Nectar of the Gods

highlights

• Enjoy a glorious day tour to Tuscany from Rome in your vehicle and English-speaking Driver at your service
• Discover the divine flavors of Montepulciano’s noble red wines
• Wander through the history-steeped streets of Montepulciano
• Visit local wine shops for wine tasting and visits to ancient wine cellars
• Explore Montalcino, the hilltop town crowned by a magnificent medieval fortress
• Savor the exquisite Brunello wines of Montalcino at local wine shops
• Visit the revered 12-century Sant’Antimo Abbey, home to Benedictine monks
• Complete your day in Tuscany with a visit to a local winery for a winery cellar tour and savor the nectar of the gods
• Our tours are private just for you and your party for optimal tour enjoyment, comfort, and privacy.
• We make our Tuscany tours easy with convenient pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Rome
• This tour does NOT include a Tour Guide, you will Self Tour when away from the Vehicle
• * This is an extended tour with arrival in Rome at approximately 7:00 - 7:30 PM
• ** This Tour has a 7-DAY CANCELATION Policy for Refund
• * Please read ALL the information on the tour page before booking to ensure this tour meets your expectations. If you have any unanswered questions let us know. Tour Requests are confirmed based on availability.
• ** This tour is offered AS IS without modifications to towns or wineries. Thew winery will be reserved only AFTER the tour is confirmed

itinerary

• Montepulciano (up to 1 hour)
• Montalcino (up to 2 hours)
• Sant'Antimo Abbey (brief stop)
• Winery Wine Tasting (1.5 hours)

description

Celebrate the timeless art of winemaking and traditions from our ancestors on our Tuscany wine tasting tour from Rome with visits to Montepulciano and Montalcino, two of Tuscany’s most remarkable Medieval towns that for centuries have achieved preeminent status for their local wines. 

Delight in a visit to the revered Sant’Antimo Abbey, which is home to Olivetan Benedictine monks.  Visit an esteemed local winery for wine tastings and opportunities to learn more about the traditions and culture of winemaking.  The locations in this extended Nectar of the Gods Tuscany Wine Tour from Rome offer sightseeing opportunities and enjoyment for guests who are not partaking in wine tastings. 

NECTAR OF THE GODS TOUR PRICE LIST

• Minimum 2 persons from Rome Hotel  720 EUROS
• For up to 4 persons from Rome Hotel   750 EUROS
• For up to 6 persons from Rome Hotel   780 EUROS
• For up to 7 persons from Rome Hotel   830 EUROS

 
* Prices do NOT include Winery Fees (approximately 30 Euros Per Person)

** This tour is offered AS IS without modifications to towns or wineries.

** You may also do a QUICK PRICE CHECK using the Price Check & Booking Form on the Right Side of this page.  Once you receive the PRICE QUOTE based on the information you input, you may proceed to SUBMIT your Tour Request.

*** Dates on the Booking Form Calendar that are NOT Selectable, are NOT AVAILABLE.

Since ancient times, wine has held a special and even sacred status, from being named nectar of the gods by ancient Greeks, to being designated in worship of certain gods by ancient Egyptians, and being part of liturgical ritual practices since biblical times.  The role and traditions of wine evolved into a convivial cultural symbol enjoyed in our modern world and associated with history, gastronomy, and tradition.

On this extended Tuscany Wine Tour from Rome, you will also discover the distinctive flavors of various wines produced in Montepulciano and Montalcino made from the local Sangiovese grap,e which is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jupiter" (further evidence you will be enjoying the Nectar of the Gods).

MONTEPULCIANO - "the King of All Wines"

Your journey through the bucolic landscapes of Tuscany takes you to Montepulciano, a fascinating hilltop town filled with magnificent architecture, local charm, excellent wine, and awe-inspiring views of its surrounding valleys and soft rolling hills that are characteristic of the Valley of Chiana (Val di Chiana).

Montepulciano’s history is quite ancient, having once been an Etruscan city named Nocera Alfaterna.  During the Medieval era, Montepulciano was controlled by Florence and Sienna.

The Tuscany region is world-famous for its exceptional wines, but Montepulciano is indeed the “King of all Wines” as described in his famous poem, “Bacchus in Tuscany” by 17th-century poet Francesco Redi. 

The Noble Wine of Montepulciano (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) is one of Tuscany’s most ancient wines, documented as far back as 789 AD.  This classic red was preferred by Italy’s aristocracy and royalty since the 15th century. Pope Paul III’s wine advisor, Sante Lancerio, defined Montelcino’s wine as “very perfect and suited to the taste of gentlemen”, and it was considered a sophisticated wine for the table of nobles.


The ruby-red wine earned its title of “Noble” (Nobile  in Italian) in 1787, a title that still holds strongly to its glory and history

Wine tastings and visits to wine cellars are possible throughout Montepulciano’s wine shops (enoteche) owned by local producers.  This enhances visitors’ opportunities to sample and purchase a variety of local wines and regional food products while sightseeing in this remarkable historical town.

• Scroll down to read below: How is Vino Nobile di MONTEPULCIANO made, plus Wine Tasting Tips
  

 MONTALCINO - home of Burnello di Montalcino

Montalcino is another prized hilltop town in Tuscany that boasts splendid views of the surrounding Valley of Orcia (Val d’Orcia) from its lofty height.  While in Montalcino, you will enjoy free time on your own for lunch and to visit local wine shops for additional wine tastings and purchases.

Montalcino’s extensive history also reaches back to the enigmatic Etruscans, who ruled this region for centuries before being overtaken by the Romans.  Montalcino’s ancient name, Monte Ilcinus, draws from the oak trees that once covered the terrain of this area. The first written documents that refer to its modern name of “Montalcino” appeared in the early 9th century.

Today, Montalcino is world-famous for another well-known plant that grows within its region: the  Sangiovese grapevine (also called the Brunello grapevine), which produces the prestigious local wine Brunello di Montalcino. Scroll below for more information on the history of Brunello di Montalcino and how it's made.

Montalcino is a favorite on Tuscany tours not only for its esteemed wine but also for its historic, artistic, and architectural treasures. The hilltop town is crowned by an imposing 14th-century fortress that was built over earlier fortifications and served as the last bastion of resistance of the Sienese Republic against the Medici’s expansion and conquests.  

The characteristic streets are lined with shops and boutiques that sell local crafts and products, charming cafes, and wine shops (enoteche) where you have free time on your own to enjoy the opportunity to window shop, and sample or purchase some of the delicious Brunello di Montalcino.

• Scroll down and read: The History of BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO and how it's made

SANT’ANTIMO ABBEY - visit the mystical abbey

After lunch in Montalcino, you will enjoy a relaxing drive along a winding country road surrounded by vineyards, verdant hills, and isolated farmhouses until you arrive at Sant’Antimo Abbey for a brief visit.

Standing majestically in perfect solitude among olive groves and pastoral fields, this historical abbey is perfectly situated below the medieval hamlet of Castelnuovo dell’Abate.

Although the original abbey dates back to the 8th-9th century AD, with accounts of Charlemagne founding the monastery (see below the Legend of Sant’ Antimo), the current Romanesque style abbey was constructed in the 12th century, with the original Carolingian chapel still visible.

Regarded as a masterpiece of medieval architecture, when you enter the abbey, its solemn and mystical atmosphere will take you back to the Middle Ages and its austere monastic life. A quiet silence circulates among the unembellished walls of travertine and alabaster.  Today, Sant’Antimo is the home of a small community of diocesan priests and laypeople with established ministries whose daily services are based on the Benedictine monastic spirituality.

• Scroll down and read: LEGEND of SANT’ ANTIMO ABBEY
  
  

Complete your day in Tuscany with a 3:00 PM visit to a local winery near Sant'Antimo Abbey. You may book in advance a winery tour and learn more about local viticulture and the local traditions of winemaking. Your winery visit will last approximately 1.5 hours.

You may also take this time to simply luxuriate in wine tastings inside the wine tasting room or on the terrace, raising a glass to your unforgettable sojourn to this idyllic Tuscan countryside. To offer our guests maximum flexibility in case some members of your party are not able to participate in wine tasting, winery fees are NOT included in our tour fee.

** ADDITIONAL WINERY FEES are approximately 30-25 Euros Per Person, which also includes a tour of the winery. See BELOW for more information.

Our guests who enjoyed this Tuscany wine tour from Rome also booked the following:

• CORTONA AND AREZZO
  
• ENCHANTING TUSCANY TOUR FROM ROME
  
• MEDIEVAL MAGIC COUNTRYSIDE TOUR

Important Information

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW AND ACCEPT THE   TERMS OF SERVICE  AND PRIVACY POLICY BEFORE BOOKING.
 

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Advance PREPAYMENT for this tour via PayPal or Credit Card during the confirmation process.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We kindly ask that cancellations be made via E-mail at least 7 days prior to Date of Service. 

Cancellations are accepted only via E-mail so your cancellation is on record. We do not accept cancellations by phone, text message, or 3rd parties.

** Cancelations for PREPAID SERVICES will be refunded the Reduced Net Rate we receive from your prepayment.  Reduced Net Rate: actual service price minus PayPal/Credit Card fees retained by PayPal/Credit Card as they do not reimburse us the fees they retain from your payment.

** This tour is offered AS IS without modifications to the existing itinerary, towns, or winery. If you wish to make changes to the existing wine tour please send us an email and we can assist with a customized tour to suit your preferences.

WINE TASTING IN TUSCANY: Price, information:

** Winery fees are approximately 30-35 EUROS Per Person payable directly to the Winery. We don't include the winery fee in our tour fee in order to offer our guests flexibility in case some members of your party don't wish or are unable to participate in wine tasting. Wine tasting fees are subject to change without notice at the discretion of the winery, and prices are NOT guaranteed.

Advance reservations are required for winery tours and are subject to availability. Your winery visit will begin at approximately 3:00 PM and will last approximately 1.5 hours.  The winery visit time is booked in accordance with the winery's fixed visit schedule and is subject to availability.

The winery Fee includes a wine tasting of locally produced wines and a tour of the winery upon request.

YOUR PRIVATE TOUR DRIVER

This Wine Tasting Tour to Umbria and Tuscany Tour provides an English-speaking Driver who is NOT a licensed tour guide or a sommelier.

Italian laws permit only licensed tour guides to accompany guests to sightsee on foot away from the vehicle.

In order to comply with Italian laws, drivers are obliged by law to remain with the vehicle while guests sightsee on foot.  Drivers are happy to offer basic touristic information while at the vehicle, however you will SELF TOUR on your own when away from the vehicle.

Information about wines and wine production can be provided by the wine experts at the wine shops.