SMALL VINEYARDS TRAVEL TOURS Dear Travelers, Here is a sampling of our one and two day tours....our website is beautiful, and coming soon! We are very excited to offer these small, intimate tours, and the 5-day tour is attached on PDF to refresh your memory! Thanks for looking, and be sure to see www.smallvineyardstravel.com coming soon. Enrich your Italian Holidays with real Italian experiences guided by people who really care. We are commited to discovering the Italian Artisans and families making the best wines you've never heard of. Best Regards from Small Vineyards Travel, Sharing with the world special wines from special estates here in Italy. Doumina Whyman OUR TOURS For your convenience, subtract 25% if you would like to use your own car. Subtract 50% if you would like to use your own car and your own guide, or no guide. If you would like to use your own car/guide, we will make the arrangements to the Vineyards you would like to visit, to make your outing enjoyable and welcoming, which would still include everything in the Itineraries. One Day Tour OPERA, HILL-TOWNS AND RARE GRAPES Beginning in Florence and ending in Florence. Today you are swept away to visit three of Small Vineyards estates. Starting out bright and early, we make our way to Rising Star. Alberto and Cinzia Bocelli, along with brother Andrea, inspire much of the world with fantastic wine and fantastic Opera. For over 300 years, the Bocelli family has cultivated the family land, and Andrea, however famous throughout the world for his music, has never strayed far from his roots...vineyards! Terre di Sandro, a beautiful Sangiovese, named after their father, is a classic and timeless wine created in a modern and modest world that they inhabit. We will get to taste the wine here, before visiting Le Rote. With views of Vineyards everywhere you look, we enjoy our drive to Le Rote, where Lara and Massimo Scotti produce a fabulous Vernaccia and Chianti Colli Senesi, and a top-shelf Sangiovese. We finish here to continue on into the town of San Gimignano for a little shopping, a caffe, and a lite lunch. The Francigena road that the pilgrims walked from Rome to Avignon, France ran directly through the town of San Gimignano, thus making it a very wealthy city. Often referred to as "the Medieval Manhatten", it is a town full of shopping and history. When we finish here we drive towards our final destination to meet the winemaker, Luigi Donato. Best described as an Expert Gardner, Winemaker and Professor, he grows the ultra rare Pulignano. A clone of Sangiovese, and it only grows on their hill! The botanical garden and historical estate of Bibbiani, are amazing gems. Here, our tour ends, in the renaissance city of Florence, where you are now free to relax, make plans for your dinner, or take a stroll in this lovely city, as you continue, or bring to an end, your fabulous holiday. This is an ideal de"tour" to plan if you are spending several days in Florence. Everything in this itinerary is included. 175.00 per person 300.00 per couple. USD. Beginning and ending in Florence. ONE DAY TOUR BOUNTIFUL BRUNELLO Beginning and ending in Siena. Today we visit 3 of Small Vineyards estates. From Montecucco, to Val d’Orcia to Montalcino. Taste along the way and learn of the land and the ways of the Tuscans in this beautiful countryside. Our first stop, Fattoria Capannacce, where we are lucky enough to meet Adventurer, World Traveler, and Winemaker, Alberto Porta. Alberto loves making wine, and loves life, and has been dubbed, "the happiest man on the planet." Cultivating and bottling Rosso della Maremma as well as Poggio Crocino, from a wheelchair, this mans attitude is a lesson for all of us. After contracting Polio while traveling in Indonesia over 30 years ago, hasn't stopped this renegade winemaker. An intriguing and fabulous experience. Then, Perazetta, where Alessandro Bocci makes both olive oil and wine. A passionate man, he named two of his wines Rita and Sara, after daughter and wife and, of course, father "Erio" is the last great wine from Perazetta. Every year they throw away twice as many grapes as they press, for the pursuit of the most perfect wine, and it is delicious. After a tasting, we walk next door to taste a plate of Flavio's pasta while gazing at the beautiful valleys. The countryside here is glorious, and we enjoy more of it on our way back to Siena via Maestro Sanguineti and his vineyards where he is rightly famous for his Brunello di Montalcino. Many of you know Antonio, Opera Lover, Race Car Driver and Winemaker, and are anxious to experience his estate where he grows his grapes, because his wines, and the man himself are both fabulous. After this incredible day, our tour ends back in Siena at your Hotel. Everything in this itinerary is included. $175.00 per person or 300.00 per couple. USD Beginning and ending in Siena. ONE DAY TOUR ART & CHIANTI Beginning and ending in Florence. We meet you at your Hotel, and embark on a fabulous morning walking tour of Florence. Find out some of the best kept secrets of this city from your guide who has explored it for many years. Then, travel south to the Chianti where we find ourselves at Podere Ciona, deep in the heart of this region. A large estate amongst the olive trees and vineyards. We arrive just in time for a lite lunch and a tasting of the families Super Tuscans. After our tasting, we take a beautiful hike through the countryside, where vineyards dot the land for as far as the eye can see. When we finish here we drive towards our final destination to meet the winemaker, Luigi Donato. Best described as a Expert Gardner, Winemaker and Professor, he grows the ultra rare Pulignano. A clone of Sangiovese, and it only grows on their hill! The botanical garden and historical estate of Bibbiani, are amazing gems. Here, our tour ends, in the renaissance city of Florence, where you are now free to relax, make plans for your dinner, or take a stroll in this lovely city, as you continue, or bring to an end, your fabulous holiday. This is an ideal de"tour" to plan if you are spending several days in Florence. Everything in this itinerary is included. $175.00 per person 300.00 per couple. USD Beginning and ending in Florence One Day Tour TUSCANY'S WILD WEST Beginning and ending in Siena. Today we start our adventure from Siena, where we visit two of Small Vineyards most special estates. The drive is longer than normal, but what awaits us is well worth it. Rarely visited by Americans, Terre del Marchesato, and Rigoloccio both in the "wild west" of Tuscany, otherwise known as the Maremma, on the Tuscan Coast is a rugged and beautiful area, and both estates welcome us with a tasting accompanied by meats and cheeses from the area. Breathe the sea air near Bolgheri, at Terre del Marchesato, where the soil is rich and the wine is delicious, with Modern winemakers, Maurizio and Giovanna Fuselli. With a big dog at your heels, and the salt evident in the sea air, we enjoy this farm of meats and cheeses, and fabulous wine before heading out to Rigoloccio, a new addition to Small Vineyards estates growing Fiano, Alicante, Cabernet, and Merlot, very close to an old mine. One wine is aptly named "Sorvegliante" which means "Guardian of the Mines!" We will enjoy more fabulous tasting and tantalizing morsels. Because of the slightly longer duration (however beautiful) we are able to visit only two estates. However, these estates are of top shelf quality, with unbelievable wines, well worth the trip! Everything in this itinerary is included. $150.00 per person 250.00 per couple. USD. Beginning and ending in Siena. TWO DAY TOUR WINE & COOKING EXTRAVAGANZA from Siena to Florence. Day 1 Packed full of Small Vineyards Estates, you will experience a fantastic selection of wines in this two day period. Our first day is spent in the beautiful valley of Montecucco and Montalcino. An incredible region... we begin at the estate of Maestro Sanguineti where he is rightly famous for his Brunello di Montalcino. Many of you know Antonio, Opera Lover, Race Car Driver and Winemaker, and are anxious to experience his estate where he grows his grapes, because his wines, and the man himself are both fabulous. Then, Perazetta, where Allesandro Bocci makes both olive oil and wine. A passionate man, he named two of his wines Rita and Sara, after daughter and wife. Every year they throw away twice as many grapes as the press, for the sake of the most perfect wine, and it is delicious. After a tasting, we walk next door to try a plate of Flavio's pasta while gazing at the beautiful valleys. From here we venture to Podere Ciona, deep in the Chianti, where we arrive just in time for a cooking class with Franca, a tasting of the Super Tuscans they produce, and dinner which will no doubt be fabulous. Here we spend the night in our very comfortable home away from home. Day 2 After rising with the light on the Tuscan Vineyards, we start with a lovely breakfast, before heading out to our next destination. With views of Vineyards everywhere you look, we enjoy our drive to Le Rote, where Lara and Massimo Scotti produce a fabulous Vernaccia and Chianti Colli Senesi, and a top-shelf Sangiovese. We finish here to continue on into the town of San Gimignano for a little shopping, a caffe and a lite lunch. The Francigian road that the pilgrims walked from Rome to Avignon, France ran directly through the town of San Gimignano, thus making it a very wealthy city. When we finish here we drive towards our final destination to meet the winemaker, Luigi Donato. Best described as a Expert Gardner, Winemaker and Professor, he grows the ultra rare Pulignano. A clone of Sangiovese, and it only grows on their hill! The botanical garden and historical estate of Bibbiani, are amazing gems. Here, our tour ends, in the renaissance city of Florence, where you are now free to relax, make plans for your dinner, or take a stroll in this lovely city, as you continue or bring to an end your fabulous holiday. Everything in this itinerary is included. An ideal situation for planning to depart Siena and transport to Florence, to continue your holidays. 350.00 per person 550.00 per couple. USD. Beginning in Siena and ending in Florence. PRIVATE GROUP TOURS Designed by YOU! Book a private group tour to any vineyard that is represented by Small Vineyards Winery. Anytime you want. Any date you want. As many days as you want. You make the rules! Mix it up a little, with a tour of a historical sight, a maybe a cooking class or two...whatever you wish for... we can build a trip together, designed by you. Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Perhaps a tour of Siena... taste at a Small Vineyards estate on the way, or taste at 4 Estates if you like...take a peek at a Signorelli in an out-of-the-way church, then linger in a Piazza when your perfect day is done. Bring only yourself, your spouse, your family or friends together and design a trip to remember! Limited to 8. Call Doumina at 360-620-2728 or write doumina@smallvineyardstravel.com for more information on how you can make this fantasy holiday come true.
Doumina Whyman 2008-03-08