Tuscan Wine Tour from Siena

My cousin and I did a wine tour while we stayed in Siena. I don't remember the name of the company. There was a brouchure at our hotel. We had the option Brunella or Chianti tour. We did the first. They picked us up at our hotel and we asked the driver to drop us off at a restraunt that he recomended when we got back. It was great. We were in a van with 4 other people. Went to 3 or 4 wineies. Had a mini-meal at one, and on the way home we stopped at a Gregorian monistary and listened to the evening chanting. Like I said, I don't remember the name of the company, but you could email your hotel and ask them to recomend a company or book a tour with a local company for you.

Here is another idea. There is a "wine train" from Siena. Looks like a fun trip. We were planning on taking it last year but plans didn't work out. They are very accommodating and respond well to email inquiries. http://www.winestation.it/en/trenodelvino.html

I would recommend CASTELLO DI VERRAZZANO. We were there in November 2008. We took a bus from Florence and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The tour of the winery was great and the 4 course wine tasting lunch was absolutely delicious. Our tour guide, Fillipo, was great so if you decide to go to Verrazzano, try to ask for him. The scenery is gorgeous and your time spent here would be worth it in my opinion.

I had to go look at my things to get his business card, but Franco Fadda toured us around Tuscany on a Chianti tour. I arranged it thru our hotel and he gave me his card afterwards. This is from 2005, so hopefully still current. [email protected] and his e-mail is [email protected].
My memory says that he was not in favor of the traditionalism of wines as far as keeping grapes pure and drawing borders to define grapes. He feels the DOCG standards impede creativity with wine making. Which was such a contrast to a different wine tour we took a few years later in France - that it was very nice to have that comparison for education. Franco picked us up at our hotel (along with 3 others on a small SUV/bus). He took us to beautiful tiny towns. We started with an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting...AMAZING! I didn't know either could be so good until then. And then two wineries for tasting. Also a very fine lunch in a very historic, very tiny Tuscan town. He ordered for us...liver pate and salads if I remember right. He dropped us safely at our hotel that night. Anyway, a true highlight of our trip to Italy. Oh and he is authentic Sienese too. Hopefully Franco is still giving tours. Have fun whatever you do!

I am a home winemaker who will be in Florence for about 10 days in mid-May. I had thought to rent a driver for the day, but I would be fine with sharing a small tour group. At any rate, what would be the approximate cost of renting a driver for about 8 hours?

We did a tour through Terre di Siena and really enjoyed it. They do lots of tours so check them out. One operator you may come across but I suggest you avoid at all costs is Cors Magis. Very, very bad experience with them.

I must agree with the above poster. We booked a tour with Cor Magis in May 2008 and it was not worth the price. They were over an hour late to pick us up --- while we were waiting outside at the meeting point in the rain. The bus had dark tinted windows so you really don't get to appreciate the scenery. Because of the late pickup we were rushed through the first winery where we received tiny tastings of two wines.

On route to the Abbey we were in a accident. That took up another half hour so when we got to the Abbey we were told 5 minutes was all we had. We had actually booked this tour because the Abbey was inaccessible via public transport. The second winery was nice and we had a snack and generous tastings of three wines.

Our guide was sweet but very inexperienced. The owner never bothered to email and inquire about how we were after the accident but did email to ask us to fax a letter stating it wasn't the driver's fault.

I wouldn't use them again.