MONTALCINO WINE TOUR
DURATION: FULL DAY - 8 HOURS
Land of the Brunello - Leaving Florence and heading south of Siena into a particularly beautiful part of Tuscany, after around 2 hours you will be in the home of the famous BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO wine, one of Italy’s top rated and prestigious wines, famous all over the world.
The town of Montalcino owes its name to the holm-oaks (ilex in Latin) which surround this hilly area. On this tour you will have the chance to visit 2 wineries, both famous for their brunello and other selection of wines. You will be able to discover just how this wine is produced and what makes it special, visiting the all important cellar, gaining an insight into the ageing process and the use of the oak barrels, followed of course by a tasting session.
Town of Montalcino
The Abbazia di Sant’antimo
The town of Montalcino is also famous for the magnificent views across the Orcia and Arbia valley’s, with the best vantage point being the 14th century Fortezza, which nowadays also houses a convenient enoteca to taste even more wine! Within the town you can find many typical trattorias and restaurants where you can sample some of the local cuisine, and of course vino!
A short drive from Montalcino we can also find one of the most beautiful abbey’s in Tuscany, the ABBAZIA DI SANT’ANTIMO, where we can still hear the famous “gregorian chanting” of the monks. On his return from Rome in the year 781, while keeping to the main route of communications devised by the Lombards (named ‘Francigena’ because the road was of French origin), Charlemagne arrived at Sant’Antimo. On that occasion, he set his seal on the foundations of this first monastery, then being erected. On the 29th December, 814, a charter of Loius the Pious, son and successor of Charlemagne, enriched the abbey with gifts and privileges.
This tour is especially suited to wine connoisseurs and brunello lovers alike.