Have you ever wanted to travel in Italy with food and wine experts who will handle all the eating, drinking, and housing arrangements? Now you can! Details are below for an 8-day trip to Florence and Central Tuscany, May 4-11, 2024, co-hosted by acclaimed sommelier and wine educator Jeff Porter and Italian wine and lifestyle consultant Claire Hennessy.
Appetito is offering readers a 20% discount on the $12,500 price per person of the trip, and only a few remaining slots are available. Email claire@clairesitaly.com with the subject line: APPETITO SENT ME to secure a spot at the reduced rate of $10,000, which includes accommodation, plus meals and drinks, as well as access to Florence and Tuscany's most iconic destinations.
Sip Trip Florence and Central Tuscany
An intimate group tour of Florence and Tuscany dedicated to the vineyards, terroir, and wines of the region, inspired by the SommTV web series, Sip Trip. Hosted by Jeff Porter, sommelier, wine educator, and host of Sip Trip, and Claire Hennessy, Italian wine and lifestyle consultant, this 8-day trip offers exclusive access to the people and places behind Italy’s most iconic wineries, restaurants, and travel experiences.
DAY 1
Arrival in Florence, May 4, 2024
After arriving in Florence and checking in at the boutique Gallery Art Hotel, part of the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno Collection, the group will indulge in lunch at one of our favorite wine destinations, an historic wine bar that has an unparalleled selection of both old vintages of some of Italy’s most iconic producers, as well as obscure wines coveted by sommeliers all over the world that rarely make it out of Italy. After lunch, you’ll have time for a leisurely afternoon settling in and exploring Florence. Then, at dinner, we will enjoy more spectacular wine and an amazing meal at a wine bar and restaurant owned by a group of young, passionate, and very fun sommeliers who have arguably the best selection of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo in the country.
DAY 2
Culture & Cooking, May 5, 2024
We’ll spend the second day of the trip immersing ourselves in the very best of Florence, including a private tour dedicated to fabulous frescoes and hidden treasures; a cooking class and lunch with a renowned chef at an exclusive luxury homeware boutique/cooking school in the trendy Oltrarno neighborhood; aperitivo at the bar where the Negroni was born (preceded by a mixology lesson with its talented baristas); and a multi- course dinner at a Florentine institution where we will open some special bottles.
DAY 3
Arrival in the heart of Chianti Classico, May 6, 2024
Today we start our deep dive into Chianti Classico. On the way to our next accommodation — a private villa that was once the country retreat of the Ferragamo family - we will stop at Cigliano di Sopra in San Casciano Val di Pesa for a tour, tasting, and lunch with the owners. After lunch, we will head to our gorgeous villa and enjoy a late afternoon by the pool, exploring the grounds, or just indulging in the beautiful property. Aperitivo and dinner will be a country “festa” at the villa, where we’ll be joined by local winemaker friends and enjoy a meal prepared by the in-house chef accompanied by epic bottles from the cellars of our winemaker guests.
DAY 4
Panzano in Chianti and Dario Cecchini, May 7, 2024
We’ll depart in the late morning for Panzano in Chianti, the area with the most organic wineries in Chianti Classico. Lunch will be spent with husband-and-wife team Valeria Viganò and Luca Orsini, who make truly beautiful wines at their boutique winery, Le Cinciole. After lunch and a second visit to a wonderful small producer, Monte Bernardi, we’ll make our way to Fontodi, a benchmark producer in the area who, in addition to world-class wines, raises the king of cow breeds, Chianina. After our visit, we’ll head to an appropriately beef-themed dinner at the restaurant of the world’s most famous butcher, Dario Cecchini.
We’ll spend our fifth day of the trip exploring Radda in Chianti, known for its high elevations and resultingly elegant iterations of Sangiovese. The day will include a tour, tasting, and lunch at Istine with owner and winemaker Angela Fronti, a rising star in Chianti Classico. After a lunch and a second winery stop at Val delle Corti, we will spend the rest of the afternoon at the villa. We’ll enjoy dinner at a spectacular restaurant in the beautiful setting of a restored Tuscan castle.
DAY 5
Radda in Chianti, May 8, 2024
We’ll spend our fifth day of the trip exploring Radda in Chianti, known for its high elevations and resultingly elegant iterations of Sangiovese. The day will include a tour, tasting, and lunch at Istine with owner and winemaker Angela Fronti, a rising star in Chianti Classico. After a lunch and a second winery stop at Val delle Corti, we will spend the rest of the afternoon at the villa. We’ll enjoy dinner at a spectacular restaurant in the beautiful setting of a restored Tuscan castle.
DAY 6
Siena, May 9, 2024
The day’s activities will begin with a private guided tour of the quintessential Tuscan hill town of Siena. We’ll have lunch at a renowned local restaurant owned by one of the great winemakers of Montalcino. On our way back to the villa, we’ll stop for a tour and guided tasting at Bindi-Sergardi in the Vagliali subzone in the southern part of the Chianti Classico denomination. Dinner will be paired with wines from a local estate near Chianti Classico in the lesser-known region of Valdarno di Sopra; the estate is owned by the Ferragamo family, and Salvatore Ferragamo himself will be the evening’s host.
DAY 7
Back to Florence May 10, 2024
After our farewell breakfast, we’ll head to the final winery of our Chianti Classico exploration in the lesser known but incredible quality-producing area of Lamole at I Fabbri. After returning to Florence, we’ll share an epic final evening - a farewell dinner at the restaurant of an extremely passionate, knowledgeable, and adorable wine lover whose Enoteca Spontanea will be reserved just for us and special winemaker guests.
DAY 8
Departure, May 11, 2024
Departure from Florence – guests can enjoy a leisurely morning at the hotel prior to check out at 12pm.
The Particulars $12,500.00 per person (or $10,000 with a 20% discount offered through Appetito).
What’s included:
- 7 nights’ accommodation
- All meals with wine as outlined in the itinerary
- All transportation throughout the program
- All visits, excursions, and tastings as outlined in the itinerary
What’s not included:
- International travel to and from Florence
- extras such as spa appointments, personal purchases and activities not outlined in the itinerary
Payment terms:
50% non-refundable deposit due upon booking
50% non-refundable balance due 45 days prior to trip date
Group size:
limited to 6 rooms (either single or double occupancy)
*Please note:
depending on the winemakers’ availability, we may change the location of some winery visits.
