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Wine Tour (based from Siena) Recommendation? (Thanks!)

Posted by (Boston, MA) on

Hi,

We are looking for recommendations for a day long wine tour in the Tuscan region. We are staying in Siena and want to take a tour that either starts in Siena or offers us the chance to join a group that was picked up in Florence.

I've done some searches in the little upper right hand box and there are some suggestions, but not too many first-hand "I loved this place" type of recommendations.

I've thought of the small private tour, but don't want to necessarily be with just one person all day in a three party group (me, hubby, and guide -- what if you don't click, run out of things to talk about, etc.). Plus, I think a group of people could be fun. But, I don't want to be crammed in a tinted window van and rushed around the country side.

We will be there mid-week, so a weekend only tour doesn't work. Thanks for any recommendations and suggestions. :-)

Susan

Posted by
10344 posts

Many think this is one of the best: Il Casato Viaggi, www.sienaholiday.com, see Rick's description on p. 237 of 2007 Florence & Tuscany book.

Posted by
139 posts

Tasing in Italy is very different from her in California. We had an appointment set up for us at Altisera. We drove there from near Cortona. It was a beautiful drive. A young guide met us and gave us a brief tour. Then we went to a tasting room where they poured three different bottles, plus some Grapa. They had a platter of proscuto, bread, cheese and olvie oil. It was very intimate and VERY enjoyable. The wine was excellent. They pour a half glass not just a tongue wetting like here. This took us the entire day, including our sight seeing along the way. I think we were at the winery for over two hours. And given the amount of wine and grapa we didn't need to visit any other wineries. The proscuto was probably the best I have ever eaten in my life. It was a fun experience. Cost was 30 euro. Don't remember if that was per person. Plus a tip for our host. It was a highlight of our trip to Italy.

Posted by
705 posts

I did the sienaholiday tour a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Be did the 'bus' tour and had a group of about 16 - all from US except us. It combines San Gimignano and a visit to a little winery. (From their web site) It has a pick up in Siena every Sunday at 2 pm from Irish Pub "The Dublin Post" in Piazza Gramsci (bus station) and return to Siena around 7 pm. (includes: private air-conditioning, minivan-autobus, English-speaking guide, wine tasting) They also do private tours and prices are listed in on their site. I'd have no qualms recommending them. Others tours are no doubt available HOWEVER do not book with Cor Magis - bad news.

Posted by
24 posts

Thanks -- looks like sienaholiday may be the way to go.

Posted by
411 posts

Hi Susan
We took the Cor Magis tour in Mid May--- a terrible waste of money and worse the waste of a day in Siena. Basically you spend the majority of the tour in a dark van driving. One winery was on the mediocre side the other was ok. At the first winery the samples were about an ounce and a half to two wines. The second had more generous samples and we had some bread oil chese and proscuito and finished off with some nice Vin Sancto and Cantucci biscuits. A very brief stop in Montalcino (think bathroom break) and barely 5 minutes at the Abbey.

The icing on the cake was being in an accident and the poor attitude of the owner afterward.

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