Wine Maker Tuscany Tour with William Church Winery
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WINE MAKER TUSCANY TOUR WITH WILLIAM CHURCH WINERY • There are four major wine regions in Tuscany, each boasting DOCG wines: Cianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and White Vernaccia of San Gimignano. We visit them all!
The Tour begins in Florence with a guided walk around the city. We learn about Michelangelo’s daily life and see his wonderful works of art, including a chance to see Michelangelo’s “David,” followed by a welcome wine tasting and dinner with hosts, Rod and Leslie Balsley. Florence is lively with markets, artisan bakers, chocolate makers and olive oils. You will take in all the specialties on the food and wine tour while enjoying the history of Florence. Throughout the one week tour, you will visit the monasteries, vineyards, castles and cellars of the Tuscan Hill towns, taste wines from some of the most renowned wineries and experience the all the charm Tuscany has to offer!
About William Church Winery
William Church Winery is a boutique winery located in Woodinville, Washington. Owners, Rod and Leslie Balsley, founded the winery after their honeymoon in Italy, where life and wine seem intertwined in such a simple and meaningful way. They weaved the concept into William Church Winery; that fine wine can fit into the fabric of life and be a part of a creating lasting shared memories
William Church specializes in full-bodied red varietals and blends along with a highly rated Voignier. Focus is placed on making wine that is inviting and approachable, that is great with food but can stand alone and perhaps most important, contains the complexity and structure found in truly great wine. William Church wines have earned exceptional recognition from 90+ points in Wine Enthusiast & Wine Spectator to Double Gold at the Seattle Awards and Double Platinum from Wine Press Northwest. Their wines have also been recognized in the top 100 wines of the Northwest by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine.
2014 TOUR DATE:
April 12th – 19th, 2014
DAY 1 | FLORENCE 2 NIGHTS • Arrive this afternoon at our hotel in Florence where we begin our Tuscan adventure! We start off with a guided city tour of Florence, where we learn and experience all about Michelangelo and his daily life. We visit the Accademia to see the “David” up close and personal, then its off to our first wine tasting of the week before having a welcome dinner together.
Dinner
DAY 2 | FLORENCE • After breakfast in our hotel we meet our guide for a wonderful food and wine tour of Florence! We visit markets, artisan bakers, gelato and chocolate makers – all in shops chosen for their historic & culinary importance. We will taste breads, cheeses, salumi, crostini, sweets, balsamic vinegars, olive oils, wine, and seasonal specialties. Afternoon and evening free to explore more of Florence!
Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3 | CHIANTI 3 NIGHTS • This morning we head deeper into Tuscany – the Chianti Region. We start our day with a winery tour and lunch at a classic Tuscan winery. We’ll enjoy a 4-course meal paired with their wine. After lunch, we stop in Castellina in Chianti, the most medieval of the Chianti hill towns, for some shopping and exploring, then its time for another tasting before we settle into our villa/hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4 | CHIANTI • This morning we tour a monastery that dates backs more than a thousand years and learn how the monks who lived here founded the abbey and were the first to start planting vineyards in the upper Chianti region. Our tour includes a wine tasting and visits to the cellars and garden. After lunch, we will visit a couple of castles in the area as well as visiting another winery.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5 | CHIANTI • Today we explore Siena and San Gimignano! We enjoy an in-depth tour of Siena and have lunch before stopping at a local winery known for its famous white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. We will have plenty of time for shopping in San Gimignano, also known for its abundance of ceramic shops!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6 | MONTEPULCIANO 2 NIGHTS • This morning we head further south to the charming hill town of Montepulciano where we get settled into our hotel and visit a couple wonderful wineries for tastings of the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano! Afternoon free to explore more of this wonderful town!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7 | MONTEPULCIANO • This morning we head to Montalcino and discover the big bold wines of Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino! We stop at a winery for a tour/tasting then visit the town of Montalcino with more tastings and time for a little shopping! As we return back to Montepulciano, we will stop in Pienza and sample the famous Pecorino cheese!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8 | • This morning we have a group transfer back to Florence, where you can catch trains to any destination in Italy.
Breakfast
TOUR DETAILS:
Tour Begins: 4:00pm in our hotel in Florence.
Tour Concludes: In the morning after breakfast of Day 8 with a group transfer back to Florence
TOUR PRICE:
$4,200
TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
- 7 nights double occupancy lodging in 3 and 4 star hotels with private bathroom
- All breakfasts
- 6 lunches with the local wine
- 6 dinners with the local wine
- All entry fees to parks and museums
- All ground transportation
- All local guides
- All Wine Tastings
TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Air Transportation or transfer to hotel on the 1st day of the tour
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Required Trip Insurance
Please note that trip insurance is required to join us on a Ciao Darcy trip. Trip cancellation insurance will protect all deposits and payments for land and air costs if you are required to cancel your tour. We recommend www.travelguard.com
Minimum Travelers
Minimum Travelers: We only run trips with 6 or more guests. If a trip has fewer attendees at 30 days before the trip dates, we will cancel the trip.
Accommodations
We have partnered with boutique hotels that meet the Ciao Darcy standards of service.
Room Options
Double Occupancy: Double occupancy pricing is the price for (1) person to stay in a shared (i.e. double) room. In other words, each person staying in that room will pay the posted double occupancy rate. If you’re a couple or friends traveling together, please know that you’ll each pay the double occupancy rate.
Single Occupancy: Need some alone time? We hear you. That’s why we offer single occupancy rooms. The single occupancy rate is what you will pay to have the room all to yourself.
Roommates
If you do not have a travel partner, you can purchase single occupancy room and have it all to yourself! We do not pair up trip attendees because we find there is not enough privacy in the rooms to allow strangers to room together.
