The Chianti Region is a beautiful slice of rolling hills in Tuscany, sprawling with vineyards and olive groves, peppered with small stone villages and wineries. A dream come true for oenophiles, the Chianti region is where the fabled Chianti and Chianti Classico wines are produced and one of the best places to taste and learn about Italy's celebrated wine culture. If you’re in Florence, you can take a quick day trip from Florence to Chianti and experience walking around the Chianti region, the vineyards, taste some of the best chianti wine and tour around the best chianti wineries in just a day.
Before you go on a Chianti wine tour from Florence, here’s all you should know about the Chianti region, Chianti wines, Chianti Wineries and other helpful tips to make the most of your Chianti Wine Tour.
Chianti Region
The Chianti region is in the heart of Tuscany, geographically between the provinces of Florence, Arezzo and Siena. It is hard to give borders to the Chianti region, simply because, historically the Chianti region was the land between Florence and Siena where Chianti wine was produced and over years, this land has grown many fold. Traditionally, the Chianti Classico Region comprised of : Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Impruneta, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Tavernelle Val di Pesa, Barberino Val d'Elsa and Poggibonsi.
In 1932, the Chianti region was redrawn and divided into 7 sub areas - Chianti Classico, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Colline Pisani, Chianti Colli Aretini, Chianti Rufina, Chianti Montalbano and Chianti Montespertoli. Wines labelled "Chianti Classico" come from the biggest and oldest sub-area of Chianti stamped with the distinct Black Rooster symbol.
Each of the other sub area Chianti Wine districts are named after the geographical area; Chianti Colli Fiorentini is the Chianti district in the hills of Florence, Chianti Colline Pisani refers to the hills of Pisa and so on. Colli / Colline translates to hills in Italian, hence the ones that have a Colli attached to their names are evidently on hills. As a rule, Chianti Wines from these 7 Chianti regions are lighter than the Chianti Classico, making them an easier drink. Also know that apart from Chianti Classico, each of the above Chianti wine regions do not have their own legal appellations but are all allowed to label their wines as Chianti DOCG along with the name of the region.
Chianti Vineyards & Wine
Chianti wine is often referred to as the "Bordeaux of Italy," due to its ease in blending and variability in style. While it is debatable whether the word Chianti means "flapping wings" or "screaming and sounds of horns" , the most common connect is to Clante, a common Etruscan name. The soul of Chianti wine is the rich purple Sangiovese grape giving it a bright garnet colour. Chianti wine must contain from 70% to 100% Sangiovese concentration hence characterising the Chianti wine taste with a flavor profile consisting of red cherry fruit, herbal notes and a touch of earth.
Baron Bettino Ricasoli, then Prime Minister of Italy created the Chianti recipe of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia bianca in the 19th century. Chianti wines were historically associated with a wines served in a fiasco, a sort of squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket and in order to retain the Chianti Classico tag, it had to be produced with at least 80% Sangiovese grapes.
During your Chianti Wine Tour, make sure to walk into any one of the Chianti vineyard landscapes, take a stroll among the vines, smell the air, touch the earth and snatch a grape or two to savour the sour sweet flavour. Before you go swirling wine, know how Chianti is pronounced! The Chianti pronunciation goes as Key-AHN-tee or 'kjanti in phonetics, contrary to ‘Shianti’ as most people pronounce it.
Florence to Chianti Wine Tours
1
Best of Chianti Day Tour with Tuscan Dinner & Wine Tasting
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
€85
8 hours 30 minutes
This tour begins from Chianti Classico where in addition to a Chianti Winery, you get to witness the production of extra virgin olive oil. A guided tour with an expert winemarker through wine cellars and a tasting session of exquisite wines will lift your spirits, quite literally! After stops at Greve Village and Castellina where you will walk through vineyards, medieval castles, Romasque churches, you will stop for a traditional Tuscan dinner with Chianti Wine at San Donato. The dinner includes a real “bistecca alla fiorentina” (T-bone steak, Florentine style). During this dinner, your palate will be treated to about 1 kg (around 36 oz.) of tender and tasty grilled meat coming from select Tuscan livestock farms (that can serve about 2 people). Very few experiences can rival that of sitting in a serene village, relishing some of the finest food in Italy with a glass of excellent wine. After a tranquil day by the pictursque hills of Chianti, you shall return back to Florence.
Highlights of Florence to Chianti Wine Tour
- Wine tasting
- Farm Fresh Dinner
- Multilingual guide
- Transport in luxury coach from Florence to Chianti
2
Half Day Tour of Chianti with Tuscany Wine Tasting
Saturday-Sunday
€49
6 hours 30 minutes
This Florence to Chianti Wine Tour takes you to the best of Chianti Classico wineries, vineyards and other delights this wine producing town has. Forests, villas, dreamy castles and romanesque churches dotting the landscape, walking through the naturally well-endowed region of Tuscany might seem right out of a fairytale. is a treat to the senses. At Greve, a honey stoned village, you can spend some time at an ancient ‘market’ and visit a family run winery where you can taste upto 4 different types of Chianti wines.
Highlights of Florence to Chianti Wine Tour
- Transport in a top-notch van from Florence to Chianti and back
- Tour of two of the most charming medieval villages in Tuscany - Greve and Castellina
- Travel along the alluring Via Chiantigiana
- Expert Tour escort
- Wine tastings with snacks
3
Full Day Tour of Tuscany with Lunch and Wine Tasting
Sunday- Friday
€75
14 hours
The tour begins from Florence and the first on the agenda is a stop at Siena. In this charming town, you shall embark on a guided walking tour. In Siena, you shall visit the Piazza del Campo, Piazza del Duomo, Siena Cathedral, Santa Maria Della Scala following which you will be allowed to discover the city for yourself. After all that ambling, you will surely have worked up an appetite, so a full spread lunch deserves to be in cards. Since you're in the Tuscan region, no meal is complete without wine hence a wine tasting session is called for too! After an appetising lunch, you will head to San Gimignano, situated on a hill. The surrounding scenery is gorgeous and touring the town with its towers, narrow streets and beautiful churches makes for a wonderful experience. As you go along the picturesque roads, you will soon reach the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. The Pisa Cathedral, Pisa Baptistery and the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa can be seen here. You can explore the area at your pace and take photographs as well. After spending the day in the Tuscan lands, you shall be taken back to Florence by nightfall.
Highlights of Florence to Chianti Wine Tour
- Travel by GT coach with air-conditioned interiors from Florence to Siena and Pisa
- Self-guided visit to Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa and San Gimignano
- Expert Guided tour of Siena
- Wine tasting in Siena
- Expert multilingual tour leader
- Lunch consisting of local Tuscan delicacies
4
Day Tour of Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti with Wine Tasting
Saturday-Sunday
€49
11 hours
After a scenic ride from Florence to Siena, your tour begins from the town of San Gimignano in Siena. After a scrumption Tuscan lunch here, along with a glass of Chianti wine, you will embark on a guided tour through the narrow medieval streets Siena. From the Palazzo Pubblico in the Piazza del Campo square, to the Museum and Oratory of Contrada and the magnificent Cathedral of Siena, you will walk along with the expert guide and learn interesting details about Siena. The village of Monteriggioni is next on the itinerary. Bask in the rustic atmosphere of the small hamlet. Here, you get to experience an exquisite Tuscan wine tasting session in a cosy winery close to the rolling hills of the Chianti region. You can sample four unique wines, balsamic vinegar and ‘zero food miles’ products, all of which are authentic Tuscan delicacies.
Highlights of Florence to Chianti Wine Tour
- Luxury coach transport from Florence to Chianti and back
- Sample up to four different wines and balsamic vinegar in a winery.
- Professional local guide in Siena
- Multilingual tour escort - English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and French
- Samples of wines and ‘zero food miles’ products
Best Chanti Wineries
When traveling through the land of world famous wines, it would be nothing short of a sin to not venture out and experience the fine wineries that produce the Chiantis of the world. While the answer for a spectacular Chianti tour lies in every nook of the glorious valley, you will need to shortlist a few Chianti wineries before setting off. Make sure you don’t choose more than two or three wineries for a day. Things are quite slow in Italy as compared to Napa Valley, so it's better to opt for a sedate routine than rush around. Also, too many tours can get repetitive and there are only a few variations on the fermenting theme.
If you're one to love wine tasting and vineyards, you can choose to stay in some of these wineries which double as farmhouses allowing for tourists to stay in the premises.
Ready for a gulp or two?
Check out Florence to Chianti Wine Tourshere, or check out other Day Trips from Florence here.
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