Vintage Joy: Tuscany Wine Tours

WRITTEN BY Tim Surgenor

Experience the restorative power of Tuscany on a tour of Italy’s premier wine region

It is no surprise that people in Tuscany and neighbouring Umbria live longer than anywhere else in Italy.

The air is crisp and clear, the food you eat can be traced to nearby farms that have been owned by the same family for generations, and the soft rolling hills invite a leisurely, relaxed rhythm of life.

There is something undeniably restorative about this region of Italy. It is a place where vita è bella – life is good.

Uncorking happiness

The best way to enjoy vineyard tours Tuscany is to embrace its relaxed, refined approach to life. One could spend a lifetime here and still not visit all the wineries, sample all the olive oil from the press, and drink espresso in every sun-bathed courtyard framed by ancient grapevines.

One of our favourite places in Tuscany is Lucca, a comune on the banks of the Serchio River, one of the longest rivers in Italy. You can trace the river all the way to Monte Sillano, over a hundred miles away; the same sun that illuminates the courtyards of the city melts the snow that feeds the river.

Because Lucca has so much to see, it is impossible to compile a list of places that you must go when on vineyard tours Tuscany. Of course, years of experience in the region mean that we do have some favourite destinations.

Experience the restorative power of Tuscany on a tour of Italy’s premier wine region

The Montecarlo Wine Road

Don’t confuse the Italian Montecarlo with the glitz and glamour of the small European nation state with its famous casino. We can assure you, Tuscany’s Montecarlo is a far more relaxed affair. The region was once known as Vivinai, drawing on both the Italian words vita and vino, meaning life and wine. In our opinion, the meaning remains apt, even if the name has fallen out of favour.

The wine road will take you – of course – from vineyard to vineyard, but make sure you spend time at the spring-fed spas that contribute to the natural flavours of the region’s produce. Enjoy a glass of Montecucco Sangiovese – a dry red with hints of fruit – and whittle away an hour or two outdoors with someone you love.

grapes on a vine in chianti Tuscany winery

Timelessness for those caught in the fever and fret of life.

For all it’s beauty, the thing we value most about Puglia is its gift of time. The days pass differently here – the mornings effortlessly blend into the afternoons and the afternoons into night. One day complements the next in the way that vineyards complement the sea in the Valle d’Itria. Puglia is best enjoyed with others – with those you most love – not just because good food and good wine invites good company, but because the region offers time to reconnect, rekindle, and rejoice.

In short, here is our humble opinion: tours of Puglia never disappoint. They rejuvenate, revive, delight. And while there is more to the region than the ocean, you are never far from the sweet, sweet sound of the sea.