Collelceto - Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2000

Dessert

Buffet dei dolci toscani

(Buffet of traditional Tuscan desserts)

With

Sampiero - Vin Santo 2000

Day 1 includes:

• Sommelier-guided wine tasting and mini wine class
• Gourmet wine-paired dinner catered at the villa
• Transportation to your villa in a private bus with driver, with stop in Orvieto
• Baggage assistance

Sunday

Day 2  - Siena & San Galgano. Evening travel to Montefollonico and dinner

In the morning enjoy a light and healthy buffet breakfast catered at the villa before departing for Siena where we’ll meet our partnering local art historian guide at the church of San Domenico in Siena for a 2 hour guided tour of the city center and intro to Siena history.

After our tour enjoy free time in Siena and lunch on your own.

In the early afternoon depart for San Galgano and visit this breathtaking abbey and the sword in the stone.

Return to the villa and free time to rest and relax before heading to the charming hill top village of Montefollonico for dinner at one of our favorite enotecas including a sampling of local food products paired to Rosso di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and world-famous Vinsanto Occhio di Pernice.

Day 2 includes:

• Light buffet breakfast catered at the villa
• Full day transportation in a private bus with driver including dinner transfer
• 2 hour guided tour of Siena  with a local art historian guide
• La Botte Piena Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine-paired dinner
• Full day services of a bilingual wine expert guide

Monday

Day 3 - Brunello di Montalcino wine tour – the ultimate wine lover’s experience

Breakfast on your own at the villa before departing for the medieval hill-top city of Montalcino, home to Italy’s most famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino. Enjoy free time to explore Montalcino, shop for wine and enjoy an espresso at Montalcino’s historic piazza cafè before moving on to the Pertimali winery.

At Pertimali you’ll meet estate owners and learn about the traditions of Brunello. Pertimali is one of Montalcino’s leading historic wineries and Livio Sassetti one of the founding members of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino. After touring the vineyards and cellars, sit down to a home-cooked lunch featuring traditional Montalcino cuisine prepared especially for our group and accompanied by estate wines. 

After lunch we’ll move on to the breathtaking 9^th century Benedictine Abbey of Sant’Antimo before heading to another one of Montalcino’s most famous wineries Argiano, where you’ll tour the amazing 15^th century cellars and enjoy a guided tasting of the array of Argiano wines. 

Return to the villa and free evening with optional dinner transfer to a local restaurant.

Day 3 includes:

• Winery entrance and tasting fees
• Pertimali private winery luncheon with wine
• Full day transportation in private bus with driver including optional dinner transfer
• Services of a bilingual  wine expert guide

Tuesday

Day 4 – Tuscan seaside – Argentario (Porto Santo Stefano & Porto Ercole)

Castelgiocondo private winery dinner

 

Breakfast on your own at the villa before traveling through the Tuscan countryside on your way to the Argentario coast with a stop en route and the magical hilltop town of Pitigliano.

Tour the coast including stops at Porto Santo Stefano, Porto Ercole and other charming villages and destinations with free time to explore and relax with lunch on your own.

On your way home stop at the famous Frescobaldi estate of Castelgiocondo in Montalcino for a private tour of the estate followed by gourmet VIP estate dinner paired to Frescobaldi wines.

 

Day 4 includes:

Full day transportation in a private bus with driver for Argentario seaside outing and including dinner stop in Montalcino

Castelgiocondo private winery tour and vip estate paired wine dinner

    Services of a bilingual  wine expert guide

 

*Extra options (to be reserved in advance):

1) Private boat cruise from Porto Santo Stefano to the Island of Giglio. – to be priced

2) Private boat cruise to Island of Giglio with seafood lunch catered on the boat – to be priced

 

Wednesday

Day 5 - Cortona Gourmet seafood & Opera wine dinner at the villa

Enjoy a leisurely morning relaxing at the villa with breakfast on your own.

In the late morning travel to the lovely hill top town of Cortona where we’ll enjoy a guided tour of Cortona with a local art historian guide followed by free time to explore Cortona, shop or visit the famous museum of Etruscan artifacts. Lunch on your own.

Return to the villa to rest and relax before enjoying a very special gourmet dinner celebration featuring a seafood dinner prepared with the freshest ingredients brought that morning from the seaside to your villa. The dinner will be paired to a sommelier-guided tasting of superior white wines from various regions of Italy. To top off our farewell feast, a live vocal performance of operatic songs with soprano Cristina Villarini and piano accompaniment by Chiara Ricci will complete the perfect “food-wine-experience” pairing.

 

Menu example:

Fresh seafood dinner menu

Note: Giuliana will select the seafood for the dinner on the same day at her neighborhood fish market on the coast. Menu may vary according to daily fresh catch.

Wineries featured may vary but will include wines from the following regions: Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Lombardia, Campania & Tuscany

 

Aperitivo

Fantasia di aperitivi

(Giuliana’s selection of aperitivi)

Served with

Guido Berlucchi – Franciacorta Cellarius Brut (Lombardia)

Antipasto

Antipasti di mare

(fresh seafood carpacci, alici marinate, cherry tomatoes graten)

Served with

Conte Attems – Sauvignon 2006 (Friuli Venezia-Giulia)

Primo

Linguine alle vongole

(Linguine in a fresh clam sautè)

Served with

Feudi di San Gregorio – Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2006 (Campania)

Secondo

Pesce freso al sale con carciofi romaneschi

(Whole fresh catch fish baked in the oven “al sale” and served with giuliana’s special Roman style artichokes)

Served with

Fattoria di Felsina – I Sistri 2005 (Tuscany)

Dessert

Dolce di Valentina

(Valentina’s cake)

Served with

Limoncello & grappa

 

 

Day 5 includes:

·         Full day transportation in a private bus with driver

·         2 hour Cortona tour with a local art historian guide

·         Gourmet seafood dinner with wine catered at the villa

·         Live musical performance

·         Services of a bilingual  wine expert guide

 

 

Thursday

Day 6  - Pienza, Monte Oliveto Maggiore guided hike & La Vinsantaia olive oil tasting dinner

 

Breakfast on your own at the villa and departure for the perfect renaissance village of Pienza with time to explore Pienza.

While travelling through the breathtaking Crete Senesi countryside, stop for a picnic lunch near Monte Oliveto Maggiore before visiting the Benedictine Abbey to see the world-famous frescos by Sodoma. After visiting the abbey head out for a guided hike along beautiful trails through the Crete Senesi countryside. 

After our hike drive along one of the Italy’s most beautiful roads through the heart of the Crete Senesi on our way to La Vinsantaia.

Arrive at La Vinsantaia, where Andrea will lead us through a tasting of olive oils followed by a sampling menu of exceptional cheeses and other locally produced products paired to olive oils from various areas of Tuscany and an array of Chianti Classico wines. We’ll wrap up our meal with a tasting of world famous Amedei chocolates paired to a selection of some of the world’s finest (and too often underappreciated) pleasures – grappa.

 

Day 6 includes:

·         Full day transportation in a private bus with driver

·         2 hour guided Monte Oliveto hike

·         Vinsantaia olive oil dinner paired to Chianti Classico wines

·         Services of a bilingual  wine expert guide

 

Friday

Day 7 - Cucina “Italiana” – Cooking and Italian language class at your villa

Breakfast on your own at the villa before meeting our chef and interpreter/teacher for an Italian language & cooking class. Learn some basics of Italian grammar and phrases before starting your intro to Tuscan cuisine (taught entirely in Italian), where you will learn to prepare a traditional 4 course meal including antipasto, primo, secondo and dessert. This fun “active language” class will teach you some basics of the Italian language while you learn the foundations of Tuscan cuisine, practicing your conversation skills with your native Tuscan cook and your bilingual interpreter/teacher.

At the end of your class you’ll sit down to enjoy a casual lunch “in italiano” featuring the foods you have prepared together, while you practice your new language skills. Your lunch will be paired to great local wine presented by your wine expert interpreter.

Free afternoon at the villa and optional dinner transfer

 

Day 7 includes:

·         On call transportation in a private bus with driver

·         Club and optional dinner transfer

·         ‘Cucina Italiana’ cooking class at the villa for 6 people including lunch with Chianti wine

·         Services of a bilingual  wine expert guide at the villa during cooking class.

 

 

Saturday

Day 8 - Departure & Lago di Bolsena and Orvieto

 

Breakfast on your own at the villa.

Late morning check-out and travel south through the countryside to beautiful Lake Bolsena. Explore the lake and the town of Bolsena with free time for lunch.

Following this we will have an optional stop at the hill-top city of Orvieto with free time to explore the magnificent Cathedral and amazing underground city before travelling on to Fiumicino.

Check-in to the airport Hilton and for dinner you have an optional transfer to a great little trattoria in Lido di Ostia, offering some of the area’s best traditional Roman fare in a casual atmosphere.

 

Includes:

·         Full day transportation in a private bus with driver from villa to Fiumicino including stops in Bolsena and Orvieto and optional dinner transfer.

·         Baggage assitance

 

This 7 day itinerary includes:

• Customized itinerary and travel planning services
• Intro to Tuscany sommelier-guided wine tasting and mini wine class at the villa
• 1 light buffet breakfast catered at the villa
• 5 dinners with wine (including 2 gourmet wine-paired dinners at the villa and private winery dinner at Castelgiocondo)
• 1 private winery lunch in Montalcino
• 1 ‘Cucina Italiana’ cooking class at the villa with lunch and wine for 6 people
• 8 full days transportation in a private bus with driver as described in the itinerary including dinner transfers.
• 8 days services of a bilingual wine expert  guide who will share details on local culture, wine & food as well as take care of logistics so you can sit back and enjoy all the best Tuscany has to offer
• 2 hour guided tour of Siena with local art historian guide
• 2 hour guided tour of Cortona with a local art historian guide
• Winery entrance and tasting fees for wineries included in the itinerary
• Comprehensive trip folder including detailed 8 day itinerary, local history and notes on Italy’s wine and cuisine + wine tasting notes booklet
• Restaurant gratuities for meals included in tour
• Baggage assistance between hotels
• rinks and snacks stocked in the bus fridge

 

 Luxury Villas Tuscany  |   Contact Amy Wadman