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A Tour & Taste Retreat Among Italy’s Vineyard
Discover the world of delectable wines surrounding your country villa
By Heather Whipps
There are so many grape varieties in Italy that the Tuscan countryside alone churns out a kaleidoscope of enough reds, whites and rosés to keep even the choosiest of palettes busy tasting to find their favorite. If you’re a wine-lover, or just an amateur, the way to best experience the flavors of Italy’s wine regions is with a vineyard tour. On a typical wine tour you’re likely to be led through the grounds, hear the history of the winery and region’s rich heritage, and taste some of the product. A lunch of Italian specialties, all red-checkered tablecloth in some picturesque setting, is a usual bonus.
Like olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Italian villa rentals and wine tours are a natural pairing. Details of your tour—everything from a car rental for exploring the countryside to reservations at the best local winery—can also be arranged in advance by your villa concierge, leaving you simply to enjoy the heady product. Here’s a list of the Italian wine regions you might want to sample for yourself:
Chianti
When the locale’s name is synonymous with that of a wine, you know you’re in expert territory. Chianti is a famous wedge of Tuscany encompassing the 65 square miles between Florence and Siena, a landscape dotted with Medieval hilltop towns and connected by fertile valleys. Nearly 20,000 acres of this land is swathed in vineyards, a rich economic tradition that has persisted for thousands of years. The dominant wine here, naturally, is a red called Chianti Classico; look for its telltale black rooster label at the vineyards you visit in the area – only these wines are official Classico.
Santa Lucia di Sopra, a ten-bedroom villa with full staff, lies right in the heart of Classico country. The estate looks over a valley famous for its vintage Chianti.
Speaking of vintage, few houses beat six-bedroom La Lucertola when it comes to getting better with age: this gorgeous 600-year-old farmhouse was completely restored in 2001.
See more villas in Chianti
Lazio
Those with a penchant for white wines will prefer Lazio, the region encircling Rome. Its most famous products are Marino, Colli Albani, and Frascati – an equal opportunity beverage known as "the wine of the popes and the people". Usually situated a distance outside Rome’s center, vineyard tours in Lazio can be a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of the Eternal City.
Casa di Poggia is a lovely garden farmhouse located about 50 minutes away from Rome. Its pergola, next to the swimming pool and shaded by olive trees, is a great place to try some of the wine you picked up on tour.
Truly unique in Lazio, Duna is a beachfront property with four bedrooms and extensive gardens to enjoy.
See more villas in Lazio
Sicily
When it comes to wine, the island of Sicily isn’t always given its proper due. While the soccer ball to Italy’s boot is best known for its volcanoes and granita, in reality it makes some pretty good dessert wines too (to go along with the aforementioned treat), the most famous of which is Marsala. Lord Horatio Nelson of Britain’s navy was a big fan of the sweet ruby drink, and he likely purchased his fair share of bottles at vineyards like Pellegrino and Rallo.
Built on the slopes of Mount Etna from genuine lava rock, Leoni is a true Sicilian abode. Its five bedrooms surround a central courtyard.
Or, make Villa Mapal your base for Sicilian wine tours. The owners of this grand home have preserved the elegance of its early 19th-century heritage.
See more villas in Sicily
Not Your Average Lawn Care
Many villas in Tuscany are encircled by vineyards already – a legacy typical to these centuries-old estate homes. Some may even be working so, if you’re lucky, the wine you have served with lunch might be from your own backyard. How’s that for authentic? |
For more information on these or other luxury villa rentals in Italy, please contact us:
Call 1-877-993-0100 or E-mail
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