Description
The Montepulciano wine tour from Siena is a full day, about nine hours, by air-conditioned coach across southern Tuscany and into the Val d'Orcia, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A licensed tour leader accompanies everyone, speaking English, Spanish or Italian depending on the option you pick.
The first stop is Montepulciano, where the table comes before the sightseeing. Lunch opens with local salumi and cheeses. Next come hand-made pici in a slow-cooked ragù, or in tomato sauce if you eat no meat. The glasses are filled with two local reds, Rosso and Nobile, poured during a guided tasting.
After lunch the coach heads for Pienza, a Renaissance town admired for its buildings and for the outlook across the valley. You have free time for the streets, the artisan shops and the viewpoints. The last stop is Montalcino, home of Brunello. You visit a local winery, taste the wine and hear how it is made and aged.
- Lunch in Montepulciano with wine
- Free time in Pienza
- Two winery visits, four wines in all
- Wifi on the coach
The route can change, but every planned stop is visited. Expect some walking and stairs, and note that tastings are held in English with translation help.