Tuscany is a wine lover’s paradise, with vineyards scattered all over this part of Italy. However, our favorite area within Tuscany is the Chianti region. If you’ve seen postcards of the Tuscan countryside, then odds are that you’ve seen Chianti; it’s so picturesque! Not only does this region produce Chianti Classico, some of the best red wine in the world, it’s also home to Villa Spoiano, where we spent a few wonderful hours tasting and learning all about how it’s done.
In this post, we talk about our fantastic experience (found through Airbnb) at Villa Spoiano and encourage you to do the same. This isn’t just another wine tasting; this is an in-depth, knowledge-filled tour that will have you dreaming of your return to Chianti (Tuscany) as soon as you leave.
For those on a budget like us, this is the tour for you. As the Airbnb experience states, this tour takes around two hours, but with all the questions and open discussion, it ended up being more than three hours! That’s more bang for your buck! This tour and tasting only cost us around $28 USD per person. That’s a steal!
You’re most likely staying in Siena or Florence and yes, you can reach it by public transportation from those cities if you don’t have a car. More on that below!
What’s Offered in This Tour and Tasting in Chianti?
As we’ve said, this is so much more than your typical tour and tasting in Chianti. In fact, we received a tour of the estate (around 400 years old!), learned the history of the villa and chapel and about their unique Dexter cows, walked through the vineyard and olive trees, saw the harvest in action, toured the cellars, ate a small lunch, tried multiple organic wines, organic olive oil and left inspired.
The host, Jara, is a young woman who appreciates your curiosity and loves to answer any questions you might have. The tour was never rushed, never hurried, truly an “organic” experience.
We were really fortunate to have visited in September, as the harvest season for red grapes were beginning. If you can, try to time your visit around this time of year, as it’s the most exciting because there is a lot happening around the estate!
With our own ideas of starting a small vineyard one day, this tour provided incredible insight into what it would be like. Needless to say, it’s a lot of work, especially if it’s organic!
How to Get to Villa Spoiano?
The easiest way, of course, is by car or taxi. However, car rentals and taxis can be expensive, especially when compared to public transportation.
The Italian bus system is very intimidating for some, but if we can do it then so can you! Let’s break down some public transportation options.
If Staying in Florence
Jara provides some details on the listing of how to reach their vineyard by bus. You’ll want the 370A bus. There was a couple at our tasting who were staying in Florence and they did just that.
However, we highly recommend contacting Jara for help with verifying times and other important details. She is very helpful and speaks English perfectly!
If Staying in Siena (Or Poggibonsi)
You’re going to want bus 370A as well except it doesn’t go all the way to Siena. It stops in Poggibonsi, where we stayed in Tuscany. Take a cheap, 30 minute train to Poggibonsi and catch bus 370A from there.
The bus ride to Villa Spoiano is only about 20 minutes from Poggibonsi. Again, if you have a car it will be easier but if you don’t, this tour and tasting are absolutely worth braving Italy’s buses!
Pro Tip: Show up early for the bus and plan on it being late. That doesn’t make sense but trust us, you just never know. If it’s late, don’t be afraid to ask other bystanders because they’re probably waiting too. That was the case for us!
Our bus was almost 30 minutes late but Jara had barely begun the tour by the time we arrived and checked in with us regularly while we were waiting on the bus.
If Staying Elsewhere in Tuscany
Starting from Florence or Poggibonsi is your best option, so if your accommodation is located elsewhere, try and see which city is closer to you. Getting to either should be fairly easy.
However, please take our advice and always ask Jara! Again, she is so helpful and will make sure you can find a way to get there.
What’s Special About This Vineyard?
We’ve talked a lot about the tour itself and how this entire estate is organic but what made our time truly memorable was the hospitality provided by Jara and her family. They loved sharing their home with us and we didn’t feel like strangers. Having been on many Airbnb experiences and other tours during our extended time abroad, we can confidently say this is one of the best!
Additional Amenities
In addition to the tour and tasting, Villa Spoiano offers accommodation in their historic estate, excursion ideas for the surrounding area, and much more. This is agritourism at its finest so be sure to check out Villa Spoiano’s website for more info and of course, read the amazing reviews on their Airbnb page.
TripAdvisor also has some stellar reviews too so check out what other people have to say if we still haven’t convinced you!
Summary of Organic Wine and Oil Tasting in Chianti
Tuscany is a magical place, with its gentle rolling hills and peaceful countryside. Finding a hidden gem like Villa Spoiano made Tuscany even more memorable for us and we’ll never forget our experience here. We hope you get to taste Chianti Classico and learn all about it when you visit.
Happy travels!
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