siena. This explains why the border between Siena & Florence isn't in the middle of the two cities.

For lunch we will move to a typical Tuscan family-run organic farm for a visit and a genuine lunch accompanied by a tasting of 5 wines. A beautiful Italian experience to learn the best combinations of wine and food, the secrets of Italian cuisine, Tuscan winemaking techniques and more...

Summary:

• Tuscan lunch with bruschetta, lasagna or homemade pasta, cured meats, cured meats, hams, pecorino cheese, dessert and more...

During lunch:

• Wine tasting (Chianti, Chianti, Chianti Riseva, Sangiovese, Vernaccia), Tastings of: Extra olive oil

• Oil tasting

•Pepper olive oil tasting •Balsamic vinegar tasting •Truffle oil tasting

After lunch we'll move to Monteriggioni for a self guided visit.

The Castle was Founded by the Sienese in 1213 as an outpost against the Florentines, in antiquity Monteriggioni was famed as an impregnable fortress.

The Florentines never managed to penetrate this fortress with the sole use of weapons, but only with deception and cunning, united in a winning mix. They managed to bribe the Sienese captain Giovanni Zeti who, by betraying his army, opened a breach in the defensive system allowing the Florentines to enter.

It was the end for Monteriggioni, which was conquered, sacked and soldiers and inhabitants were taken prisoner. Siena had to surrender to Florentine hegemony. A legend has it that on full moon nights it is possible to hear the trampling of horses and unnatural moans that literally shiver. It is the spirit of Captain Zeti, who for the great betrayal inflicted on his people still today cannot find peace for remorse and wanders around the village.

The last stop will be in a second winery that produces Chianti: in Lornano or at the Poggio ai Laghi winery.

They are real agricultural companies in Chianti, where wine has always been produced. Here we will have a second wine tasting and extra virgin olive oil.

In Chianti, wine production is conducted the old way...few bottles, but with a special flavour. There you will taste the famous "Classic Chianti" and Riserva, other Tuscan wines and finally the Super Tuscan.

At the end of the tasting we will return to your location.