Super Chianti 2 wineries & meat feast @ Dario Cecchini—max 8 pp

Chianti is best tasted where it’s made, and this small-group day gets you out of Florence without the hassle of renting a car or choosing a designated driver. You’ll visit two wineries, sample about ten wines, and stop for lunch at Dario Cecchini’s celebrated butcher shop.

I like the personal scale, with no more than eight people, and the mix of wine, food, and a quick look at Greve. The main thing to check before booking: the schedule names Casa Erta, but does not identify the second winery.

The seven-hour tour costs $332.71 per person. That’s a substantial price, but it bundles tastings, lunch, and a guided day in Chianti. One other consideration: Dario may not be at the shop, and lunch service may not always explain each dish in detail.

At a glance

• Two winery visits bring you into Chianti’s wine country without arranging your own transport.
• About ten wines are included, with a guide to make the tasting more than a string of pours.
• Casa Erta, at Fattoria Corzano e Paterno, is the named winery on the schedule; the second winery is not specified there.
• Lunch at Dario Cecchini’s butcher shop is a meat-focused stop with a famous name and a lively sense of place.
• A maximum group of eight gives the day a more personal feel than a large coach outing.

A small-group route into Chianti

This tour is designed for people who want a taste of Tuscan wine country but would rather not manage the driving. You meet at the Grape Tours office at Via dei Renai, 19, in Florence, then spend roughly seven hours on a guided outing that combines winery visits, lunch, and a short stop in Greve in Chianti. The tour returns to the same meeting point.

A group capped at eight is a real asset on a day built around conversation and tasting. You have a better chance to ask questions, hear the guide, and get to know the rest of the group than you would on a bus packed with people. One guide, Matteo, reportedly used a few icebreaker questions early in the day, a small touch that helped the group settle in together.

Guides named in accounts of the tour include Matteo, Quentin, and Clemente. They were praised for making wine approachable and connecting it with local food, culture, and history. Your guide may be someone else, though, so treat those names as examples rather than a promise.

The tour is offered in English, lasts about seven hours, and is for adults aged 18 and older. It is listed as suitable for most participants and near public transportation. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so plan to reach the Florence meeting point yourself and arrive 15 minutes before departure.

At Casa Erta, wine starts with the place

The named winery visit is Casa Erta, at Fattoria Corzano e Paterno. The scheduled stop lasts an hour and a half for a winery tour and tasting. That gives you time to hear about how the wine is made, then taste it in the setting where the work takes place, rather than simply ordering a glass in town.

The most useful part of a guided tasting is the context. Wine can be hard to read if you are unfamiliar with the region or the terms people use to describe it. A strong guide can help connect the taste in your glass with the soil, climate, and choices made by the winemaker. Matteo, Quentin, and Clemente have each been singled out for explaining wine in a lively, accessible way.

The tour includes about ten wines across the day. That is a generous tasting lineup, so pace yourself, drink water when available, and take notes if you want to remember a particular bottle. The information provided does not say whether all ten wines are poured at one winery or divided between the two, so ask the guide if that matters to you.

There is a small but important planning wrinkle: the tour’s title promises two wineries, yet the scheduled route names only Casa Erta. A past account describes visits to two active wineries, but the second is not identified in the details here. If a specific producer or estate matters to you, confirm the second stop before you book.

The wineries have been described as small, welcoming operations rather than large producers. One account also mentions cheese made on site, from sheep care through dairy production. That detail is not guaranteed for every departure, but it points to the kind of close-to-the-source experience that can make a winery visit more interesting than a tasting-room stop alone.

Lunch at Dario Cecchini’s butcher shop

The day’s most unusual meal is at Antica Macelleria Cecchini, the butcher shop associated with Dario Cecchini. The stop lasts about an hour and a half, and lunch is included. This is not a quiet restaurant break added between tastings: the butcher’s shop and its connection to meat are central to the appeal.

Dario’s reputation and advocacy give the stop a story beyond the plate. One person described being star-struck by his life and work, while others found the visit itself memorable even when Dario was away. Don’t plan your day around meeting him. He may not be there, and one account noted that he was in Sicily at the time.

Expect a meal with a strong focus on meat, but the menu and specific dishes are not detailed here. One practical point: the meal may not come with a thorough explanation of everything you are eating. If you have questions about a dish, ask the staff or your guide rather than assuming someone will describe each course.

The lunch experience has received mixed assessments. Some found the food superb and the stop a highlight; another person felt the food service was inattentive and left them unsure what they had been served. That difference matters if you value polished restaurant service. If you are more interested in the butcher-shop setting, the food, and the story behind the stop, you may find the visit worthwhile even if the service is informal.

The meal also makes sense as a counterpoint to the tastings. Wine is easier to appreciate when you see how it fits into a meal and a food culture. Here the focus is unusually specific: a celebrated butcher, a meat-centered lunch, and Tuscan wine country around you.

A quick pause in Greve

After the winery and lunch stops, the route includes 15 minutes for a stroll in Greve in Chianti. Think of this as a short leg-stretch and a chance to get a feel for the town, not a full visit with time for a museum, shopping, or a leisurely coffee.

That brief stop is useful for breaking up a day that otherwise centers on tastings and lunch. It also gives you a glimpse of a Chianti town beyond the winery gates. If Greve is a place you particularly want to explore, plan a separate visit; fifteen minutes is only enough for a quick wander.

What the price buys you

At $332.71 per person, this is a premium day trip. The clearest value comes from combining two winery visits, about ten wine tastings, lunch, and a guide in a single outing from Florence. You also avoid the work of planning winery appointments and the question of who will drive after tasting.

A small group can make the cost feel more reasonable if you value direct interaction. A guide who can answer questions about wine and keep the day moving adds something that a self-guided tasting does not. The tour’s seven-hour format also gives you a full day in Chianti without requiring an overnight stay.

Still, compare the price with what you want from the day. If your priority is a long, unhurried visit at one estate, this itinerary may feel too packed. If you want to visit named wineries, ask which second winery is planned before paying. And if you are booking mainly to meet Dario, the chance of his being present is not assured.

Lunch and alcoholic beverages are included, along with the wine tasting. Hotel transfers are not. The meeting and return point is the Grape Tours office in Florence, so include your own trip to and from Via dei Renai when weighing the day’s total cost.

Who should book this day

I’d consider this tour if you want wine, food, and a bit of countryside in one manageable day, especially if you are staying in Florence and do not want to drive. It is a strong fit for curious wine drinkers who enjoy learning as they taste, and for people who find a butcher-shop lunch more memorable than a standard restaurant stop.

It may be less suitable if you want a leisurely pace, a guaranteed meeting with Dario, or detailed service at lunch. The 15-minute Greve stop is brief, and the second winery’s name is not specified in the schedule. Those are not reasons to dismiss the tour, but they are good reasons to set expectations and ask a question or two before booking.

Cancellation is strict: the experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed. Confirmation is expected within 48 hours, subject to availability. If the minimum number of participants is not met and the tour is canceled, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want an organized, small-group introduction to Chianti that combines wine with a distinctive meat-focused lunch. The guides’ reported strengths, the capped group size, and the mix of winery visits make the day more personal than a simple transport-and-tasting package.

Before you commit, confirm the name of the second winery and remember that Dario may not be present. If those details suit you, and you are comfortable with the price and firm cancellation terms, this is a compelling way to spend a day outside Florence.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours.

Where does the tour start?

Meet at the Grape Tours office at Via dei Renai, 19, 50125 Florence, Italy.

How early should I arrive?

Arrive 15 minutes before the start time.

Where does the tour end?

It ends back at the Florence meeting point.

How many people can join?

The maximum group size is eight people.

How many wines are included?

The tour includes a tasting of around ten wines.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at Antica Macelleria Cecchini is included, along with alcoholic beverages.

What is the minimum age?

Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.