Antinori's Noble Tuscany Cooking and Wine Tours

Day One – Sunday

• Private transfer from Florence airport or train station to Fonte de’ Medici, home for our Tuscany wine tours with the Antinori family. This beautiful wine resort, owned by the famed wine-making family, is perfectly nestled in between the Chianti vineyards. The village, six hundred years old, takes its name from a fresh water spring that served as a resting place for pilgrims on their way from Florence to Rome.
• Check in to your Superior room ( each room is named after a different grape ) and late afternoon at leisure to relax by the pool.
• Welcome dinner at “Trattoria della Fonte,” the resort restaurant.
• Overnight.

Day Two – Monday

• Breakfast and early morning at disposal for individual explorations or enjoy the hotel facilities.
• At about 10,00 am walk for about 15 minutes and reach the prestigious Tignanello Wine Cellars: the Antinori estate’s two signature wines, Solaia and Tignanello, are produced from these vineyards and have been defined by the international press as “among the most influential wines in the history of Italian viticulture”. Tignanello and Solaia each have their own exclusive vinification and aging cellars. This approach enhances the unique qualities of each wine by allowing us to refine and perfect each and every detail. The vinification cellar was completely renovated between 2008 and 2009. At the end of the wine cellar tour Wine tasting to follow with snacks.
• Head back to the resort and time on your own for a light lunch at the trattoria.
• In the afternoon private transfer to the charming village of Badia a Passignano where the Chef of the Restaurant and Pizzeria Le Scuderie will teach you how to do a real Italian Pizza in the wood oven . After the class you will be able to eat your “personal ” Pizza with wine. Transfer back to Fonte de Medici after dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Three – Tuesday

• Breakfast at the estate.
• At 10,00 am meet your Chef at the Cooking School to discover traditional Tuscan recipes. The Chef will create with you a complete menu and will provide you all the recipes in a practical pantry. Lunch to follow at Trattoria della Fonte.
• In the afternoon meet your English speaking driver and arrival in the beautiful city of Siena. Together with your private guide discover the glorious Cathedral and its interior, Campo Square and the tremendous stories about the horse-race, Palio. Walking around with a native, you’ll discover “official” info as well as “back stage” stories. According to your interests, you might want to go to visit a Contrada (clubhouse of a town district), usually closed to the public. During the guided tour stop in 2 local pastry shops to taste the original “ricciarelli” biscuits and “Panforte” cake of Siena. Dinner at the traditional Restaurant Enoteca dei Vinattieri to taste the famous Pici all’aglione (pasta dish) .
• Return back to your accommodation after dinner and overnight.
• Overnight.

Day Four – Wednesday

• Breakfast.
• At 9,30 am meet your English speaking driving guide for a full day excursion in the Chianti region : discover Greve and its quaint Piazza and make sure to stop at Falorni’s Butcher Shop. Walk up to Montefioralle to discover the Medieval village where Amerigo Vespucci was born. Later proceed to Castellina in Chianti and stop at Querceto di Castellina Wine Estate family run authentic winery . Enjoy a guided wine cellar tour  together with lunch and wine tasting  to follow.
• At 3:30 return back to your accommodation to meet the property’s Executive Chef at 4:00 for a hands on cooking class to discover all the secrets of the Italian pasta. Dinner with tasting menu at Trattoria della Fonte will follow with paired wines.
• Overnight.

Day Five – Thursday

• Breakfast, followed by the morning at your disposal to enjoy the hotel facilities.
• This morning at 9:30 a.m. meet in the hotel lobby with your English-speaking driver and reach the lovely town of Badia a Passignano to enjoy your truffle hunting experience with a truffle hunter and his faithful and friendly dog. He will tell you about which are the kinds of truffles, about the training techniques for dogs and, of course, he will show you the art of truffle hunting in the countryside. For this visit, appropriate clothing and shoes are required.
• Lunch based on truffles will follow with paired wines. After lunch reach the charming village of San Gimignano for a pleasant walk on your own in the city center: already a powerful community in the 1100, San Gimignano became famous for its daring towers built to symbolize the wealth of the town and of its merchants.
• After the walk return back to Fonte de Medici. Dinner on own this evening.
• Overnight at Fonte de’ Medici.

Day Six – Friday

• Breakfast.
• This morning at 9:00 a.m. meet in the hotel lobby with your English-speaking driver and reach the lovely town of Pienza true symbol of Renaissance. Walk on your own in the narrow romantic streets of this tiny village who was home to Pope Pius II and perfectly represents the Quintessence of Tuscany over five hundred years later.
• At 11:30 drive to the family Wine Estate of La Bindella for a wine tour of the historical wine cellar with lunch and wine tastings to follow. After lunch reach the wine region of Brunello di Montalcino and stop to the Wine Estate Caparzo for a guided visit of their wine cellars and to taste their Brunello di Montalcino.
• Return back to Fonte de Medici.
• Dinner on your own and overnight.

Day Seven – Saturday

• Breakfast and check out. Transfer around 10:00 am to Florence railway station or Florence airport.