This is one of our most popular Tuscany wine and food tours. On this idyllic Tuscany wine tour you will meet two families at the heart of Tuscan life and both great friends of Alma Italia. The first will be at one of the most historic and prestigious olive groves in all of Tuscany, run by the same family for 200 years from their Renaissance villa high on a hill overlooking Florence, reportedly the birthplace of the mother of the Mona Lisa. The second, at their award winning family run Chianti Classico vineyard not far from Florence.

Your Alma Italia guide will meet you at your hotel to take you by private transport first to meet the Calamai family who have produced olives here on the first hills outside Florence for more than 200 years.  They have survived Fascism, Nazi occupation of their home, terrible winter frosts and finally Covid to remain on top of their game with a reputation for producing the finest oil in Tuscany. Signora Calamai will recount to you some of the fascinating history of her family and the villa while you try some of their freshly pressed organic oil.  After a look around the farm and villa, and perhaps even an encounter with Baffo the goat, Eleonora, ‘la Mamma’ and expert Tuscan cook, will take you into the kitchens of the beautiful villa overlooking Florence for a cooking class to share with you some of their family secret traditional Tuscan recipes.

Lunch will be in the garden of the villa or the historic frescoed dining room. What could be a more satisfying way to spend a lazy afternoon than feasting on the fruit of your labours enjoyed with a sprinkling of zero km’s fresh oil and a bottle of local wine from the neighbouring vineyard.

After a delicious and relaxing lunch your Alma Italia guide will take you to meet the Davaz family, the passionate owners of an organic Chianti classico vineyard. Now run by the second and third generation, the family originally hailing from neighbouring Switzerland, run the vineyard with Swiss precision and Italian soul. You will be able to sample at least four or five of their beautifully crafted wines and take a tour of their cleverly designed cellar, hidden in the hill of the vineyard. They will lead you on a stroll through the vines up the hill so you can see spectacular views across the Tuscan hills back towards Florence and the mountains beyond. This is the Tuscan countryside at its most glorious. If you are lucky you might even see some deer or wild boar roaming through the vines.

When you’ve tasted as much wine as you can handle (Valentino will keep pouring until you insist!), we will make the short trip through the rolling hills back to your hotel for a well earned rest.