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Wine Meets World Class Architecture - Petra & Rocca Di Frassinello WineriesExplore > Italy > Florence > Wine Meets World Class Architecture - Petra & Rocca Di Frassinello Wineries
OverviewEnjoy wine tastings at 2 architecurally amazing wineries! Wine loves Italy and Italy loves wine. Embark on this romantic wine tour and fall in love with everything to do with the art of tasting wine all over again. We will visit two wineries on this tour, both of which have recently been written about in The New York Times. First, we will travel out to Petra Winery, a 740-acre estate. The vineyards are mineral-rich and ruddy colored (as in the color of Santa's cheeks), making complex and delicious wines. Here, they produce Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc. The owners have studied the soil, wind, sun, and climate conditions in each area of the estate to produce the best wines. The four high-end wines made here (Ebo, Petra, Quercegobbe, and Zingari) are known for being expressive, aromatic wines with a fresh, modern style. One of the most enjoyable features of this winery is the architecture. It is a contemporary structure designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta (who also designed the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), whose color choices also complement the environment. You will also visit a second winery, Rocca di Frassinello, whose wine cellar was designed by world famous architect Renzo Piano. We will break for lunch in Suvereto, a middle-age village whose origins date back to before the year 1000. It's a gorgeous location that overlooks the Costa degli Etruschi. Time permitting, we can incorporate visits to places in the same area as the wineries, such as Populonia, Massa Marittima, and Bolgheri. - Your English-speaking driver will not enter sites with you, but will give running commentaries of what you are seeing and make sure you have enough time to visit each site. - The cost of lunch is not included in the tour price. - Everyone must purchase the per person wine tasting fee. This fee includes the visit to the winery, the visit to the cellars, and the wine tasting with English-speaking assistance. - The order of this tour may vary as it is depends on the available times at the wineries. - We have found that there may be a rare occurrence of a port change from Livorno to La Spezia. La Spezia is accessible to the same sightseeing as Livorno, but is a slightly longer ride. This port requires an increase in cost as the distance from these highlights is further. Your guide will be waiting for you as you disembark. You may have an adjustment to your tour itinerary depending on your exit time, but be assured that your knowledgeable driver/escort will direct you to a satisfying day. This change is an exception to our policy that ship changes will result in a refund. People have been too disappointed sitting on the ship after this itinerary change and we feel this is in the best interest of the traveler. The additional costs are as follows: to Cinque Terre add $75; to Florence and Pisa, and Pisa and Lucca the additional charge is $265. We apologize for your difficult day, but promise that the sun will shine as soon as you meet your guide. Days offered: 7 days a week Departures:
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