A Wine Fan in Tuscany: Five-Day Road Trip

Tuscany ! After a week of relaxing at Camping Viora with Hanneke and Alexander, I'm traveling solo to Tuscany. My adventure begins at Stazione Porta Nuova in Turin. From there, I'll take the high-speed train to Florence.

Going here has been on my bucket list for so long. Not only because I'm a fan of the wines—I heart Sangiovese—but also because of the relaxed atmosphere, the food, and the beautiful scenery. It's so beautiful and idyllic here.

Except in Florence. Let me just throw in that disclaimer right away. Here, I was a bit overwhelmed by the rest of the world (read: Japan) that also decided to visit this uber-touristy city. Perhaps the transition from a mini-campsite on a mountain to this attraction was too much...

Firenze > Chianti > San Gimignano > Montepulciano > Pienza > Montalcino > Bolgheri

Update (2022) : Looking for a peaceful and relaxing stay? Then book a room at the beautiful Badia a Coltibuono , a Chianti winery with hotel rooms. We got a tip from a fellow wine enthusiast, and it looks absolutely stunning. We enjoyed it. Also nice: there's a restaurant attached to the hotel, which still serves some older vintages of Chianti Classico. The food isn't spectacular, but it's good.

#1 Castello di Brolio

So, feel free to skip Florence, especially in the summer months. The advantage of a big city is that there's always a coffee shop open at 7:00 AM. The advantage of Italy is that you can find good coffee everywhere—train station included. An hour later, I'm tearing onto the highway with a blissful feeling. I'm allowed to visit Brolio Castle (thanks to importer Vinites).

Since 1141, Castelo di Brolio (literally: Brolio Castle) has been owned by the Ricasoli family. It is still run by the same family and is one of the oldest companies in the world.

The Baron of Ricasoli is one of the key figures in the history of Chianti. He constantly searched for the best way to produce Chianti. In 1872—after 30 years—he finally found the recipe for success. This recipe was adopted almost identically as production guidelines a hundred years later, when Chianti transitioned to DOC status.

I'm in luck! I get a private tour of the vineyards, the château, and the cellars. The Merlot was just being harvested when I visited. It was as if the WSET3 course was playing out like a movie before my eyes. In the vineyards, I see the cordon pruning method—the way you prune a vine for optimal picking. Yes, okay, the winemaker is talking, but man, oh man, this was amazing!

After a delicious lunch at the Castello di Brolio restaurant, I continued my way to the Panizzi winery in San Gimignano.

#2 San Gimignano

Welcome to medieval Manhattan. It's as if time has stood still here. In the 14th century, it was fashionable to build your own tower in San Gimignano. Preferably as high as possible, so you literally towered over your neighbors. It conferred status and prestige. Several of those towers still stand, creating a beautiful sight as you drive up.

I drive past the old town on my way to the Panizzi winery. San Gimignano is the only village in Tuscany with a DOCG for white wines. The Vernaccia grape is in charge here.

Eating in San Gimignano

That's certainly possible, but you have to know where to go, because it's teeming with tourists. I found it a bit crowded and still had an hour and a half's drive to my next destination, so I just had an espresso at the bar.

Later, I went back to try the fagottini del contadino at Perucà restaurant. These are—hold on tight—ravioli filled with pecorino and pears served with a saffron sauce, pine nuts, and even more pecorino. Before or after dinner, you can go to DiVinorum for a glass of wine with a fantastic view over the vineyards. That was a tip from local Susanna from Panizzi winery, so the wines must be good.

Peruca, Via Capassi, 16, San Gimignano
DiVinorum, Via Degli Innocenti 21, San Gimignano

More tips in San Gimignano

In 2022 we joined The Magiatoia Where you can drink Cepparello for 80 euros and where they also had several Mastrojanni's on the menu, a top-notch house from Montalcino. What a stroke of luck. Too bad we still had an hour and a half to drive, otherwise we would have definitely given up. The food was okay, nothing special.

#3 Montepulciano

Be sure to stop in Montepulicano. This village is definitely nicer and more vibrant than Montalcino. Today, wow. I wish my eyes could take pictures. All told, I spent five hours in the car today, but it doesn't feel that way at all. Especially now that I'm catching a dusk and a sunset.

The navigation system blares through the car, pulling me out of my daydream: TURN LEFT. I arrive at a dirt road and nooooo: I see deer! Wow. Could it get any better? A few hundred meters further, I'm at my accommodation: Agriturismo Il Gonzeto . Instant happy place.

I got the tip for my sleeping place from Lenny Haanen, a Dutch woman in Tuscany, who decided last year to pool her knowledge in her travel agency Taste of Tuscany . She organizes complete tours and day trips (think wine tastings, deli tours, and painting workshops). She provided me with a wealth of tips that I happily followed, including a fantastic sunset tasting in Montalcino.

Agriturismo Il Gonzeto , Via di Gonzeto, Montepulciano

Eating in Montepulciano

That's what you do at Acquacheta. I got the tip from the Poliziano winery, which I'd visited earlier that day. The Poliziano team had made a reservation for me, and I don't know what they said, but I was adored by the owner—an eccentric figure—of Acquacheta. Even the people sitting next to me noticed. Oh, you know, I'm the wine queen of Little Schorre . Just kidding, of course.

When I see pecorino and truffle in one dish, I get a sudden shock. I have to try this! Then I go for the Steak Florentina, a huge piece of meat that you also get to see raw first. Grazie. I share it with the table next to me. The wine selection is easy: white or red. Although the owner could really cash in on special wines, he keeps his wine list simple.

Acquacheta, Via del Teatro, 22 – Montepulciano

This is seriously a layer of truffle on top of a layer of pecorino and it is belissima.

Steak Florentina, the most delicious meat I have ever eaten.

#4 Pienza

A while ago I met an Italian at a wine tasting Bottle Stops . She recommended that I definitely visit Pienza. This quaint, idyllic village is nestled right between the two major wine villages – Montepulciano and Montalcino. The big advantage is that you pay a lot less for the same here. Pienza is full of charming houses with cheerful flowers, picturesque streets, and delicious food.

Eating in Pienza

Don't be alarmed by the sign at the entrance to the terrace: No internet, no pasta, no pizza, no Diet Coke, and no cappuccino. It might sound a bit harsh, but the man certainly doesn't mean it that way. At Setta di Vino, you'll taste authentic Tuscan cuisine. It takes some getting used to for the American couple on the left ( "Can we get the local pizza, please?"). I opted for my favorite dish again: bruschetta with pecorino and truffle. Delicious. Then I had melanzane—steamed eggplant, which I'd eaten in tomato sauce before, but never like this.

Setta di Vino, Piazza di Spagna 1, Pienza

Steamed eggplant. Delicious.

Straight talk at Setto di Vino. Get lost with your pizza.

#5 Montalcino

After lunch in Pienza, I'm powering on to Montalcino. Isn't that where that famous wine comes from? Absolutely. Brunello di Montalcino is made here, and it's a must-try. Of all the Sangiovese, this is the wine that generally keeps the longest. Brunellos are robust, but oh so beautiful.

For tonight I booked a room on the main square: Affittacamere La Torre . Cheap, central, and even a wine cooler in your room. Nothing wrong with that, except that you're next to a church. So you hear the bells chiming every hour...

In the evening, I have an appointment with Lenny, a Dutch woman. We're going to visit Il Palazzone winery for a tour and a real sunset tasting led by Esther Jurgens, founder of Vino Vistas .

Cheers!

Eating in Montalcino

When the sun disappears behind the clouds, the three of us go for a bite to eat in Montalcino. Esther is originally from Germany, but has lived in Montalcino for years. She's now quite fluent in German, English, French, and Italian—she's got it all covered. Deep down, I'm a little jealous of such language skills. As a local, she knows exactly where to go: we're having dinner at Alle Logge de Piazza. Here, I'm introduced to pici, a hand-rolled pasta from the region, for the first time. Divine.

Alle Logge de Piazza, Via Giacomo Matteotti 1, Montalcino.

Pici cacio e pepe with a Rosso di Montalcino.

Road trip through Tuscany

Exploring Tuscany was the best decision I ever made. I immersed myself in Italian life for five days, discovered pici cacio e pepe, and deepened my love for sangiovese ❤ Fly to Florence or Pisa and in no time you will imagine yourself in a Tuscan atmosphere.

The observant viewer will notice that I made one more stop. Yes, I was allowed to look inside Ornellaia in Bolgheri and it was AMAZING. Check it out here . Also the tastiest restaurant in Bolgheri found.