Wine and Food Tasting in San Gimignano: Vernaccia Lesson

Taste six Tuscan wines and learn what makes Vernaccia the white queen of the region.

A two-hour wine and food lesson in San Gimignano where you taste six local wines (four expressions of Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, a San Gimignano red, and a Vin Santo) paired with six territorial dishes. The session unfolds in three parts: a half-hour history of the wine-growing area in the museum rooms, a ten-minute lesson on the aromas and fragrances of Vernaccia in the perfume and spice room, then the tasting itself with food pairings in the equipped tasting room. The guide speaks English, Italian or French. Dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice at booking.

The experience

The tasting room at the Rocca di Montestaffoli is set up for the lesson: you'll move through the museum first, where multimedia displays walk you through the history of San Gimignano's vineyards, cultivation techniques and winemaking from the ground up. Then comes the perfume and spice room, where you spend ten minutes learning to identify the individual aromas that make up the bouquet of Vernaccia. The sensory foundation for what comes next.

Six wines arrive with six territorial dishes designed to show how each one tastes differently depending on what sits beside it. You'll taste two vintage Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, two Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG Riserva, a San Gimignano DOC red in its various expressions, and a San Gimignano Vin Santo. Bottled water is included. The structure has no bar service, so coffee, tea or spirits are not available. Children can join for €10 per child. The staff will prepare a selection of local dishes for them, though Italian law prohibits serving alcohol to anyone under 18.

The whole thing runs two hours. If you have dietary restrictions or intolerances, note them in the booking field and the kitchen will work to accommodate most needs. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation stops are nearby.

What’s included

• Six local wines (four Vernaccia expressions, one San Gimignano red, one Vin Santo).
• six territorial food pairings.
• bottled water.
• museum entry with multimedia displays on the vineyard's history and winemaking techniques.
• a ten-minute lesson on wine aromas in the perfume and spice room.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday and WednesdayDeparts at 12:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, French 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Experience - La Rocca

Is this one for you?This is a shared, guided lesson in a tasting room. You'll be with other guests, spaced comfortably, learning from a live guide who speaks English, Italian or French. It suits anyone who wants to understand how Tuscan wine actually tastes and why, rather than just sipping and moving on, and it works for both newcomers and people who already know wine.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

What exactly is Vernaccia di San Gimignano?

Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG is the white wine that defines the region: the only major white wine produced in an area otherwise dominated by reds. The tasting includes four different expressions of it: two standard vintage bottles and two Riserva, aged longer for deeper complexity.

Do I need wine knowledge to join this tasting?

No. The lesson starts with the history and geography of the vineyard area, then teaches you how to identify aromas in the perfume and spice room before you taste anything. It's built for people new to wine as much as those who already know it.

Can I bring my children?

Yes. Children can participate for €10 per child, and the kitchen will prepare a selection of local dishes for them. However, Italian law prohibits serving alcohol to anyone under 18, so they won't taste the wines themselves.

What if I have a dietary restriction or allergy?

When you book, add your dietary needs or intolerances in the notes field. The kitchen can accommodate most requests, though you should mention them at the time of booking so they can prepare ahead.

Is there food included, or just wine?

Six territorial dishes come with the tasting, each one paired with one of the six wines to show how food changes the way wine tastes. Bottled water is also included. The venue has no bar service, so coffee, tea or other drinks are not available.