Umbria & Le Marche Wine Tours

A quick visit to Civita di Bagnoregio is also in store. The “dying town” is on a tuff hill, suffers from continuous erosion caused by rain and wind, so it is slowly but inexorably collapsing and vanishing.

After sightseeing this morning and stretching your legs, you will head to your first wine estate of the tour, the legendary Castello Della Sala, located in magnificent medieval manor built-in 1350 by Angelo Della Vipera Monaldeschi and now owned by Marquis Antinori. You will taste a complete range of wines, including Cervaro Della Sala. Created in 1979, this internationally awarded white wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Grechetto grapes and is considered to be one of Italy’s top wines.

Next is Tenuta di Salviano, a historic wine estate owned by the Incisa Della Rocchetta family, founder of Sassicaia. Ultra-premium Umbrian wines are made here, and after a tour of this beautiful estate, you will have a wine tasting lunch with amazing views of Corbara lake.

An excellent start to your wine tour of Umbria! In the late afternoon, your driver will take you to your luxury countryside hotel in the Umbrian wine country to relax and enjoy dinner on your own at the hotel.

Lunch will follow in a charming little trattoria in Montefalco. After a three-course traditional Umbrian lunch, you will have some free time. We highly recommend a visit to the 14th century San Francesco church as the Renaissance frescos by Benozzo Gozzoli is fantastic. Explore the narrow, winding lanes of Montefalco to get some photos before heading to the next winery of the day, Paolo Bea. This estate is considered to be the ultimate boutique winery and makes cult wines for collectors. Enjoy a tasting of the organic wines that have made this estate so famous.

Last winery of the day is the prestigious Arnaldo Caprai estate, a Sagrantino wine pioneer. Tour the vineyards, winery and “Barricaia” (barrel room) and taste the best wines such as Grechetto Poggio Belvedere, Grecante, Poggio Belvedere Rosso, Rosso di Montefalco, Rosso Outsider, Sagrantino Collepiano, Sagrantino 25 Anni Riserva (winner of 95 points with Robert Parker).

Your driver will take you to the medieval fairytale town of Gubbio, your base for the next few nights. Relax and enjoy dinner on your own in the historic center hotel.

Enjoy some free time to Perugia to check out the shops, take a stroll, have a coffee. You will notice many students here, and in fact, Perugia is home to the Università per Stranieri (Italy’s most prestigious language school, attracting thousands of international students every year). Perugia is also home to Perugina (the eponymous chocolate “Baci” kisses) and the annual chocolate festival.

Enroute to Torgiano, stop in Deruta, the town famous for its amazing ceramics. Whether you are interested in shopping for jars, terracotta, pots, and vases or experiencing a workshop to become potter for just a day, Deruta is the place for you. Do not leave without visiting the Fondazione Moretti and the Regional Ceramics Museum.

Next, you will stop at a historic wine estate with fantastic views over the countryside. Visit the delightful Lungarotti estate, touring the vineyards and cellars. Taste their Torgiano DOC and DOGC and Umbria IGT white, red, and rosè wines, such as Rubesco Riserva Vigna Monticchio, Torre di Giano Vigna Il Pino, San Giorgio, Sagrantino di Montefalco, and Aurente. Sample some local cheeses, salamis (corallina, capocollo, prosciutto di Norcia and more) and Umbrian culinary treats (like strangozzi with black Norcia truffle) a wine tasting hearty lunch!

After lunch, your next visit is to Assisi where Saint Francis of Assisi is buried in the monumental Basilica di San Francesco. With your private art guide, you will tour this beautiful town, seeing Giotto’s frescoes in the basilica, as well as the Romanesque-Gothic San Pietro church and the Piazza del Comune.

Arrive back to Gubbio and free evening. For your lovely dinner, we suggest Taverna del Lupo.

From Gubbio, you will travel to Urbino (in Le Marche region), but first stopping en route in the home to the white truffle. Passo del Furlo di Acqualagna is one of our hidden gems; here, we will organize a superb four-course tasting menu (if in season, with white truffle, of course!) paired with Umbrian and Marche wines. The dining room is cozy, especially in colder weather like autumn, with its wood-burning fireplace/grill.

After a fantastic lunch, you will visit Urbino, one of Italy’s most elegant Renaissance towns. As there is so much to see, you will have a private art guide who will take you on a fascinating two-hour walking tour, taking in the highlights like the Disney-esque Palazzo Ducale and the marvelous Galleria Nazionale Delle Marche. You will see some of Raphael’s paintings as he was born in Urbino, and many of his Renaissance masterpieces are here. In the early evening, you will drive to the coast. For the next few nights, you will sleep in the historic center of Ancona, a few steps away from the Ancient Port and at walking distance from restaurants, shops, beaches, and all the essential sights of the city.

For aperitif and a light, seafood-based dinner right on the water, we suggest star chef Moreno Cedroni’s restaurant Clandestino.

Enjoy a private tour and tasting with manager Alessandro Fenino, who will explain their Amphora based vinification and biodynamic viticulture. Fascinating stuff, great visit, and super wines. Next up is La Distesa, an organic boutique estate making excellent wines. You will taste their Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore “Terre Silvate” and “Gli Eremi” along with the red Marche Rosso “Nocenzio” made with Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. You will be well ready for lunch by now, and today we will organize a beautiful, traditional lunch at the revered, authentic “Anita” restaurant in Cupramontana.

After lunch, change gears and enjoy some spectacular natural scenery at the Frassasi caves. This extensive cave network is mind-boggling, and the 75-minute tour is extraordinary. The motto here is “journey to the center of the earth.” With a guide, you will enjoy a walking tour of this underground world complete with theatrical lighting and running commentary. Well worth the visit and very memorable.

In the late afternoon on route back to Ancona, you can stop in small, charming villages like Fabriano (which is famous for its artisan paper production), medieval Matelica and Cingoli (known as the “Balcony of Marche” for its magnificent views).

Relax at the hotel and get freshened up for dinner. Tonight we have a 3 Michelin starred extravaganza at Uliassi, one of the best restaurants in Italy. A tasting menu paired with the best wines of Le Marche and Umbria will be waiting for you, this will be a gastronomic highlight of the tour. Buon appetito!

Next is Umani Ronchi, owned by the Bianchi-Bernetti family, who, since 1957 have been making superb-quality craft wines. After the tour of wonderful Bottaia, you will taste their top quality wines, paired with local delicacies.

You will end your day at Moroder wine estate, revered for their Rosso Conero wines. You will taste the whole range including Dorico, the Rosso Conero DOC Riserva (made with 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo), their Rosato IGT (rosé, blend of Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo, Alicante Nero, and Sangiovese) and their delicious “Oro” Moscato Passito wine (Moscato, Malvasia, and Trebbiano Dorato fermented in oak “caratelli”, where the wine ages for more than 2 years).

Dinner will be a real authentic experience: cartoccio di fritti marchigiani; maltagliati alla crema di fave e carciofi; brasato al Rosso Conero; Spuma di caffè con savoiardi ubriachi.

Then you will have Michelin starred lunch at Andreina, now run by the founder’s descendants. Errico (Andreina’s grandchild) works with his wife Ramona, and together they will prepare an unforgettable meal for you, based on traditional ingredients, locally sourced and a hint of creativity.

After lunch, visit some small and characteristic wine estates in the region such as Aurora and Cocci Grifoni before heading to Ascoli Piceno. Begin with a visit to Aurora, a tiny, organic estate, making Piceno doc wines from local grapes Pecorino, Passerina, and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. You will have a private tour and tasting of all flagship wines followed by a 2nd winery tour at Coffi Grifoni winery. Cocci Grifoni makes Cru red wines in the Rosso Piceno and Offida appellation as well as bubblies and whites (like the stylish Guido Cocci Grifoni Pecorino and the smooth Vigna Messieri)

And finally, you will head into Ascoli Piceno, check-in into your Palazzo hotel, and explore the town on your own. This medieval town is a popular stop for cyclists, and you will likely see some here taking a break at one of the cafes in the piazza. The most famous is historic liberty style Caffè Meletti; Ernest Hemingway, Pietro Mascagni, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre frequented the cafe, sipping Anisetta Meletti (anise liquor) with a coffee bean in it. One of Marche’s cutest towns, Ascoli Piceno, offers a jumble of towers, bridges, and palazzos.

Lunch will be a Michelin starred affair in beautiful Norcia. The town is famous for its salami, black truffle, and wild boar and pork products, and it is the birthplace of St Benedict.

In the late afternoon, arrive in Spoleto, home to the “Two Worlds” annual arts and music festival. Check into your palace hotel and relax for the rest of the evening on your own. Your romantic room has high ceilings with ancient wooden beams and is full of antiques. The grounds are magnificent with manicured gardens offerings views of Spoleto, the valley and the mountains beyond. Enjoy some free time to explore Spoleto, a genuinely magical Umbrian town.