Siena: Brunello di Montalcino Wine Tour & Tuscan Lunch

Three Wineries, One Legendary Wine, and the Fortress Town That Refused to Surrender

You visit three wineries in the Montalcino region, walk through cellars and vineyards, taste Brunello at each stop, and sit down to a traditional Tuscan lunch at a family-run farm paired with their wines. You also explore the hilltop town of Montalcino and the Sant'Antimo Abbey. Transport, guide, and all tastings are included. The group stays under eight people so you get real attention from your guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Brunello wine tasting and sightseeing

• Meet guide at San Domenico church
• Travel to Montalcino wine hill
• Visit first winery and explore cellars
• Taste Rosso and Brunello wines
• Tour Montalcino town and fortress
• Visit family-run winery and farm
• Enjoy traditional Tuscan lunch with wines
• Visit Abbey of Sant'Antimo
• Visit third winery and wine tasting
• Drive back to Siena

The experience

The van pulls away from San Domenico church in Siena at 9:30am, and within twenty minutes the landscape shifts. Vineyards roll across the hills in neat rows, and then you see it: Montalcino, perched on its ridge like something from a Renaissance painting. Your guide points out the fortress walls as you climb toward the first winery, a small producer tucked into the hillside where the real work happens. You walk between the vines, step into cellars that smell like earth and oak, and learn why Brunello di Montalcino takes five years to age, not because someone decided it should, but because the wine itself demands it. The first tasting hits different when you've just seen the barrels it came from.

After that introduction, you head into Montalcino town itself. The streets are narrow, the stone is old, and your guide tells you about the soldiers of the Republic of Siena who made their last stand here against Florence. You walk through the squares at your own pace for a bit, which is good. You need the break before lunch. Then comes the family-run winery, and this is where the day shifts from educational to personal. The owners or winemakers actually meet you. There's no script. You sit down to a traditional Tuscan meal (cold cuts and cheeses with bruschetta, pasta with local sauce, cake and coffee), and it's paired with the farm's own wines. The air-conditioned vehicle and the small group size (never more than eight people) mean you're not herded through this. You're actually there.

Sant'Antimo Abbey comes next, and it's brief but necessary. The church was part of a Benedictine monastery centuries ago, and standing inside it feels quieter than the rest of the day. Then a third winery for another tasting, deeper this time, before the drive back to Siena. The whole thing takes the full day, but it doesn't feel rushed because the timing is built around the wine itself, not around fitting in as many stops as possible.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or meeting-point pickup in Siena, air-conditioned transport to and from the Montalcino region, a local guide for the full day, visits to three wineries with wine tastings at each stop, a traditional Tuscan lunch with local wines at a family-run winery, and a visit to Sant'Antimo Abbey. All tastings and meals are included in the price.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Friday, Saturday and SundayDeparts at 09:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Tuscan Escapes by Papilio SRL

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste Brunello di Montalcino in the cellars where it's made and eat lunch at the source, without arranging your own transport or winery appointments: the small group size and fixed itinerary are what make a full day of three tastings and a proper meal possible in one departure.

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Top questions

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is at 9:30am in front of San Domenico church in Siena. The full day returns you to Siena in the evening.

How many wineries do we visit?

Three. The first is a small producer where you walk the vines and cellars; the second is a family-run winery where you have lunch; the third offers a deeper tasting before the return drive.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A traditional Tuscan meal with local cold cuts, cheeses, bruschetta, pasta, and dessert, paired with the winery's wines.

What is the group size?

Maximum eight people, ensuring personalized attention from your guide.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. It involves walking through vineyards and town streets at a moderate pace, with breaks for tastings and lunch.

Is alcohol served to everyone?

Wine tastings are included. Customers under 18 (Italy's legal drinking age) will not be served alcohol.

What is included in the price?

Air-conditioned transport, local guide, visits to three wineries with tastings at each, a traditional Tuscan lunch at a family winery, and entry to Sant'Antimo Abbey.

Can I get to Montalcino without this tour?

Public transportation options are available, but this tour handles transport, guide, winery access, and lunch in one package.