I will be staying near Castellina in Chianti in the first week of June. Has anyone taken a wine tour or visited wineries in the area? What is the best way to arrange that?

ttt

Though I have not specificly "winetour"ed Chianti - - and there are plenty of others with much more Tsucany experience than I - -
I would recommend car rental and go exploring on your own. Search "kilkelly" here - - this website comes up all the time on questions of this nature.

Best wishes,

Rex

Here is an article from Slowtrav.com that may of be of interest: http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/notes/...y_winelist.htm

Definitely try and tour Rocca delle Macie. Absolutly beautiful.

You are right in the area for the prime Sangiovese wines, Chianti and Brunello. We just drove around to various wineries and it was somewhat hit and miss as to whether they were open for tours or not. You'll find many Chianti producers around the S222 and you'll go to Montalcino for Brunello producers. If you really want to set yourself up for tours and be assured of it happening, go to an Italian tour company like InItaly.com or call or e-mail the best Italian wine store in the US in New York city called Italian Wine Merchants (italianwinemerchant.com). They have relationships all over the country and could likely give you some ideas...ciao

While doing a search I recently found the following rather long article from Wine Spectator. Even if you don't do the entire "Epicure Roams the Tuscan Hills" itinerary, it makes for some wonderful reading.

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Ar...,2019,00.html?

I would suggest finding this book, Touring In Wine Country - Tuscany, by Maureen Ashley. It details the wineries in Tuscany with a god section on Chianti. It list the wineries, adddresses, phone numbers, if you must make appointments or walk/drive ups. Lots of photos, decriptions about the wineries the wines, surronding places and such. Also details dinning, enotecas and hospitality. Very good source book.

check on the internet the winery PODERE TERRENO ALLA VIA DELLA VOLPAIA. Friends of mine went there on their own, excellent wine, perfect location.
It is close to Volpaia, rada in chianti.