Can you really have a proper wine tasting at your villa in Tuscany, without getting in a car?
It is the question I hear most from people who are planning a stay here. They have found the villa, the pool, the view. Now they would love to taste the wines of the place, but they do not want to spend an afternoon on winding roads, and they certainly do not want to decide who drives home.
The answer is yes. I come to you. Let me walk you through how it works, in the order people usually ask.
Why taste at the villa at all?
Because a good tasting is not really about the cellar. It is about the moment: the people around the table, the light changing over the hills, the glass in your hand and a story to go with it.
When you taste at the villa, nobody checks the clock to make a reservation. Nobody is the designated driver. Your group stays together, relaxed and a little louder than a tasting room would allow. The wine opens up, and so do the conversations.
What does the evening look like?
I arrive at the villa, we choose the spot together (a terrace, a garden table, a long table under the trees), and I set up. From there it is simple.
The tasting lasts about 90 minutes. We taste 4 or 5 wines, one at a time, at your own table. For each one I tell you where it comes from, who made it and why it tastes the way it does. You can ask anything. There are no wrong answers and no test at the end.
Who chooses the wines?
I do, but never before I know who is sitting at the table.
Before the evening we talk. Are you seasoned wine lovers or simply curious? Do you like bold reds, or would you rather start with something fresh and crisp? Is it a birthday, a family reunion, a group of friends who have waited a year for this holiday? Then I choose the wines to match your group. Two groups never get the same tasting, because two groups are never the same.
I am a DipWSET sommelier, which means I have spent years studying wine. But please do not let that scare you. My job at your table is to make wine feel easy, not to make anyone feel small.
What do I need to prepare?
Very little. You bring the table, the view and the people. I bring what the tasting needs.
Two things help me. First, tell me how many of you there will be and when you would like to start. Many groups like the golden hour, when the heat has softened. Second, tell me if the villa will serve dinner or something to eat. I bring only taralli, and I am happy to look at other options together with you. If you do plan a meal, I can adjust the order of the wines to go with it.
What if someone at the table does not drink?
A tasting shaped around the group means the whole group. If someone at the table does not drink, it can still be a lovely moment of learning about our wine culture: the places, the grapes, the people and the traditions behind what is in the glass. Just tell me when we plan the evening, so I can keep it in mind.
What if the weather does not cooperate?
It is Tuscany, so we hope for sunshine, and most of the time we get it. But a tasting does not need a sunset to be good. If the sky has other plans, a table indoors works just as well, and we simply move the evening inside.
Who is it for?
Families sharing a villa for the week. Friends celebrating something. Small groups on a retreat who want one evening that tastes of the place they are staying in. I have also worked with travel designers who wanted something special for their clients, and I am always glad to talk to them.
Not long ago I had twelve friends from the Netherlands in a villa, old college friends who had waited months for their reunion. They arrived loud and happy, and they went home having had a wonderful time. You can read that story here. It is a good example of what a villa evening can become when the group is in the mood.
Ready to plan yours?
If you are dreaming of a quiet evening of wine at your villa, just write to me. Tell me where you are staying, the dates, and how many of you there will be. I will come back with a few ideas, and we can shape the evening together. You will find all my contacts just below, and the quickest way to reach me is WhatsApp.
From Tuscany, with a raised glass,
Claudia 🍷