junebride04

Can anyone recommend any good wine tours? Would like to tour a winery, do a few tastings, etc. Websites would be helpful too!

Thank you!

Lorac1127

This is some information I found in my files:

Avignonesi Vineyards, Montepulciano
[email protected]
http://www.avignonesi.it

Poggio Antico, Montalcino
Email: [email protected]
www.poggioantico.com

Verrazzano Vineyards, Greve
Email: [email protected]
www.verrazzano.com

Volpaia Vineyard
Email: [email protected]

Ciacci Piccolomini, Montalcino
www.ciaccipiccolomini.com

I emailed all of the above and received very nice responses, some quicker than others and we decided on Avignonesi and Verrazzano. We enjoyed both tours.

There is a lot of information on Fodor's on wineries/vineyards. Try doing a search if you need more suggestions.

awbaker

I was just going to post one of your previous threads, Lorac! Also, here is another thread with Tuscany vineyard information:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34492293

Lorac -- which vineyard was your favorite, and also, did you visit Banfi?

montyw

We just returned from our Honeymoon and we did the winery tour of Castello Verrazzano in Greve. This was a very good tour of their property, celars and included wine tasting at the end. It started at 11:00AM and they offered a tour with wine tasting only for around 15 Euro each, or a tour with lunch and tasting of local products with their wine for 40 Euro each.

The tour was geared towards non wine types and was in english. We enjoyed it very much!

We only regret not buying their wonderful aged balsamic vinegar (I think it was 46 Euro a bottle!)

JulieVikmanis

Castello Banfi does a terrific multi-course lunch with matching wines. You can also go on their wine tour and see their balsamic vinegar aging barrels.

Lorac1127

awbaker, we did the tour at Avignonesi and Verrazzano. Both were very good but very different. We didn't get to Banfi--we never even passed it and we stayed in the area!

Because we arrived late at Avignonesi, the guide graciously agreed to give us an abbreviated tour and tasting. Instead, she managed to give us the entire tour and tasting and said we were free to stay as long as we liked to walk the grounds and take photos. This tour was low key in a peaceful setting and the wines were very nice and we also enjoyed the salami's and cheeses.

Castello Verrazzano was a tour of the grounds and cellars and then we stayed for a fabulous lunch with about ten other delightful people. Our guide was Italian but English speaking and very entertaining. The wines were very good and so was the food--the estate is just beautiful. We left there feeling as though we spent the afternoon with good friends.

montyw: We bought that balsamic vinegar and are waiting for the perfect strawberries this season to open the bottle--can't wait.

Omsam

We took this tour from Florence in March. Todd was a very good guide, and we had a great time.

http://www.tuscantrails.com/

monicapileggi

Check http://www.country-tours.com/ Antonio was a wonderful host who took us on a wine and olive oil tasting tour last month. He'll customize tours for you or you can select one that he has. He lives in Siena.

Monica

Danak

We are going to try the sunset stroll from accidentaltourist.com.
"If you are on a time budget, you don't have to choose between the Uffizi and a taste of Chianti : our afternoon departure will allow time for museums and shopping before we take you on top of the hills overlooking Florence.

A visit to the secrets of a private, top rank winery estate in the hill of chianti - followed by a generous winetasting - will open the tour. Then a medieval private villa for a homecooked gourmet dinner prepared by Martina, the landlady, preceded by aperitivo on the terrace or by the fireplace (depending on the season) and followed by homemade dessert wines and liquors." It's a bit pricey but i have only heard of wonderful things about this company.