Castles of the Chianti

€135 per person Lunch and all tastings included

Your meeting point is at the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena at 9:30am, easy to find even if you are arriving from out of town or with your own car as there is parking in the vicinity. Here you will meet the driver guide for the start of the tour. This is an ideal tour for wine lovers but also history and nature enthusiast. On tour you come into contact with the regions nobility and learn about its fascinating history, visit Castles and Villas and enjoy the magic of the Chianti countryside. You will be intrigued by the surprising number of castles, fortified farm houses, towers and Abbeys that seem to appear out of nowhere and are a strong testimony of the tumultuous history of wars between the opposing republics of Siena and Florence.

Our first stop is under the walls of the Castello di Brolio, here we have time for taking pictures and getting an up close look at the vineyards. It is here that the Baron, Bettino Ricasoli first stimulated the renewal of the areas agriculture and gave the world the precious formula for making Chianti wines, famous the world over for easy drinkability and now no longer used straw flasks.

We then make our way to a second winery/castle, Meleto, which today is a beautiful and well preserved medieval castle, home to a well known medium sized winery. Here we visit the castle and its grounds and learn about its history before enjoying a first introductory tasting of the Black Rooster Chianti Classico wine, a wine that has in the past years witnessed a qualitative surge in taste and complexity.
A traditional Tuscan lunch of local products will be served at a small family run winery and is accompanied by a tasting of the farms wines. It could occur that the farm for some reason is unavailable on the day, in this case we will enjoy our traditional Tuscan meal in a characteristic trattoria.
After lunch you have the opportunity of going for a stroll in a small and quaint fortified medieval village, perched on top of a hill and surrounded by magnificent views. Here you can enjoy a coffee in a little local bar or just walk on the cobbled streets and admire the architecture and panoramic vistas of vineyards and forests. In the late afternoon we will visit a third winery where we are introduced to the local producer, we will be shown around the estate that has remained in the hands of the same family for many centuries. Visit the old cellars, learn about the traditions and lifestyle of the ‘Chianti folk’ and walk among the gardens, all the while savoring and learning about the great Chianti wines.

In some occasions, due to availability or last minute changes, the itinerary might vary a little. In this case the tour could be modified slightly. However the day will maintain a similar general imprint, same duration and have all the same inclusions.

Have a look at our Activities Calendar to see what tours are running while you are in Tuscany,
or request a private tour below.