Archive for 'Wineries & Breweries'

In our last article we discussed how wine is a good reason to visit Tuscany and mentioned some of the best places to learn about, taste and fully experience wine and the culture of wine in the region.

However, we had a few more suggestions that we couldn't squeeze in so here are two more places that are a must for any wine lovers doing a tour of Tuscany.

Montepulciano is famous for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, one of three great Sangiovese DOCG zones in Tuscany. The wine was first documented in 789 AD when a cleric, Arnipert, offered the church of San Silvestre some vineyards attached to the castle of Policiano.

Wine is a good reason to visit Tuscany but, if it's of particular interest, where should you go to try it? Lucky for you, we've compiled a list of some of the best places to learn about, taste and fully experience wine and the culture of wine in Tuscany.

Castello di Ama is a famous winery located in the medieval Tuscan village of Ama in the middle of the Chianti wine region.

The setting is picturesque and the village, itself, is an incredibly charming collection of buildings largely dating to the 18^th century and is almost entirely owned by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple who run the winery.

Good wine is one of the things, along with good food, that really draws visitors to the region of Tuscany and makes them choose it as a holiday destination. Fall, in particular, is a great season to visit the region if you are a foodie in search of a break full of culinary delights.

It is a season when truffles are found, chestnuts are roasted, porcini and pumpkin make their way into pasta dishes and countless towns and municipalities have food and wine festivals to celebrate their local gastronomies.

We have tracked down some of the best of these wine festivals from around the region so all you need to do is choose one of our amazing vacation rentals in Tuscany and get to trying out some of the most famous and best wines that it has to offer.

When one thinks of castles in Tuscany, the great urban palaces of the Medici tend to spring to mind. However, in reality, there are many more examples and a great deal of variety all across the region that are just waiting to be discovered.

Sarteano, for example, is a stunning Tuscan town that has long been a bit of a hidden gem and is very distinctive; a lush and green place with a medieval core and topped by its famous giant castle. The castle is the main highlight and dates to the twelfth or thirteenth century. It is surrounded by a double circle of walls enclosing an imposing square keep with round towers at the sides and is a bold and striking building in a perfectly strategic location. Bought by the city of Sarteano in 1998, it was opened to the public in 2006, after a long series of restoration works. Inside, you can explore the service rooms necessary for a castle to function, head to the ramparts for stunning views across the surrounding landscape, wander the courtyards and uncover secret passageways and outside you'll find the pretty park that the complex is located on. Just find a holiday rental in Sarteano and you can begin exploring this fascinating building.

Castello di Ama is a famous winery located in the medieval Tuscan village of Ama in the Chianti region. The setting is picturesque, perched on a hilltop surrounded by vines and black cypress trees, with views across the surrounding landscape. The village, itself, is a charming collection of buildings largely dating to the 18^th century and is almost entirely owned by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple who run the winery. Once you venture through the village and on to the winery, you will find a unique experience that combines art and wine in an engaging way. When you arrive, brightly-coloured paving, mirrored walls and other oddities will catch your eye which heralds what sets this winery apart from others; over the past 15 years, some of the worlds preeminent artists have been invited to contribute works to the estate. If good art and even better wine are your thing, then finding a vacation rental in Chianti and planning a visit to the estate during your time in Tuscany is a must.