Excursion S.a.l.t. dreamy san miniato: meet a natural wine master and learn wine & food pairing with emiko davies and marco lami tour at Livorno

Meet your guide at the pier and board the minibus for the 60-minute drive to reach San Miniato.

Wine Estate Fattoria Collebrunacchi

First stop will be at Fattoria Collebrunacchi. Fattoria Collebrunacchi is located on the San Miniato hills, between the provinces of Pisa and Florence. It is a family-run agricultural business that spans 60 hectares of land, of which 4 are cultivated with vineyards, 20 with arable crops, and 25 are wooded. The farm specializes in the production of local products, particularly those from the truffle-producing region.

The production of wine is the most well-known activity of Fattoria Collebrunacchi, which dates back to the 14^th century and is still made today with great care and attention to detail. The land on which the farm is located is particularly fertile, at an altitude of around 180 meters above sea level. This is due to the fact that the area is characterized by deep, shaded valleys and extremely sunny ridges, along with the presence of fossils and shells from the Pliocene period, approximately three million years ago, which provide the soil with a rich supply of calcium and minerals. In fact, this part of Tuscany was submerged by the sea up to two million years ago, leaving numerous traces behind.

Garden and Country House Tour, Wine Tasting

We will visit the garden, where you will be impressed by the building, as well as the many lemon, orange, and cypress trees. From here, you can also spot a charming little church that belongs to the property. The garden offers a view of the vineyards that belong to the farm, which are scattered among the hills of San Miniato. The wine tasting will take place inside the house, which is very unique. It’s an authentic country home, complete with a traditional kitchen and a fireplace. The house is furnished with antique furniture, rugs, and mounted animal heads. It’s a lived-in home, filled with paintings, utensils, and various knick-knacks.

San Miniato Medieval town, Enoteca Marilu, Lunch & Wine Pairing with Emiko Davies and Marco Lami

Your will reboard your minibus and head 15 minutes away into the hilltop town of San Miniato, which sits on the ancient pilgrim route, the Via Francigena, where you will have a private, exclusive three course lunch prepared by cookbook author and food writer Emiko Davies at Enoteca Marilu, the multifunctional space - a natural wine shop/bar + cooking school - Davies and husband, sommelier Marco Lami (formerly head of the wine program at legendary restaurant Cibreo, in Florence) have recently inaugurated in the heart of the town.

Marco will continue his wine lesson through the first course of the lunch, which is an antipasto platter where you will learn how to pair wine with food. This will be a rather technical experience, focusing on the deliciousness of food but also on how to match what's in the dish with what's in the glass (i.e., you will have to put both food and wine in your mouth at same time and chew together to understand if the pairing works). Marco will show this through a tasting of 4-5 food and wine elements, e.i. bubbles + fried food; tannins + proteins; nutty + truffles - we are in San Miniato after all - sweet + spicy, plus a dessert wine pairing with blue cheese. This will be followed by a pasta dish (e.g., handmade pasta like pici or ravioli, perhaps gnudi) and a dessert which will be paired with a dessert wine and a cheese.

After lunch, you will be driven back to the port of Livorno.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Fattoria Collebrunacchi, the 16th Century Country House, the Beautiful Garden, Wine Tasting, San Miniato historic center, Lunch pairing at Enoteca Marilu

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking of approximately 1.2 km over some gravel and few steps. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and those on a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothing, hat, sunscreen and a warm jacket during shoulder season. Guests must be at least 18 years old to be served alcoholic beverages. Guests are advised to inform of any dietary restrictions ahead of time, as accommodating restrictions may be limited by the nature of the experience. Space on this tour is extremely limited; we suggest you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.