Grape harvest experience in Tuscany
Wine & Food Tours Duration: 5 hours - In late August and September
Rates
HOW IS WINE REALLY MADE?
A vendemmia, the Italian word for grape harvest, is one of the most exciting and authentic experiences you can enjoy in Tuscany during harvest season. It is much more than picking grapes: it is a deep immersion into the rhythm of the land, the passion of the winemakers, and the centuries-old wine culture that defines this region.
Guests who have experienced it often say that the energy inside a working winery during harvest time is something truly special. The scent of fresh grapes, the sound of tractors arriving from the vineyards, the movement and teamwork, everything feels alive. During this experience, you won’t just observe: you will take part in the harvest on a charming Tuscan wine estate, witness the most important and dynamic phases of wine production, and enjoy a tasting of excellent local wines served with a delicious lunch.
In the Vineyards with the Harvesters
Our grape harvest experience takes place in the morning and lasts about two hours (timing can be flexible depending on the winery's needs).
You will meet your local guide and begin with an introduction to the world of vineyards before stepping into action. You will learn about the vine plants, cultivation techniques, seasonal weather conditions, and how sun, rain, and temperature influence the quality of the grapes.
Then comes the best part: equipped with scissors and small crates, you will start harvesting grapes alongside your guide and the winemakers. It is a hands-on experience that allows you to feel part of the team and understand how much care and precision every single bunch requires.
Inside the Winery: From Grape to Wine
After collecting the grapes, you will witness the operational areas of the winery.
Here you will discover the machinery and techniques used during the most crucial stages of winemaking. From the destemming machine to the fermentation tanks, you will see how grape juice slowly begins its transformation into wine. You will learn about fermentation, temperature control, and the decisions the winemaker must take during these delicate phases.
Finally, you will relax in the tasting room of the estate and enjoy a guided tasting of selected wines produced on the property, perfectly paired with a traditional Tuscan lunch, a rewarding and delicious conclusion to your morning experience.
Please note: This activity is strictly connected to weather conditions and the natural timing of the harvest. For this reason, changes to the date or itinerary may occur and will be confirmed closer to the experience. A mandatory daily insurance policy must be issued for all participants.
What you tasteThis is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this tour. Please, note that the specialties of the tasting session and/or lunch may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the tour.
In our tour we like showing you places off the beaten track and introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters.
You will have one of our guides with your party during the whole tour. Please, see below all the guides who can be with you.
During this experience you can also meet some of the Tuscan friends involved in the events. Please, see below which friends you are likely to encounter.
The total rate for this activity varies according to the number of people in your party.
Check rates in the table below.
HALF-DAY GRAPE HARVEST EXPERIENCE & LUNCH
|
|
|---|---|
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY |
TOTAL RATE |
| 2 persons | € 480 |
| 3 persons | € 590 |
| 4 persons | € 700 |
| 5 persons | € 810 |
| 6 persons | € 920 |
| 7 persons | € 1030 |
| 8 persons | € 1140 |
| Extra Adult | € 110 |
| Extra Teenager (12-17 yrs) | € 60 |
| Extra Child (4-11 yrs) | € 40 |
Rates include
- Private English-speaking tour guide for the whole tour – German, French or Spanish also available
- grape harvest experience in the vineyards
- A guided visit to the operating winery
- Traditional Lunch
- A guided wine tasting session during lunch
- Taxes
Rates do NOT include
- Transportation is not included in the rates above. For more info on transportation, please see the box "Transportation options".
- Tips to the staff. Not included, not obligatory but very much appreciated
Here the message of Sarah from Lebanon, who enjoyed a grape harvest experience with Massimo as well as a cooking class at our My Tuscan Kitchen cooking school:
Dear Massimo,
Sorry for the late reply, just got back home and been busy!
Thank you for sending the recipes and thank you for your lovely company the 2 days in Tuscany. We learned a lot from you and we had a lot of fun! The entire family sends you their best wishes.
Will definitely give you and your company a great review!
Take care,
Sarah
This is an email we received from Jen who experienced a day grape harvest experience at a fantastic winery in Tuscany with us.
I wanted to let you know that my family and I enjoyed the Grape Harvest tour. We’re very glad that Hilton recommended your tour group. Massimo our guide, was fantastic! He was well informed, pleasant and very accommodating. We were a group of four and he addressed all our questions whether they pertained to wine-making or not. He provided us with technical and operational insight about the wine industry, from agriculture to wine-tasting. Probably one of the best tours in Tuscany showing professionalism and hospitality. Massimo gave us a personalized tour which we appreciated very much. We definitely got more than we expected from the tour…and all because of Massimo!
We hope to do other tours with your team when we return to Toscana!
Jen
This tour includes a walk through the vineyards on terrain that is not always flat and a few more challenging stretches. If you have any accessibility needs — whether mobility-related, sensory, cognitive, or any other requirements — please let us know in advance and we will do our best to adapt the itinerary for you.
LOCATION OF ATTRACTIONS:
This tour takes place in the area of Terricciola, Peccioli and Palaia, a rural district between Pisa and Volterra, or in the area of San Miniato, near Florence.
MEET-UP LOCATION:
Unless differently specified, the tour guide meets you at a meeting point in or near Peccioli.
DURATION:
This program takes 5 hours. Time for transportation not included.
AVAILABILITY:
Available between the end of August and September. Availability is subject to the harvesting plans of the wineries involved in the program. The grape harvest is in the middle of the fields and is strictly related to the weather conditions of the day. If you are booked in for this experience in a day in which it is impossible to harvest, we will arrange for you an alternative program to get the best from the day.
LANGUAGE:
This tour is available in English language. German, French, Spanish or Italian are also available with no surcharge.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Medium
CHILD FRIENDLY:
Not ideal for children
CLOTHING:
Comfortable shoes and clothes recommended. As we walk in vineyards, we recommend to wear no shorts nor sandals. The first part of the morning can be quite cool.
FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The foods served during this tour might contain gluten, lactose, nuts and alcohol. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process.
TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
OBLIGATORY INSURANCE:
A personal insurance for the day is included;
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car or a scooter in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
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