Winery tours
 

Visiting Tuscany for a week at the end of August. Staying in Terricciola which is about 30 minutes south of Pisa. We are 4 adults. We will have a rental car to drive around the area.
Wondering if we should book a winery tour that takes you to different wineries or if we should do our own driving and scheduling of winery visits. Not sure how hard that is to do if you are not familiar with the area. Also noticed some of the winery tours include lunch so we would have to figure that out as well.

Seems like if we pay for a winery tour we will be spending part of the money in transportation to the various wineries which we already have. So that's my predicament.

What are your recommendations? winery tour or DIY winery visits?

If we do it ourselves, how do I select the wineries to visit? Any ideas?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Well, your location will dictate the feasibility of doing either. As I mentioned before, you are not in a typical part of Tuscany and the better winery options are too far to consider. You may find a place to sample wines closer to you, but I am not familiar with any. And, even if you did the experience is nothing like Napa. I would find something else to do. Do not miss Volterra.

As Bob pointed out, Tuscany is nothing like Napa where you can just drive and drop in wineries. Many will require appointments (if they are open to the public at all). Most are more working facilities, not tour or sampling oriented.

Some of the guided tours you see have standing reservations with a specific winery and perhaps not generally open to the public at all.

You check out San Gimignano's tourism sites for vineyards with Vernaccia. It's a little more touristy around there and you might find some vineyards to tour.

Another option is head to Chianti area(perhaps around Greve) or check tourism sites for there.

Is your interest really touring vineyards or sampling wine? There are a lot of places to sample wine. One place in Greve has automated machines with dozens of wines to sample. You load a card with money and choose samples (deducted from the card as you use it).

I used Donatella this June was extremely happy with her tour. I second that it's not like here in the States where you can just drop in.

http://www.winetourintuscany.com

I once used Donatella for clients and she was very easy to work with.

If this is a priority for you, I think using a company or service is the best choice. The actual "transportation" isn't as much a part of the service as are the arrangements, reservations, welcome, meal, educational aspects, etc.

As mentioned above, these aren't the same sort of wineries as you find in the USA, with shops, tasting rooms, etc.

THE AREA YOU ARE STAYING IN IS CLOSE TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WINE PRODUCING AREAS OF TUSCANY. PLEASE IGNORE THE UNINFORMED COMMENTS ABOVE.

You are very close to the Bolgheri wine producers of Super Tuscans. If you want an exceptional experience of wine from Tuscany, check out taking a tour there.

http://www.cellartours.com/italy/win...-bolgheri.html

http://www.italyandwine.info/bolgheri.htm

http://www.tuscanwinetours.net/bolgheri.htm

http://www.lebaccanti.com/site/smart...-Bolgheri.html

http://www.winemag.com/June-2013/The...-Super-Tuscan/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-m...b_5921846.html

http://www.sunnytuscany.com/super-tu...ines-tour.html

http://www.country-tours.com/day-tou.../bolgheri.html


.... and you can find more tours and information on the internet on this most important wine area of Tuscany.

Also, it's really not true that tasting rooms don't exist or that you always need an appointment, although in August it is good to call ahead to make sure places are open:

http://www.mapitout-tuscany.com/2014...inery.htm.html

http://www.maremmaguide.com/italian-vineyards.html

http://winefriend.org/tuscan-maremma/bolgheri/

By the way, you are also staying in a very enchanting part of Tuscany. The only thing you will miss is the foreign tourists who pack into the "Under the Tuscan Sun" touristy towns.

This is a wine producer right in Terricciola. You might consider just going with a very local place and feeling part of the community, and tasting the wine of the land where you are staying.

http://www.fattoria-fibbiano.it/site...=eng&ID_menu=1

>>>Also, it's really not true that tasting rooms don't exist or that you always need an appointment, although in August it is good to call ahead to make sure places are open:<<<

No one said tasting rooms don't exist. Everyone pointed out it isn't like the US at all and not as simple to DIY. Many will have one set time per day such as 10 am or 3 pm, not simply drop in like the US where they are open all day. Many will also charge a fee (often around 20€).

well said Sandralist!

bmk

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