La Dolce Vita Wine Tours

Xtreme Tuscany

A gourmet wine tour spotlighting Brunello di Montalcino & Bolgheri’s Super Tuscans

Slide Show:

Our pick-up point is PISA, great for a pre-tour stay
Then we head down the coast towards the Maremma, home of Super Tuscan wines
Just 5 miles from sea, CASTELLO TERRICIO’s vineyards enjoy the region's luminous light
TERRICIO harvest workers pause for a photo op.
Afternoon of Day 1 includes the iconic ORNELLAIA
We taste all three tiers...and more!
Surveying ORNELLAIA’s meticulous vineyards
And now, presenting ORNELLAIA’s 25th anniversary bottling
Since we’re so close to the sea, Day 2 might begin with a stroll on the beach
Then we head to PETRA, a new winery designed by architect Mario Botta
PETRA’s managing director gives us the inside scoop.
Do not adjust your dial! This is the lighting in PETRA’s tunnel.
New kid on the block: POGGIO AL TESORO, owned by Allegrini
Day 3 focuses on BOLGHERI, birthplace of Super Tuscans
On that distant peak, the first cabernet was planted for SASSICAIA.
Inspecting the Sassicaia vineyards close up.
Drum roll, please
Guide Claudio Bisio reviews the lunch menu.
What’s great about eating in Bolgheri is all the cult wines are available by the glass!
Happy campers: A glass of Sassicaia in hand. What a spot!
Next it’s on to LE MACCHIOLE, another Bolgheri pioneer
Sampling the grapes…
…and trying out the farm equipment
…and diving headlong into the wine.
A home-cooked dinner at our agriturismo centers on the catch of the day….
…and concludes with cantucci and vin santo, the classic Tuscan dessert.
Transfering to Montalcino, we stop en route at CASTELLO BANFI.
In the BANFI tasting room.
The second half of XTREME TUSCANY focuses on BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO.
The view from the MONTALCINO FORTRESS ramparts is awesome.
Wine at 10 am? Why not? Day 4 begins at DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI.
Afternoon features a true legend: BIONDI SANTI.
Ancient cypresses leading to BIONDI SANTI’s Greppo vineyard.
Day 5 takes us to this hermitage turned fortress turned winery, CASTELLO ROMITORIO.
Owned by artist Sandro Chia, the winery finds his work sprinkled everywhere.
Isn’t this luxe? Our tasting room at CASTELLO ROMITORIO
ROMITORIO's sweet winery dog, Lucy
Our final Brunello tasting is at the stellar CASANOVA DI NERI
In between tastings, we grab lunch. Pecorino flan with pear, anyone?
The Abbey of Sant’ Antimo provides a moment of tranquility
Beasties guard the door.
Inside, we listen to monks chant. A divine way to end the tour.