Montalcino Wine Tours: Brunello Tastings
Montalcino is where Sangiovese becomes Brunello, Tuscany’s longest-aged red, released only after five years. These tours take you to the estates on the hill: a cellar walk, a three- or four-wine flight that usually includes a Rosso di Montalcino and a Riserva, and often lunch in the vines. Most depart from Siena (50 minutes) or Florence (about 1 hour 45); several pair Montalcino with Pienza and Montepulciano in one day. Below we compare the top-rated options, then explain the zones, the wines and the timing.
What you’ll taste: Brunello di Montalcino (100 percent Sangiovese, five years’ ageing), its younger sibling Rosso di Montalcino, usually a Riserva, and sometimes Moscadello, the local sweet white.
North or south: the north slope is higher and cooler, the south around Sant’Angelo in Colle warmer and riper. Good tours visit one of each.
From Siena or Florence: Siena is 50 minutes away and the natural base; Florence tours are long days, often combined with the Val d’Orcia.
Brunello di Montalcino: what makes it different
Brunello was one of Italy’s first DOCG wines in 1980, and its rules are the strictest in Tuscany: 100 percent Sangiovese, a minimum of five years before release, two of them in oak, and six for Riserva. The hill it grows on, 40 kilometres south of Siena, is warmer and drier than Chianti, with the sea on one side and Monte Amiata on the other, and the result is a deeper, longer-lived wine. Rosso di Montalcino, released after a year, is the same grape from the same vines and the affordable way to understand the place.
The estates and the zones
Around 250 producers share the hill. The north side, higher and cooler, gives more elegant wines; the south, around Sant’Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell’Abate, gives riper ones. Estates range from the historic houses that invented Brunello to small family farms with a few hectares. Most tours visit two, and the best pair a north and a south estate so you taste the difference.
What a tour includes
A cellar walk past the big Slavonian oak casks, a flight of three to five wines that usually runs Rosso, Brunello and a Riserva or older vintage, and local pecorino and salumi alongside. Full-day tours add lunch, often at an estate. Some include the Fortezza in Montalcino town, whose enoteca pours dozens of producers by the glass.
Getting there: Siena or Florence
Siena is 50 minutes by road and the base most wine-focused travellers choose; tours from Siena spend more time at estates and less on the road. From Florence, allow 1 hour 45 each way; most Florence tours combine Montalcino with Pienza and Montepulciano in a long Val d’Orcia day. There is no practical train; a tour or a car is required.
Brunello only, or Brunello with Pienza and Montepulciano?
If wine leads, choose a Montalcino-only tour with two estates. If you want the Val d’Orcia scenery and the pecorino of Pienza as well, choose the combined day and accept one Brunello estate instead of two. See Val d’Orcia and Montepulciano.
When to visit
Harvest is late September into early October. Benvenuto Brunello, the presentation of the new vintage, brings the wine world to town in November. The Abbey of Sant’Antimo, ten minutes south, is worth the detour in any month.
Read next: A Tuscan wine route: Chianti, Montalcino & Montepulciano · 5 days in Tuscany for food & wine
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Montalcino Wine Tours: Brunello Tastings
Frequently asked questions
Why book a Montalcino wine tour?
Brunello estates are spread across a big hill with narrow roads, most take visitors by appointment only, and the tastings are of wines that cost 40 to 200 euros a bottle. A tour gets you in, and drives you home.
What is the difference between Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino?
Same grape, same vines, different ageing: Brunello waits five years, Rosso one. Rosso is lighter and cheaper; Brunello is the wine the town is famous for.
How much does a Montalcino wine tour cost?
Small-group tours from Siena run about 100 to 200 euros with two estates and lunch; private tours from 400 euros per group; estate tastings alone 25 to 60 euros.
Can I visit Montalcino wineries without a tour?
Yes with a car and appointments, but most estates need booking days ahead and the roads are not forgiving after a tasting. A tour is simpler.
Is Montalcino better from Siena or Florence?
Siena: it is 50 minutes away rather than nearly two hours, which means more time at the estates.
When is the Brunello harvest?
Late September to early October, depending on the year. The new vintage is presented in Montalcino each November.