Private Brunello di Montalcino Day Trip from Florence: Fanti and Villa i Cipressi

This is a private full-day wine tour from Florence to Montalcino, the Tuscan hill zone known for some of Italy's best red wines. The day covers three boutique wineries, with a tasting at each. The wine behind it all is Brunello di Montalcino. It comes from a local clone of Sangiovese, called Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso, and carries the DOCG classification, the highest rung of Italian wine designation. You see where it grows: the rolling hills and the vineyards themselves, then the cellars where it is made. The first winery is family-run and sits at the base of the Montalcino hill. A walk through the estate takes in vineyards and cellars and explains how Brunello is produced, before a tasting of their best wines. Tenuta Fanti adds a guided visit through the phases of production and a tasting on a panoramic terrace, with typical Montalcino dishes and a taste of the estate's extra virgin olive oil. Villa i Cipressi, a family estate that grew out of a beekeeping business, is the third stop. Pick-up is from your accommodation in Florence, and the driver takes you back at the end of the day.