Siena, Italy - Wine Tour in Tuscany

The Tuscan countryside on the drive to the vineyards. 

Wine tasting in Tuscany has been on my list of "things to do" for many years. In April my husband and I spent a day in the Chianti region with an amazing tour guide, visiting four small family owned wineries in breathtaking locations. The knowledgeable and entertaining Donatella Noni operates her company, Wine Tours in Tuscany out of Siena.  It has been highly reviewed on TripAdvisor and other sites. Those reviews are correct, and our tour with Donatella turned out to be a once in a lifetime day for us.

She picked us up at our hotel in her new sporty van she fondly named Sandy. One other couple joined us and the five headed out through the spectacular Tuscan countryside to our first stop, Setriolo, a small winery owned and run by a mother and daughter. The grounds and vineyards are especially gorgeous with colorful gardens, numerous roses, sensational vistas, and one very memorable field of grapes. In the center of the rows of grapes stands one grand olive tree, the symbol of the winery.

The one stately olive tree in the middle of the vineyard.

The wisteria was in bloom during our visit. 

The wine tasting took place in the farmhouse living room, as comfortable and charming as you might expect from a home in Tuscany. We sampled two of their Chianti Classico and one Merlot, produced from grapes grown on the property and, accompanied by some tasty cheese, salami and crackers. The wine was delicious and inexpensive.  We purchased a bottle of Chianti to bring home before we left for our next stop.

Our first wine tasting of the day.

Stop two was Querceto Di Castellina, a larger family winery with agriturism accomodations on premise.  We enjoyed four more tastings, a pink Rose', two Chianti Classico and Merlot.  Very drinkable wine, and we purchased a bottle of the Rose' for later enjoyment in our hotel.

Wine tasting at Querceto di Castellina. 

The highlight of our third stop at Antico Podere Casanova was the house-cured prosciutto that was served with the quite remarkable Chianti Classico and Gandino wines. The owner/winemaker who spoke no English, brought us down to his cellar to sample some wine aging in chestnut barrels.  My favorite of the day! We left with a bottle of his fine Gandino, exclusive to his winery.

Our guide Donatella with our gracious host,

Sampling wine from the chestnut barrels. 

Lunch was prepared and served at the home of a family friend of our guide, Donatella.  The home dated back to the 1200's and the charm was everywhere.  The lasagna was prepared Tuscan style with Bechamel sauce, rich and flavorful.  The Tiramisu was the best I've ever had.  Of course, the meal was served with wine. More wine! 

Our fourth stop was at the equally beautiful La Papessa Vineyards and Agrotourism estate. By that time, I was not a good critic of the wine we tasted.  Matter of fact, the whole stop was a little vague after so much good wine, food and fun. The day was coming to an end and I had enjoyed more than my share of fantastic wine served in incredible settings.

All the wineries were as scenic as you would imagine in Tuscany.  

This was a day that I will never forget. If you are looking for a unique, fun-filled and delicious adventure,  I cannot recommend Wine Tours in Tuscany any higher.

Dundee, OR - Domaine Drouhin

The attractive entrance to Domaine Drouhin Winery. 

Domaine Drouhin offers wine tasting in a sophisticated atmosphere offering spectacular views.
What did we have: the standard three flight wine tasting plus the bonus of a couple of special varietals
What was fun: the scenery is breathtaking, the wine is elegant, and if they happen to open a few special bottles, you're in for a real treat.

Enjoying fine wine on the outdoor patio. 

After enjoying a leisurely hour of wine tasting at the comfortable Erath Winery with our good friends, Betsy and Larry, we only had time for one more stop that afternoon. So we made our way up the winding roads in Dundee, Oregon to the highly recommended Domaine Drouhin. The winery sits perched on top of a high hill. The unassuming entrance led way to the spacious tasting room and outdoor patio.  I would call the decor sophisticated minimalist, sleek styling featuring rich earth colors. Very fitting for the fine wine we tasted, and quite the opposite from the homey feel of Erath.  Once we ordered our wine tastings - a flight of three wines for $10 - we found a table on the outdoor patio and were impressed with the dramatic view of of the 225 acres of vineyards.  It was simply gorgeous. Sitting next to us was a table of patrons who clearly were VIPs.  The red carpet treatment was being offered this group as bottles were being opened and wine was being tossed out after a few sips.  This is important to note, because we benefited by their visit that afternoon.  Our attractive server was very informative, explaining about each wine we sampled. The Drouhin family also owns the Joseph Drouhin Winery in Burgandy, France. Both wineries produce outstanding wine and have won numerous awards internationally and are rated very highly by the Wine Spectator.

At Domaine Drouhin it's all about the wine and the view. 

What did we have:  We enjoyed all three wines offered in the standard flight.  Prices ranged from $30 a bottle for the crisp 2009 Oregon Chardonnay Arthur to $65 for the bold 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir Laurene.  We all enjoyed the $50 bottle of the 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley where 95% of the grapes are estate grown and the taste is richly layered with bursts of fruit.  We were in for a real treat when our server brought us a couple leftovers from VIP table.  Our bonus wines included a Chablis produced in Burgandy, and the very special 2000 Oregon Pinot Noir Louise Cuvee, a bottle that usually sells for $100.  Even my unsophisticated palate could appreciate the depth and elegant character of a very good bottle of wine.

What was fun:  The setting itself is quite wonderful, and the wine is excellent.  Picnicking is not allowed at Domaine Drouhin, so a trip there is all about the wine and the view.  Although we thoroughly enjoyed our special wine tasting at the estate, none of us felt compelled to buy a bottle to bring home.  Since several varietals are widely distributed, it won't preclude me from purchasing a bottle or two in the future.