Tuscan Garden Experience with Lunch & Wine Tasting

At Podere Le Ripi, a boutique biodynamic winery on the slopes of Montalcino, they believe that to be a great vintner you must first be a great farmer. Don your best practical boots and Tuscan farmer hat and discover what life is like on a Tuscan wine estate. This interactive and immersive experience is tailored to families with young children and groups of sustainably-minded foodie-friends. 

After a day of petting animals, exploring the biodynamic vegetable gardens and vineyard, sampling the wines and local produce… and just generally getting your hands dirty, retreat to the privacy and tranquillity of your luxury villa in Tuscany. 

Tuscan Garden Experience with Lunch & Wine Tasting at Podere Le Ripi

The Tuscan Garden Experience offers an authentic glimpse of life in Tuscany, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the Val d’Orcia. Spend your morning with your friends or your children interacting with the local wildlife, from the tiniest of insects to the indigenous Chianina cow. Feed and pet the hens and ducks, as well as the donkeys and sheep before exploring the incredible 6 acres of vegetable gardens. It is these gardens that have allowed the winery to become more self-sufficient and promote biodiversity on the estate. In between ancient olive trees, wild and medicinal herbs grow alongside seasonal fruit and vegetables, creating a feast for the senses. Gather freshly laid eggs, succulent strawberries and ripe and juicy tomatoes! You can even challenge your group to show off their best farming skills and the winners will receive a voucher to spend on the Montalcino wines. 

Guided by one of the expert members of the Podere Le Ripi team you will then be guided through the biodynamic and Bonsai vineyards and tour the Golden Cellar, before sitting down for a wine tasting and light lunch made from seasonal produce you can harvest yourself. Savour six wines including Toscana Rosso IGT, Rosso di Montalcino, two Brunello reds, a Brunello Riserva and their most precious and prestigious wine, the Bonsai. 

About the Bonsai Vineyard

The Bonsai vineyard at Podere Le Ripi is the densest vineyard in the world and produces their most exclusive wine. By planting the Bonsai vines just 40 centimetres apart, the plant's roots can reach more than three metres deep in just a few years, resulting in wines with the quality and complexity of those produced from much older vines. 

About Podere Le Ripi 

Owned by Francesco Illy, arriving at Podere Le Ripi is like stepping into a sustainable bubble, where guests are invited to detach from the stresses of the contemporary world and get back to nature. The team at Podere Le Ripi do not believe in the ownership of the land in the Val d’Orcia, instead, they act as custodians, nurturing and caring for the natural world around them so that it can thrive for centuries to come. The entire estate is one biodiverse ecosystem, where all living organisms, plants, animals and people coexist together. These are the values at the heart of every experience at Podere Le Ripi.

The Tuscan Garden Experience lasts approximately 3.5 hours and begins at 10am. You will start your morning meeting the animals and exploring the vegetable garden before visiting the Golden Cellar and vineyards. The day will end with a biodynamic wine tasting and light farm-to-table lunch of local cold cuts, organic pecorino cheese and fresh produce from the estate’s garden, followed by a main homemade pasta dish, dessert and coffee.

In the case of bad weather, you can choose to convert your experience to a private Bonsai Wine Tour or private Bonsai Wine Tour and lunch with a 50% discount.

• Min 2 - Max 12 people
• Available from April to November
• Approx 3.5 hours
• Languages: English, Italian
• Child-friendly 
• Kids under 4 can join for free
• 50% discount for U16’s and non-drinkers
• Transport not included

Included in the price: Hands-on experience with animals and tour of vegetable garden, tour of the Golden Cellar, tasting of six Montalcino red wines and light lunch prepared by a local chef from seasonal produce.