Today's Tour of Tuscany will take us to visit the imposing castle of Brolio, one of the biggest military castles of the middle ages. Now more peaceful, it boasts some of the most stunning views in Chianti. The estate can also claim without fear of contradiction, to be the inventors of modern Chianti wine. We'll visit the gardens, ramparts, and museum. Then after all this hard work, a tasting of the estate's wines would be just what the doctor ordered. We'll then drive leisurely through the Tuscan countryside, on a photographic safari of the Chianti landscapes, (all photos on this site are from my tours), and we'll make numerous stops.
9.30 am - Our Tuscan wine tour starts with a slow drive through the Chianti countryside, and we'll stop in the most picturesque places for photos. We'll take our time and enjoy them to the full. We'll also visit the delightful town of Greve in Chianti. Greve is disarmingly small but so typical of Tuscany. Here it's nice to sit and relax with a drink, and maybe do some people watching. You may also like to stroll around the arcaded sidewalks and browse the shops which specialize in inexpensive souvenirs.
Lunch is at your leisure. If you require I can suggest some great alternatives; maybe the hamlet of Volpaia where you may enjoy anything from "a la carte" to a simple sandwich. Alternatively, we could go to mama's restaurant for genuine Tuscan home cooking.
After lunch we arrive at the imposing Brolio Castle, and start our visit with a walk around the geometric fantasies of the Italian Gardens. The view from the castle walls is magnificent, and we will see how during the medieval wars it was easy to keep an eye on the invading Sienese armies. We continue our stay with a guided visit of the castle museum, where we will see the medieval arms belonging to the Castle's belligerent past. We'll also see more peaceful instruments used by baron Bettino Ricasoli for his wine making experiments. Baron Bettino, was the first person to define the Chianti wine making disciplinary in 1871 and many of his concepts are still in use to the present day.
What better at this point than to try the wine of this history making estate. The vineyards are some of the largest in the Chianti region and the estate produces a wide variety of wines. The amiable staff will give you a description of the estate's production and you'll be able to choose freely from four wines including: Chianti', Chianti Reserve and Super Tuscan.
At about about 5:00pm we end our day of touring in Tuscany, and head back to our accommodation.
6.30 pm - Return.
Tour duration: approx nine hours | 
