This was an amazing tour and total experience! Our tour guide, representative, wine educator, etc…read morewas excellent! Her knowledge of the property, the amazing history, and wine was so very nicely portrayed in her excellent tour. The history here is stunning too. Wines were so very good that we bought a case to be shipped back home, to the states. Check on buying wine, as they price it with shipping. The property is gorgeous and historic! Highly recommend this particular winery to visit and tour when visiting the area!

I was so excited to visit Castello di Verrazzano and I'm disappointed that I did not have a…read morepositive experience. As a Black woman from the U.S., I faced poor customer service and discrimination. My tour guide, Tomaso, was rude and condescending. First, he ignored me and other people of color in my group by not speaking to us or even giving eye contact at the beginning of the tour. Second, Tomaso told me that I wasn't allowed to record videos as this was the owner's rule and he demanded that I delete any videos from my phone. I felt that he was singling me out and trying to embarrass me. This "policy" was not shared in writing or verbally in advance. Also, I've seen other guests post videos on social media, even days before my visit, which included Tomaso's face. The energy of the tour felt unwelcoming. During the tasting, no one followed up to ask how I was enjoying the wines or if I was interested in purchasing. It felt like the establishment didn't care about my business. Next, the staff said I could take photos with my wine in front of the amazing terrace view, then they refused. The castle shouldn't schedule tastings right before closing if guests will be pushed out. The only reason I didn't leave a one star review is due to a good experience with an outstanding staff member. Sole was very nice and offered me a ride to my car! She's the kind of employee who should be rewarded for going above and beyond and providing wonderful service to guests. Overall, the castle was beautiful, but the tour was dry with no enthusiasm and the service was lacking. Some staff seemed more concerned with showing attention to white guests and heading home than providing a memorable visit for everyone. I envisioned a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would leave me feeling enlightened, supported, and valued. Instead, I felt dismissed, excluded, and disrespected. I will return to Tuscany, but to a different winery that prides themselves on excellent service and fairness for all.

Better late than never Beautiful grounds and…read moreinterior-stoped here for a wine and cheese tasting which was good but could have used more snacks/crackers with the wine Maybe things have changed since we last visited but fun to be in the heart of Chianti

This review is for a wine tasting and tour. We did not stay at the hotel but drove there…read more We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and tasting. Gabriel gave us interesting information about the Castle, which was built in the 11th century by Benedict monks! He showed us interesting things such as a hidden room where people can spy into the dining room through a hole in a painting, an underground tunnel, and a theater with its original backdrop from 1742. Don't forget to take a few pictures at the giant bench which is a few minutes' walk away. The view is gorgeous and the grounds are well maintained. For the tasting portion, we really enjoy the high quality of wine. Gabriel was also nice enough to let us sample a few other wines beyond the ones included in tasting, such as the dessert wine and the whites. Quite a few of us bought some bottles to take home. There are plenty of wineries in the area and we had visited quite a few of them during our three weeks in Tuscany. This is definitely one of the better ones, for the castle's history, the view, and the quality of wine.

The food was amazing. Service was amazing…read more The ambiance was amazing with olive trees, a farm and the beautiful sun of Italy full of grape vines. The Bolognese was amazing. The meat sauce was perfect and with adding the extra olive delicious. Their fresh charcuterie and cheese was to die for. The service was world class and very calm.

We had an absolutely wonderful time here as a part of a Trafalgar tour. The food and wine were…read morefantastic. The setting is beautiful inside and out. We enjoyed the tour up to the vineyard. Definitely go here if you have the opportunity!

We rented a villa at Podere di Pomaii for a family vacation. It is a perfect property for such an…read moreescape - very close to Arezzo but on a hill with views that feed your soul, breezes that sing, and villas that offer all you need to enjoy your stay. Plus it is a green winery that produces a delicious variety of wines and olive oil. The winery tour and tasting alone would be worth the trip to this property. Great wine to drink, wine knowledge to feed your mind, and enough artisan food samplings to feed the most robust appetite. The villa we rented had 6 bedrooms each with its own bathroom. All beautiful in their simplicity and generous space. The villa is designed and maintained to the highest degree. There are inside and outdoor gathering spaces to join together for a meal, relax your way to the beginning of the day, or laugh, talk, and drink until the calendar page flips over. There is even a pool to remove the heat of the day. Everyone we met from owners to tour guide to cleaning staff have the nicest and most pleasant demeanors - helpful, friendly, and welcoming.

Podere Di Pomaio is a beautiful winery that is as "green" as it gets! My family and I had a tour of…read morethe vines and cellar, followed by an incredible lunch and tasting. Iacopo, the owner and winemaker, and our tour guide Bonella (spelling?) were very welcoming, kind and informative. It's an incredibly beautiful location with wine that reflects the beauty in which it is made. Several of us came home with multiple bottles. Perfect location for an event/wedding/reunion, or just for tasting delicious, organic wine at its best!

Spent a great day with Fabian in Montalcino drinking Brunellos. We made stops at three wineries…read morewith tastings including a great lunch at one of the stops. It was great meeting the wine makers, hearing their stories, and drinking their wines. Fabian is very knowledgeable and great with sharing his knowledge of wines, the places you visit, and his knowledgeable of the area. As and added bonus, he takes pictures along the way to capture your day. I would highly recommend.

Thank you Fabian! My wife, daughter and I had the most incredible day touring 3 fantastic vineyards…read morein the beautiful Tuscan countryside. It started with the the ease of booking, and the personal approach Fabian took towards creating our collaborative and specialized itinerary. Coordination was seamless, and while we we were touring some incredible boutique wineries we were tapping into Fabian's deep knowledge of the region and wine. He made our first ever wine tour in Italy a truly special day. We strongly recommend Fabian to anyone wanting an authentic wine experience and we will certainly be seeing Fabian again on our next visit!

My experience at Fattoria di Montemaggio was one of my favorite experiences in all of Chianti. My…read morehusband and I hired a driver for the day to take us to a few wineries. The first winery we went to that day was Fattoria di Montemaggio. I'm so glad we hired the driver to go there. It was up on a hill off a gravel and dirt road in the far reaches of Radda in Chianti. Had we tried to drive there on our own, I think we may have given up, thinking we had gone the wrong way. However, on the way there, we saw beautiful view after beautiful view. Then we arrived and the views were even more stunning. Once we began the tour, we were joined by another couple (happenstance, also Americans) and our tour guide, an intern from the University of Florence who was very knowledgeable about winemaking in Chianti. We walked around the beautiful vista points, and through the vineyards. We saw hills, grapes, olives, and roses. This tour and wine tasting was beyond informative. I honestly learned so much about the region. It was really interesting. Our tour guide was very personable and the whole experience was enjoyable. We tried several wines and a grappa in the middle of an olive grove sitting in a lovely picnic area. In true Italian style, we were given a plate with salami, pecorino cheeses, bread and olive oil to taste along with the wine. We truly had an amazing morning of wine (yes, it is always 5 o'clock in Chianti) and I would truly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Chianti. Yes, it is a bit treacherous, so a driver is a good move.

Off the beaten path, follow the instructions on their website (gps took us the wrong way). The wine…read moretasting typically is 2 hours but we were short on time so they modified for us. Scenery is beautiful, wines were really good - they had a surprisingly great Chardonnay and of course great Chiantis. The gate was closed when we arrived but you just use the call box and they buzz you in. Great experience :)

Wow. One of the most beautiful places on the planet. We were in the area to go to another winery…read morebut they were closed because it was the off season but we saw their sign and decided to give it a try. We met the owner who spoke very little English but his beautiful and brilliant daughter helped us bridge the language gap for the tasting. The wine was exceptional and we bought two bottles at a very reasonable price. This is a authentic small winery for the true Italian family experience. Don't miss this gem if you are in the area.

Thanks to Jacqueline and her review we found ourselves driving down one of the most beautiful…read moreplaces I have ever seen on our way to TanaGatta. We were welcomed right away by Susana, the owner, who led us to the cantina. After a very warm welcome she led my wife and I down to the winery. Since this was our first time ever in a winery she explained the whole process in italian while my wife translated for me. It is inspiring to meet people with passion and love for what they do like the owners of this place. She offered us cheese and cold cuts while we tried the delicious wine and amazing olive oil. Needless to say we walked away with bottles of each but never felt pressured to buy, even though who wouldn't after trying their wonderful products. Do yourself a favor and make the drive, the city center is not that far away and you will fall in love with the place.

Fantastic tasting. Very nice people. Would totally go back. Wine was delicious! No reservation and…read morea morning wine tasting.

Toured this beautiful winery with my daughter and a friend who lives in Montecarlo. It was…read moreinformative, and the wine and antipasto, delicious!

We went during the High Season when most wineries required a reservation and we were able to walk…read morein and begin tasting wines. The staff couldn't be any friendlier or more accommodating. They walked us through a tasting of about 5 whites and 4 reds. Everyone in out group found a couple wines they really liked. They made shipping wine back to the US very simple and even called a local restaurant and asked them to stay open and await our arrival (which they gladly did). If you're in the area I recommend you eat there (Osteria Del Vecchio Oliva)..it's about a mile away.

We had an amazing wine tasting and lunch experience here. Alberto guided us through his family's…read morehistoric wine estate. It is stunning; inside and out. He personalized the wine tasting to feature reds since they are our favorite ! The lunch was delicious and plentiful ! We ordered a couple bottles to even send back home. Highly recommend !

This experience was the highlight of our group tour to San Gimignano from Livorno. It was part of a…read moreNCL tour that included a visit to the medieval village, but with emphasis on the wine of the region. We were taken to this lovely estate, while dodging roosters and chickens as our bus entered through the main gate. It's such a picturesque setting for a wine tasting. I can see that many events are celebrated in these vineyards all year round. The beautiful rose bushes along the trail leading to the wine tasting room added even more charm. Gabrielle was our guide for this tour. He gave us a great presentation of all that Tenuta Torciano has to offer. It all started with the appetizer plate that went perfectly with their amazing Vernaccia wine. It is such a beautiful golden color with a bright and crisp fruity taste. The grape is only grown in this region. It's a must try when in San Gimignano. I was also very much in love with the Rosato IGT Toscana wine that is very deep pink in color. It looks so pretty in the bottle. It was my second favorite of the 9 or 10 different wines that we tasted. It was an extremely generous amount for the cost. I even purchased a couple of reds, which I'm not usually fond of because they give me headaches. These did not have that affect on me. The Super Tuscan red wines called Bartolomeo & Baldassarre totally won me over. In all honesty, I've never spent this much on wine in my entire life. It was worth it. They ship it straight to your home. They have a stateside warehouse in Chicago which makes it so convenient. The package arrived a couple of days after we returned from our trip. It was exactly what we ordered, and packed with such wonderful care. Great service! We also were given the opportunity to try their flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegar. The truffle oil was drizzled over the lasagna for the tasting, but it was the balsamic vinegar that was a big hit with my husband. We've been getting a lot of use out of it when making bruschetta and caprese salad at home. It's delicious! The sweet ending to our tasting was the Vin Beato dessert wine. We dipped the cantucci (or biscotti cookies) into the wine. It was the perfect ending to a lovely wine tasting experience. I really wasn't expecting a full meal, nor was I expecting so many different wine samplings. It exceeded our expectations. I believe they have a number of different experiences here like truffle hunting and horseback riding. Just check out their website. I would have never known about this place had I not booked a tour through the cruise line. It was a memorable visit with an excellent wine tasting. I'd do it again if ever in San Gimignano.