14 Day Piedmont & Tuscany

Barolo Discovery - the Wine of Kings

This morning, you will be met by your private, local guide at your accommodation. Set out together to discover the Barolo wine region, arguably the most famous DOCG in Italy.

Located southwest of Alba and with UNESCO World Heritage status, Barolo DOCG has an exceptional terroir. The Barolo area consists of 11 communes, with only vineyards on the southern facing hills given DOCG status. Known affectionally as the “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, Barolo is produced from 100% Nebbiolo grape. The magnesium-rich soil is made of either limestone or sandstone and the climate is continental, with an extended summer and autumn enabling the fickle Nebbiolo to achieve perfect ripeness. It is one of the first varieties to bud and the last to ripen, with harvest taking place in mid-to-late October. Barolo wines are structured, rich and full-bodied, with a strong presence of acidity and tannins. They are known for their complex aromas which can include notes of rose, tar, dried herbs, and leather.

Throughout the day you will have be welcomed to a number of estates for a visit and the opportunity to taste a range of Barolo wines. Some the producers we will consider are:
• Prunotto - Located in Monforte D’Alba, you will be blown away by the peaceful panoramic views of the rolling hills and valleys of the property. The winery represents the perfect balance between tradition and innovation using state-of-the-art technology to express and interpret the many nuances of this historic territory.
• Paolo Scavino - A local producer in Castiglione Falletto. Enjoy a tour of their beautiful property followed by a tasting of several Barolo DOCG wines from their amazing different Cru vineyards and vintages.
• Aurelio Settimo - Located in the La Morra commune, just above the village of Barolo, Aurelio Settimo has 7 ha of vineyards in the famous hamlet of Frazione Annunziata and produces very fine Barolo cru from Rocche Dell’Annunziata.
• Elio Grasso - Located in Monforte D’Alba, this estate has 18 hectares of vineyards surrounded by 24 hectares of forests and meadows . The family business decided to return to their wine making roots in the 1980s, and now produces Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Chardonnay. The wines are aged for several months before being released from the cellar, and although have serious aging potential, are able to be enjoyed young.
• Azienda Agricola Sukula - A boutique, family-run winery located in beautiful Serralunga d’Alba. With less than 5 hectares of land, every grape and every bottle receives hands-on attention.

Their two flagship wines, the Meriame Barolo and Barbera d’Alba, are hidden treasures.
There will be time for lunch today at a restaurant such as Cascina Schiavenza, known for their typical, tradition rich dishes of the Langhe. Alternatively you may prefer Cantina Communal Con Cucina, a more casual setting which brings you local prestigious wines alongside Langhe cuisine prepared in the traditional way (to be paid directly).

Your guide will return you to your accommodations as your day comes to an end.

Beautiful Barbaresco

Meet your guide this morning and together set out to discover the Barbaresco region.

The Barbaresco wine region is located northeast of the city of Alba. Similar to its more famous sibling Barolo, Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and the DOCG status is awarded to vineyards on the best south-facing slopes. However in contrast to Barolo, the climate in Barbaresco has less of a diurnal shift and the soils are mostly limestone-based resulting in grapes that ripen earlier and wines that are less tannic and more approachable at an earlier age.

There are many family run estates that produce rich and spicy, yet elegant Barbaresco. Some of our favourites that we will consider for todays visits include:
• Albino Rocca - A small producer who produces wines characteristic of the area. Now run by the founder’s three daughters the estate is small but ambitious: In addition to five Barbarescos, they make the Langhe standards—dolcetto, barbera, moscato—as well as a lovely cortese, quite rare in these parts.
• Moccagatta - A family-run property with excellent wines. Owned by the Minuto family since the mid-1800s, the Moccagatta wines are also named after the hill on where they are located.
Bruno Rocca, Paitin, all family-run properties with excellent wines.
• Ca’del Baio - a fourth generation family winery, you will be able to sample from a range of highly valued varieties such as Moscato, Chardonnay and Riesling, and of course, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. The most prestigious vines used to make Barbaresco are between 25 and 40 years old.
• Sottimano - Located in the village of Neive, this 18 hectare estate follows the philosophy of using natural yeasts, long macerations, and a one year long permanence of ‘sur lie’ for the malolactic fermentation- tactics they have used for decades. Although they are famous for their Barbarescos, their wines have been featured multiple times in a variety of internationally recognized publications.

Stop for lunch today at Rabaya, a rustic-chic venue for classic Piedmontese cuisines and local wines with vineyard view from the panoramic terrace. Or alternatively, Trattoria Antica Torre, a family owned restaurant with delicious traditional favorites in the picturesque village of Barbaresco (to be paid directly).

Throughout the day and in between tastings, you will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful villages of Neive and Barbaresco.

Your guide will return you to your accommodations as your charming day comes to an end.

Turin City Tour

This morning, join your local guide for a walking tour of Turin in the historical center.

During the walk, explore the city’s wind past baroque royal palaces and stately porticos, passing by such landmarks as the Palazzo Reale and Palazzo Madama. We’ll dip into a famous 18th century café, Baratti e Milano, where you’ll find some of the most decadent hot chocolate in the world. The morning offers time to pursue your interests, such as the world-famous Egyptian Museum or fascinating Museum of Cinema, with hands-on displays of early moving pictures, or you may choose to ascend Turin’s tallest pinnacle for a spectacular view of the city and Alps.

Continue to Piazza San Carlo, one of the main Baroque style squares in the city, and home to several historic cafes. Imagine you are back in the 19th century and watch with romantic eyes what inspired some of the renowned literary works in history. If of interest we can include a visit to the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, where the holy shroud is kept!

There will be time to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in the city this afternoon with suggestions from your guide (to be paid directly).

Piedmont Vermouth Discovery

Following lunch, your guide will bring you on an enchanting discovery of the sweet vermouths of the region. Vermouth di Torino has been a recognized designation in the EU since the early 1990s, but stricter regulations to preserve the style went into effect in 2017, in large part thanks to the push of several producers in the region who came together to form the Vermouth di Torino Institute. Today, a bottle with “Vermouth di Torino” on the label must adhere to the following rules: 50% of the base white wine and at least three of the botanicals used must be sourced from the Piedmont region, it must be bottled between 16% and 22% ABV, and it must contain artemisia (wormwood).

We will consider visits at the following producers this afternoon during your discovery:
Giulio Cocchi Spumanti and Bava Winery
Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is a historic sweet vermouth from Italy’s Piedmont region that raises the bar for aromatized wines. Flavors of rhubarb, bitter orange, cocoa, and baking spice make it complex enough for boozy cocktails, but it’s also gentle enough to sip solo or enjoy in low-ABV drinks. Vermouth di Torino is a collective heritage of Piedmont, which sees in the royal Savoy court as first big promoter of a product which, mainly starting from the late XVIII century, generated a flourishing industry which led Piedmont to become the Kingdom of Vermouth. Storico Vermouth di Torino is still produced according to the original recipe of Giulio Cocchi. This vermouth belongs to the category of the sweet vermouths, or Italian vermouths, sweet and amber as indicated in the manuals of the late XIX century. Storico Vermouth di Torino Cocchi has been the protagonist of the international rebirth of the top-of-the-range vermouths and the renovated interest of the great barmen for the denomination Vermouth di Torino so that it is also familiarly denominated “Cocchi Torino”.

Bordiga
This classic vermouth type is based on Piedmontese white wines, including some Moscato, and infused with a wide range of different botanicals, many of them grown in the Occitan Alps near the winery. The flavor of this vermouth is complex and vivid, with an excellent balance of sweetness and bitterness. Some vermouths taste strongly of a single botanical, but the interplay of components here is distinctive and delicious.

Antica Torino
Vittorio Zoppi and Filippo Antonelli founded the Antica Torino company to produce and rediscover traditional Piedmontese aromatized wines, liqueurs and spirits, creating new recipes inspired by traditional ones. Their first product could only be a vermouth, the symbol of the city’s excellence and elegant lifestyle. Vermouth Rosso derives from constant work at the distillery and from continual experimentation and tasting, with the aim of creating an organoleptic masterpiece. Research into the recipe took many months and many versions of the product to arrive at the definitive one inspired by the most ancient Savoy recipes. The ingredients include home-grown herbs such as absinthe, rhubarb and gentian, grapefruit peel, vanilla pods, rosemary and red thyme, which country-dwellers have always used to aromatize their wines. Thirteen botanicals in all, entirely natural (with no ready-made dyes), processed individually and on a cottage-industry basis, whose complete list remains a secret according to the best Piedmontese tradition: each vermouth, in fact, has its own formula, jealously guarded within the family.

Your guide will return you to your accommodations at the end of the afternoon.

After checking out of your accommodation, meet your private driver who will transfer you the train station to catch your connecting train

Rail Journey - Milan to Bologna
Comfort Class Tickets

Welcome to Bologna! On arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your accommodation to check in. Along the way, you will be brought an exciting afternoon of discovery in Bologna.

Bologna Foodie Tour

Today you will be met by your private guide and brought on a guided food and wine tour of the city. The living history of Bologna is layered in every block and street corner you cross and every building intersection that forms part of a historical maze showcases the city’s medieval origins and Renaissance re-touches. Old and beautiful, gritty and vibrant in equal parts, Bologna sightseeing makes for curious, long wanders. The compact maze of old streets are the heart of Bologna tourism and why people immediately become enchanted with the city.

With your guide, you will visit a traditional botteghe and osterie to taste local pastas such as tigelle, tagliatelle fresh pasta with Bolognese ragu, and other delights such as Albana wine and typical cake, as well as cheese and salami!

As your visit comes to an end, your guide will deliver you to your accommodations for check in.

Additional Options for Day 5

Palazzo di Varignana Resort and Spa - Presidential Suite

Arising from the passion for beauty, Palazzo di Varignana is a place where nature, well-being, cuisine, and emotions come together to give a new meaning to the concept of hospitality. Founded in 2015, the agricultural estate stretches today over 500 hectares of land. Thanks to the restoration of the ancient varieties of native olive trees, extending for 200 hectares,  one of the most awarded and recognized extra virgin olive oil in the world is produced here .  Varsana spa is deeply inspired by the water and the other elements of nature to bring guests an authentic and immersive experience in the local area and there are 3 restaurants onsite. The rooms are a combination of nature and elegance in which natural elements blend with precious handcrafted materials in large spaces with an enveloping brightness.

Parma and Modena Cheese and Balsamic Tour

Your guide will meet you this morning and together you will discover two of the best Italian products by visiting local dairies and an aged vinegar producer, where you will get to taste these wonderful products.

We will begin at a dairy where we have a visit and a complete explanation of the process of creating parmigiano reggiano cheese. The Parmigiano Reggiano is considered the king of italian cheese thanks to its unmistakable taste and the high quality of the milk used. The more time it is aged, the more pronounced the strong and dry flavors, which you will get to experience after the tour.

Next, we reach an ancient producer of aged balsamic vinegar and will visit the museum dedicated to this famous producer. The museum shows through 10 thematic rooms the long and fascinating history of balsamic vinegar, strictly connected to the town of Modena and the family of the producer Giusti. View the barrels used for aging balsamic vinegar and then at the end we will visit their shop where you can find all the products connected to traditional balsamic vinegar. As far as the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena is concerned, its peculiarity as well as an always unmistakable taste is the wisdom of managing the fermentation of the must to guarantee its unique flavor.

You will be returned to your hotel at the end of the afternoon.

After checking out of your accommodation, meet your private driver who will transfer you the train station to catch your connecting coach.

Rail Journey - Bologna to Siena
Comfort Class Tickets

Welcome to Siena! On arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your accommodation to check in. Spend the rest of the day relaxing in your new accommodations or exploring your surroundings.

Tuscany

Tuscany embodies the romantic image of Italy. With its breathtaking rolling hills dotted with olive groves, vineyards, cypress trees and century old villas, there is a special charm that enhances its calling. Rich in history, there are endless medieval hilltop villages to discover as well as the larger cities of Florence, Siena, Pisa, and Lucca. A famous cultural destination, the area is home to some of the world's most recognizable Renaissance art and architecture as well as incredible cuisine and renowned wines. From Brunello through Chianti to the vines of Sassicaia and Ornellaia the Super Tuscans, Tuscany’s more than 10,000 years of wine history is unrivalled.

Additional Options for Day 7

Castello Banfi Il Borgo - Suite Riserva

Located in the shadow of the historical Castello Banfi, the hotel welcomes you in an elegant and refined atmosphere. Strategically positioned just over 12 miles from the town of Brunello, and 44 miles from Siena and the marvelous Tuscan seaside, Il Borgo offers the pleasure of living and discovering Tuscany at its most authentic. This ancient stone hamlet rose in the 1700s under the nurturing shade and protective walls and towers of Castello di Poggio alle Mura and served as the dwelling of farmers who toiled for the noble landowners. Today is has been re-styled into the luxurious rooms and suites of this crown jewel of Tuscan hospitality. There are two onsite restaurants, the Enoteca, and the Michelin starred, La Sala Dei Grappoli.  Castello Banfi il Borgo is a multi-experience in a unique place immersed in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  Savor the authenticity of italian and mediterranean cuisine and the freshest and local ingredients, creative menus, and a rich selection of Castello Banfi wines.

Brunello di Montalcino

This morning meet your guide at your accommodation and travel through scenic countryside to the area renowned for producing one of Italy's best-known and most sought after wines, Brunello di Montalcino. The wines here are made from the 'Brunello' grape, a local strain of Sangiovese called Sangiovese Grosso which translates roughly as 'little dark one'. Brunello di Montalcino is the pinnacle of what the Sangiovese grape variety can achieve and was awarded the first Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) designation in Italy.

You will visit at least two of the best producers of Brunello Wine. Some of our favourite estates we will consider include:
• Capanna - Owned by the Cencioni family since 1957 and situated in the Montosoli area, to the north of Montalcino. It was founded by Giuseppe Cencioni who was one of the 25 founders of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino. Helped by his sons Benito and Franco, they started bottling their own wines in the 1960's.
• Podere Le Ripi - a biodynamic vineyard on a sloping 55-hectare site between forest, vineyards and olive trees. Formerly inhabited by a shepherd and his sheep until 1998, Francesco Illy, heir to the famous Trieste coffee dynasty, purchased the land and planted the first vines 3 years later. The estate is divided between two opposite Montalcino mountainsides, with soils belonging to different geological eras.
• Casanova di Neri - The outcome of a process of productive and philosophical evolution, a new vision of Brunello di Montalcino that interprets tradition in a different innovative way. A profound commitment and respect for the land, a conviction that it is the lynchpin for the production of unique wines and that the care given in treating the grapes.
• Altesino has become a reference point for the entire territory. The introduction of the "Cru" (Montosoli) concept in 1975, the first experiments with barriques in '79, the production in '77 of the first Grappa di Fattoria under the consultancy of the master distiller Gioacchino Nannoni and the first printed for Brunello 1985 are some of the positive contributions putting Montalcino on the world map.

Stop for lunch near Montalcino in a local trattoria such as Boccon di Vino, which offers panoramic views of the region (to be paid directly).

After lunch visit the charming town of Montalcino. The town takes its name from a variety of oak tree that once covered the terrain. The hilltop town offers stunning views over the Asso, Ombrone and Arbia valleys of Tuscany, dotted with silvery olive orchards, vineyards, fields and villages. The lower slopes of the Montalcino hill itself are dominated by highly productive vines and olive orchards.

As your day concludes, you will be returned to your hotel.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

On the ridge that divides the Val D'Orcia from the Val di Chiana, Montepulciano stands on a chalky hilltop. A summer retreat for Florentine aristocrats, the town has palazzi and piazze embellished by Florence’s leading 15th century architects. Montepulciano is full of elegant Renaissance palazzos, a slew of artisan workshops, beautifully façaded churches and boasts vast panoramas of the wonderful Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana valleys that surround it. Wine took center stage in the 1700s, when its popularity among nobles and literati earned it the moniker Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

After meeting your guide at your hotel, drive together on the scenic roads through vineyards and olive groves towards Montepulciano. Throughout the day enjoy a visit to the hilltop town, tastings at family run vineyards and lunch at one of our favourite traditional restaurants serving fresh dishes typical of the region (to be paid directly).

We will consider at least two of the following wineries to visit during your day.:
• Boscarelli - A small, historic family winery producing Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, which represents 80% of all of their products. Vino Nobile is the most important and oldest label. Based on the age of the grapes and their selection, different typologies are produced.
• Bindella - Situated in one of the oldest areas of production, the Argiano wine region, the story of Bindella began over a hundred years ago. The Bindella property in Montepulciano, is divided into 40 hectares of vineyards, 13 ha olive groves, 30 ha grass-and farmland plus 20 ha oak forest. Today they produce 9 different wines, made with 10 different grape varieties, 2 sorts of grappas and olive oil.
• Contucci - As far back as the Renaissance the Contucci family were cultivating the grape and by 1700 this activity of theirs' was much appreciated. In fact they were one of the founding fathers of Vino Nobile, as is documented in texts from 1773 “having a major role in making it world famous a noble wine destined for the table of nobles."
• Azienda Agricola Polizian - Federico Carletti’s leading Vino Nobile estate, with 120ha of vines lies a few miles northeast of Montepulciano. The production focuses on modern, polished Nobile, planted to high-density with select Sangiovese and aged in barrique.

You will be returned to your accommodations at the end of the day.

Chianti Classico

Your guide will meet you at your accommodation this morning for an exciting day of touring in one of the most historic wine growing regions in Italy, Chianti Classico. We will spend the day exploring the heart of the area with private visits and a focus on the great vineyards and wineries here. This small wine-region produces perhaps one of the best-known and appreciated wines in Italy, Chianti Classico DOCG, comprised of 80% of Sangiovese, and 20% other various varietals such as native grapes Canaiolo and Colorino. Chianti Classico stretches between Florence and Siena and includes 14 different municipalities.

Some of the producers we will consider for todays tastings include:
• Buondonno - This farm is in the Chianti hills, surrounded by woods, vineyards and olive groves. It covers approximately 20 hectares, of which 8 are vineyards and 4 are olive groves.
• Podere La Piaggia - Located in the heart of Chianti, La Piaggia is a small family business farm and has the oldest vines in the area of Chianti Classico, dating back to around 1920!
• Caparsa - Produces an organic Chianti Classico wine called Doccio a Matteo, the wine is considered an essential food for life. The cellar of Caparsa is more than 400 years old and, pending availability, you may be able to taste the famous wines of Caparsa with Paolo Ciamferoni, owner and winemaker.
• Castello della Paneretta - Situated on the western slopes of the dominating hills of the Elsa valley, looking towards San Gimignano. Ancient records date back to wine production since 1596 and with 22 hectares of vineyards, only Sangiovese and Canaiolo Nero grape varieties are grown.
• Castello di Ama - Sitting at the end of a long, narrow road, Castello di Ama is a medieval Italian village perched on a hilltop surrounded by vines and black cypress trees. The village, which dates back to the 18th century, looks as if it's been here for all of eternity. These days, it's owned almost entirely by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple behind Castello di Ama, one of Tuscany's most famous wineries.

Throughout the day explore one of the many beautiful Tuscan villages such Radda in Chianti or Castellina in Chianti.

There are several great restaurants along the way and your guide will discuss your lunch options today. Some of our favourites include Osteria di Fonterutoli, Osteria Rosticceria il Re Gallo, Osteria alla Piazza and Ristorante Il Vescovino.

As your charming day comes to an end, your guide will deliver you to your accommodation.

Check out of your hotel this morning and meet your driver guide who will transfer you to your accommodations in Chianti. En route, enjoy a day of touring.

Further exploration of Chianti

Your guide will meet you at your accommodation this morning for another day of touring in the Chianti Region.

Continuing on from yesterdays discovery of the Sangiovese grape, you will be welcomed again to some of our preferred producers to deepen your knowledge and gain a deeper appreciation for this style of wine. You may be welcomed to some of the producers not visited yesterday, or perhaps one of the following producers for a curated visit and premium tasting:
• Losi Querciavalle - The Losi, an ancient family of Chianti winemakers, has been producing wine for five generations. They are small wine producers who search for the quality through their daily commitment and their secrets of ancient roots. A few miles from Siena, in the southernmost hills of the Chianti, the Losi wine estate is blessed by a privileged position, both for its excellent sun exposure, and for the richness of its land.
• Castello di Brolio - The impressive Castello di Brolio dominates the southern Chianti Classico countryside and has done so for over ten centuries. Located on top of an isolated hill near Gaiole in Chianti, the castle has Lombardic origins and has been property of the Ricasoli family since 1141. A huge Chianti Classico-producing estate, their fame can be traced back to one family member in particular - Bettino Ricasoli, aka the “Iron baron.” Born in Florence in 1809, he devoted himself to the improvement of agricultural techniques in Brolio.

You will also have the opportunity to visit some of the quaint medieval villages such as San Gimignano or Monteriggioni. San Gimignano is the epitome of a Tuscan hill town with its skyline of medieval towers. Wander through picture perfect cobbled streets and climb one of the many towers for a panoramic vista of the surrounding countryside. Smaller and more intimate, Monteriggioni is also a beautifully preserved medieval fortified village. The circle of city walls, dating from the 13th Century, are the largest of its kind in Tuscany to have survived practically intact and is distinguishable by its fourteen towers.

As your day comes to an end, your guide will deliver you to your accommodation.

Bolgheri Discovery

After checking out this morning you will be met by your local guide at your hotel for wine touring in the Bolgheri region. Your day will feature excellent wine producers, and Suvereto wineries, such as the following.

Rocca di Frassinello
Rocca di Frassinello lies on the right hillside heading north that forms on either side of the old Aurelia road and which, thanks to the first major Roman road, forms a sort of canyon through which the sea wind blowing from the plain between Castiglione della Pescaia and Grosseto travels across. This constant breeze takes away any moisture from the air and provides for an even milder climate, both during the winter and summer months.

Lunch today will be served at a local restaurant such as Maso restaurant in Follonica.

This afternoon, you will be welcomed for a visit and tasting at Petra.
A unique wine cellar in a unique place, Petra produces a wine that has the soul of Tuscan Maremma and a spirit that speaks of the secrets of an ancient language. Close to the ancient village of Suvereto, on the ferrous hills of the Val di Cornia where you can see as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea, the magic of Petra is continuously caressed by winds that revive vine-growing and oenological memories dating back to the Greeks and the Etruscans.

Your guide will bring you to the Florence train station at the end of the afternoon for your departing coach.

Rail Journey - Florence to Milan
Comfort Class Tickets

Welcome to Milan! On arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your accommodation to check in.

Additional Options for Day 12

Bulgari Hotel Milano - Multiple Room Options

On a private street in downtown Milan, in a tastefully renovated 18th century Milanese palazzo is The Bulgari  Hotel Milano.  Situated in the cultural and commercial heart of the city, and houses delightful and unexpected court yards and green spaces, such as the private botanical garden.  Also onsite are a full service spa, exclusive restaurants and bars, one of which is run by a 3 Michelin star Chef.  The splendidly luminous rooms are elegant, upholstered in luxurious materials, and display beautiful views.

After checking out of your accommodation, meet your private driver who will transfer you to the airport for your departing flight. Buon Viaggio!