Montepulciano: Wine Tasting & XVI Century Cellar Tour

Four Tuscan wines in a 500-year-old cellar beneath Montepulciano

You descend into a XVI-century cellar beneath Montepulciano's streets, walk past Etruscan tombs and private wine collections, then taste four of the region's most celebrated wines (Nobile di Montepulciano in its reserve form, Rosso, and a Super Tuscan), while a sommelier explains each one. Bread, local cheese and cured meat come with the tasting. The whole thing takes 1.5 hours and you don't arrange transport or timing yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Montepulciano wine tasting experience

• Visit historical cellar in Montepulciano
• Explore underground vaults and tunnels
• Learn history of ancient cellar
• Discover old wine bottle collection
• See Etruscan tomb in cellar
• Join exclusive wine tasting session
• Taste four local wines with sommelier
• Enjoy bread and local product plate

The experience

There's something about stepping into a cellar that's been holding wine since before your country existed. Montepulciano's underground vaults pull you down into stone corridors that curve and disappear, and you realize pretty quickly that this isn't a tourist-friendly showroom. It's the real thing. The sommelier meets you at ground level and walks you through what you're about to taste: four wines, each one a different expression of what the soil and time can do. Nobile di Montepulciano Docg, Rosso di Montepulciano Doc, the reserve, and a Super Tuscan called Pietrose. You don't need to know wine to care about this part.

The 1.5-hour experience moves you through the cellar's XVI-century architecture: vaults and tunnels that locals say came from Etruscan hands centuries before that. There's an actual Etruscan tomb down there, which stops most people mid-step. The sommelier explains the production methods as you walk, pointing out the private collection of old bottles stored in the tunnels, and it lands differently when you're standing in the place where the wine actually lived. Then you settle in for the tasting itself: four pours, each one paired with bread soaked in local olive oil and a plate of regional products. Cheese, cured meat, whatever the cellar has that day. The sommelier talks through each wine's character, the vintage, why this one tastes like stone and this one tastes like dark fruit, and you taste it again knowing what to listen for.

Water comes with the wine, and the pace is slow enough that you're not rushing through anything. The cellar stays cool year-round, which is part of why the wine tastes the way it does and also why you won't be sweating through your shirt. By the end, you've tasted what Montepulciano is known for worldwide, stood in a space that predates most of Europe's borders, and eaten something that tastes like it came from the next village over, because it probably did.

What’s included

Professional sommelier guidance, 1.5-hour underground cellar tour, tasting of four Nobile and Super Tuscan wines, bread with extra virgin olive oil, plate of local products, water, and access to the XVI-century vaults, private wine collection, and Etruscan tomb.

Options for this experience

2 options

Experience in Italian11:00 and 15:30

Experience in English11:00 and 15:30

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 15:30

Book up to9h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Italian

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.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hidden Experiences

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste what Montepulciano is known for without assembling a wine education first. The sommelier does that work, and the cellar itself is the education.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What wines do you taste in Montepulciano wine tasting?

Four wines: Rosso di Montepulciano Doc, Nobile di Montepulciano Docg, Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Docg, and IGT "Pietrose" Super Tuscan.

How long is the wine tasting experience?

1.5 hours, including the cellar tour and tasting.

What food is served with the wine tasting?

Bread with extra virgin olive oil and a plate of local products (cheese, cured meats, and regional specialties).

Is there an Etruscan tomb in the cellar?

Yes. The cellar's XVI-century vaults and tunnels are attributed to Etruscan civilization, and an Etruscan tomb is located inside.

Do I need wine knowledge to enjoy this?

No. A professional sommelier guides the tasting and explains each wine's characteristics, production methods, and history.

Is the cellar accessible for people with mobility issues?

Wheelchairs are accommodated, and the experience is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Check accessibility details when booking if you have specific mobility needs.

Can I bring children?

Yes. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. Children are welcome, though the experience focuses on wine tasting for adults.

How do I get to Montepulciano?

Public transportation options are available nearby. You'll need to arrange your own transport to the cellar's location in central Montepulciano.