A Wine a Day

A Wine a Day: Tour discovering the wines of Amiata

This tour is perfect for those who are passionate about wines and want to spend some days discovering theTuscan wine producing process on top of wine and food tastings, but also crave unspoiled nature, and want to explore small medieval villages and  experience a warm Tuscan welcoming.

This is a gastronomic tour during to discover Amiata while wandering with friends through cellars and estates, tasting traditional productions.

In the South of Tuscany, all around Monte Amiata’s district you can find some of the most important and well-known Tuscan’s wine areas.

North of the mountain there is Montalcino with the famous Brunello wine, in the east Montepulciano with Nobile (Italy’s oldest wine), at the foot the Orcia wine Doc. In the south the Scansano with the Morelino wine and Pitigliano with the popular bianco wine, in the west the Montecucco Doc.

A land of precious wines and good traditional food.

Day 1 – Arrival Day

Arrival at the hotel and check-in.
After checking in at the hotel, take your time to recover from the journey and enjoy a welcome cocktail followed by a tour briefing

Then dinner with traditional local dishes and wines from the Monte Amiata region.

Day 2 – Tour of Montecucco DOCG

A day to discover the history of Monteucco and its terroir; a day rich in mountain flavor, great views and traditional cuisine.

It may take a while for the name Montecucco to become familiar to wine drinkers in Tuscany, let alone the rest of the world. That’s not only because the wines – Bianco, Rosso, Sangiovese and Vermentino (established as DOC in 1998) – are made in limited quantities, but also because the area is out of the way and even citizens of nearby cities may have trouble locating it! And yet, experts are convinced that the expanding vineyards of Montecucco hold the same kind of promise as the slopes of Montalcino, which lies just across the Orcia stream to the north. Among the believers are those producers of Brunello de Montalcino and other noted wines who have invested here.

After breakfast we will leave for Arcidosso in the area of Montecucco. The guide will lead you for a walk around the beautiful medieval centre with possibility to access the ancient Aldobrandeschi castle. We will then continue along the ‘Wine road of Montecucco’ and get to Montenero for a true experience of this DOCG wine.

We will arrive to a small wine farms production in Tuscany which is considered one of the most promising wineries in the Montecucco organization. We will have lunch by the marvelous vine yards of the estate with a view on the village of Montenero and the Vetta Amiata. Banfi castle will provide typical products like the “pecorino” cheese, ham, olives, fresh tomatoes and of course wine.

After lunch, we will visit the estate with its storage space for barrels made out of a fourteenth century cellar and learn more about wine. A wine tasting will be accompanied by the storytelling about the production, plants, new technology, and much more.

Return to the hotel. Dinner with traditional dishes.

Day 3 – The Brunello di Montalcino

Down the slope of Amiata we meet this picturesque town, mostly known for its famous wine production: Montalcino.

Montalcino is a characteristic village located between the rolling hills of Val D’Orcia, that in the spring and summer are covered with sunflowers, reed flowers, vines and olive trees.

After breakfast leave for Montalcino and visit of the old fortress with its “enoteca” (wine seller). Possibility to climb the top of the fortress and have a look at the beautiful view. Visit of the old historical centre, the square with its small cafés and wine stores.

We will then move to the Castle of Banfi, located between the Amiata territory and the Montalcino territory. “Beautiful and powerfull”, it lies on top of a hill with a view over the vine yards and lowlands. After a visit to the cellars, where we shall be able to witness an extraordinary blending of technology and tradition, we shall enter the beautiful enoteca for an aperitif.

Lunch will be served in the restaurant inside the estate.

After lunch visit to the Glass Museum. The importance of wine and glass is represented in this museum with the most comprehensive ancient Roman glassware collection in the world. After the visit we will have a tour of the wine production area. The winery is built partly above ground and partly underground. Such is the degree of computer control, that the entire above-ground operation can be controlled by just a few people, while below the ground various natural elements combine to maintain the ideal conditions for ageing and storing wines year round.

In the afternoon, return to the hotel and then dinner with traditional dishes.

Day 4 – Orcia DOC

A day between wine and thermal pools for a real understanding of the Amiata-Val d’Orcia life style!

The territory in which Orcia wine is produced lies between the districts of Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, two of the most important areas in Italy for the production of great wines. Thirteen municipalities are involved in the territory of the Doc Orcia. Wines produced in the territory of the Orcia reflect the passion that producers bring to their daily work: from the care of their vineyards to the sale of the final product. Orcia wine is the communal masterpiece of the families and cultivators whose skill as vintners is married to a deep respect for nature.

We will start our day with a visit to Castiglion D’Orcia with its characteristic square called the Piazza del Vecchietta and its Rocca a Tentennano – the old bastion of the Salimbeni family. Lunch will be at a traditional restaurant. After lunch visit to an Orcia wine estate for a wine tasting and a deeper understanding of this ‘young’ wine.

After that we shall go to Bagno Vignoni for a short visit to the centre for a regenerating thermal bath at the spa. Mount Amiata, as an ancient volcano, boasts 5 thermal sites with natural hot water with high health effects for the beauty but especially for the health. Possibility to ask for a Wine Massage.

In the late afternoon, return to the hotel and dinner.

Day 5 – Walking along the Nobile di Montepulciano

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of the oldest Italy’s classic red wines coming from the vineyards which surround Montepulciano, a picturesque hill town in south eastern Tuscany. Viticulture here dates back many centuries to Etruscan times. During the 15th century, the local wine was a favourite among the local Sienese aristocracy, and in the 16th century it was revered by Pope Paul III, who spoke of the wine’s excellent qualities. A wine rich in history and taste!

After breakfast we leave for Montepulciano, the medieval town famous for its Tuscan red wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. We will walk around the historic centre that has been the set of some international movies. Last stop, a visit to an ancient underground cellar and Nobile di Montepulciano wine tasting.

Then we will leave Montepulciano following the Strada del vino Nobile (Nobile Wine Road): we will reach the beautiful church of San Biagio and then the cosy town of Monticchiello where we will enjoy lunch and the view across the valley to Pienza, the volcano and the glorious hills that roll up to the foot of Monte Amiata.

After lunch we will continue on to Pienza. Take in some leisurely sightseeing of the city, and olive oil tasting.

In the afternoon, transfer back by minibus to the hotel and dinner.

Day 6 – Departure Day

After breakfast, check out and farewell.

For groups or individuals verry passionate with wine.

Suitable for wine association and thos who wanto to know more about wine’s specifics
Available all year long.