Frequently asked questions.
Everything our guests usually ask about private wine experiences in Umbria and Tuscany.
GENERAL
Every experience
Do you come directly to our villa or holiday home?
Yes. Every experience takes place where you are staying: a villa, a farmhouse, a holiday home or a private residence. We bring the wines, the glassware and everything needed, and take it all away at the end.
Which areas do you cover?
Mainly Umbria and Tuscany: Perugia, Assisi, Lake Trasimeno, Cortona, Montepulciano, the Val d’Orcia and the countryside around them. Other regions of Italy, and destinations abroad, on request.
Can the experience be customized?
Always. Each experience is shaped around your tastes, the size of your group, how much you know about wine and the occasion, from a relaxed aperitivo to a premium tasting.
Do we need any wine knowledge?
None at all. Our guests range from complete beginners to passionate collectors, and every experience is relaxed, never academic.
Can you accommodate dietary requirements?
Yes, wherever possible. When food is part of the experience, we adapt it for vegetarians and for allergies or intolerances. Simply tell us when you book.
Why choose a private wine experience instead of visiting a winery?
Because it is entirely yours. No driving, no fixed schedule, no sharing the table with strangers: the wines come to you, in the place you chose for your holiday. And when you do want to visit the wineries, we can take you there too.
What is included in a Wine Things experience?
Selected wines, the stories behind them, the complete set-up and all the equipment, with sommelier service where the experience includes it. Depending on the experience, local food, an aperitivo or a winery tour are part of it too.
Can you organize experiences for birthdays or special occasions?
With pleasure. We regularly create experiences for birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, family reunions, bachelorette weekends and celebrations with friends, and every detail can be personalised. Larger groups and weddings receive a dedicated proposal.
Can children join the experience?
Of course. Children are welcome to join their families and enjoy the atmosphere; the tasting itself is for adults only.
How far in advance should we book?
As early as you can, especially in spring and summer, when dates fill quickly. We suggest at least seven days ahead, and when we can, we gladly welcome shorter notice.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Nothing changes. Because the experience takes place where you are staying, we simply move indoors.
Do you only work with private villas?
No. Most of our experiences take place in private villas, but we also welcome guests in holiday homes, boutique hotels, private residences and selected hospitality venues.
Why choose Wine Things?
Because every experience is curated and hosted personally by Francesca Dei Santi, AIS Sommelier and WSET Level 3, with more than ten years in wine and hospitality. The wines are ones she has tasted, the producers are people she trusts.
In which language are the experiences?
In English or Italian, as you prefer.
How much does a private wine experience cost?
Every experience is private and shaped around you, so the price depends on the experience, the number of guests and where you are staying. Write to us with a few details and within 24 hours you receive a personal proposal, with no obligation.
How do I book?
Write to us by email or WhatsApp with where you are staying, the date and the number of guests. Within 24 hours you receive a personal proposal; a deposit confirms your date.
Can we buy the wines we tasted?
Yes. Extra bottles and wine gifts can be arranged, and our Wine Selection is available to wine lovers and to hospitality professionals.
What is a private wine tasting?
A sommelier comes to your villa or holiday home with a selection of Italian wines and professional glassware, and hosts a tasting for you and your group only. In our case, the sommelier is Francesca.
Why book a private sommelier instead of choosing the wines ourselves?
Choosing wine in a country that is not your own is never easy. Francesca selects the wines for you, serves them at the right temperature and tells you the story of each one, so you discover far more than you would from a shelf.
Do you offer private wine tastings in Tuscany and Umbria?
Yes: in Perugia, Assisi, around Lake Trasimeno, Cortona, Montepulciano, the Val d’Orcia and the surrounding countryside. For other areas of Italy, write to us.
Do you provide the wine glasses and tasting equipment?
Yes. We bring professional glassware and everything the tasting needs. You do not have to prepare a thing.
What is included in the experience?
Four selected Italian wines, Francesca at your side as your sommelier, the stories behind every glass, professional glassware and a complete set-up.
How long does the experience last?
About two unhurried hours. For special occasions, the timing can be shaped around your evening.
Which wines will we taste?
Wines chosen for you rather than from a list. You can leave the choice entirely to Francesca, or tell her what you love and what you would like to discover.
Can we choose the wines?
Yes. Before the tasting we ask about your preferences, your favourite styles and any special requests, and we still keep a surprise or two: a producer or a grape you have never met.
Is a private wine tasting better than visiting a winery?
It is a different pleasure. A winery shows you where wine is made; a private tasting brings several producers to your table, with no driving, no timetable and no other visitors. Many of our guests enjoy both.
Is the experience suitable for beginners?
Completely. There is nothing to memorise and nothing to prove: the tasting follows your curiosity, whatever your level.
How many people can join the tasting?
The Villa Hour is designed for couples, families and groups of friends, up to 15 guests. For larger groups we prepare a dedicated proposal.
What is the Italian Aperitivo Experience?
Before Sunset is a private aperitivo prepared at your villa or holiday home: selected Italian wines or a Spritz, local specialties and a table set with care, ready when you step outside.
What is an Italian aperitivo?
One of Italy’s most loved rituals: a glass and a few good things to eat in the late afternoon or at sunset, to slow down and enjoy the company before dinner.
Will you stay with us during the aperitivo?
No, and that is the point. We prepare everything and leave you to it, the way Italians enjoy their aperitivo: the moment belongs to you, with no schedule and no host at the table.
Is this a meal or an aperitivo?
An aperitivo: generous, but meant to open the evening rather than replace dinner.
Do we choose the food and drinks?
We take care of it. The wines, drinks and local specialties are selected by us as part of the experience; simply tell us about any preferences or dietary needs.
Is the aperitivo a private experience?
Yes. It is prepared exclusively for you and your guests.
What is included in the experience?
Italian wines or Spritz, traditional local bites, the complete set-up and everything needed to serve, all ready at the time we agree with you.
Do we need to prepare anything?
Nothing. We bring everything and set it all up before you arrive at the table.
Where do you offer the Italian Aperitivo Experience?
Throughout Umbria and Tuscany. For other areas of Italy, write to us.
Is the Italian Aperitivo Experience suitable for special occasions?
Beautifully so: birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, family holidays and the first evening of a stay.
Why choose Wine Things for your Italian aperitivo?
Because it is not catering. Every wine, every bite and every detail of the table is chosen with the same care as our tastings, so the aperitivo feels like Italy rather than a delivery.
What is the Private Wine Dinner Experience?
At the Long Table is wine pairing for a private dinner at your villa or holiday home: Italian wines chosen course by course around your menu, delivered with a pairing guide or served by your private sommelier.
Do I need to have a private chef?
No. It works just as well with a dinner you cook yourselves or food from a local restaurant: all we need is the menu. And if you would like a chef, we can introduce you to one.
Can we tell you our wine preferences?
Please do. The wines you love, and the styles you would rather avoid, all shape the selection.
How do you choose the wines?
Francesca reads your menu, its flavours, cooking and ingredients, asks about your guests and the mood of the evening, then selects Italian wines from producers she knows personally, each one for a specific course.
How many wines are included?
It depends on your menu and the number of courses. The aim is the right number of wines, never too many.
What is a private sommelier?
A wine professional who brings the wine service of a fine restaurant to your table: choosing, pairing, serving and telling the story of every glass.
What is included in the Private Sommelier Service?
Everything in the Wine Pairing Delivery, plus Francesca at your dinner: she opens and pours every wine, explains each pairing and takes care of timing and temperature throughout the evening.
What is included in the Wine Pairing Delivery?
A selection of Italian wines chosen for your menu, delivered to where you are staying, with a written pairing guide, serving suggestions and tasting notes.
What’s the difference between Wine Pairing Delivery and the Private Sommelier Service?
The wines are the same. With the delivery, they arrive with a pairing guide and you serve them yourselves; with the sommelier service, Francesca stays for the evening and presents every glass.
Is the Wine Pairing Delivery a good alternative to the Private Sommelier Service?
Yes, for an evening entirely among yourselves, with pairings chosen by a professional. The sommelier service adds a touch of hospitality that makes special occasions memorable.
Do you provide wine glasses?
Yes, professional glassware can be provided on request.
Is this experience suitable for special occasions?
It is made for them: birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, family celebrations, private chef dinners and long evenings with friends.
What is the Curated Winery Tour?
A wine itinerary drawn around your holiday. You can explore on your own with a complete plan, or spend the day with Francesca, from the cellar door to the table.
What’s the difference between Self-Guided and Hosted tours?
With Your Own Way, our self-guided tour, you receive a complete itinerary and travel independently. With a Guided tour, Francesca comes with you, shares what she knows of each place and introduces you to the producers.
Do you book winery appointments?
Yes. We contact the wineries and arrange every visit for you.
How do you choose wineries?
For the quality of the wine, the welcome, the authenticity of the place and the experience as a whole. Not the most famous names, but the right ones for you.
Can we choose which wineries to visit?
Yes, wherever possible. Or you can leave the choice to us.
How many wineries can we visit in one day?
Usually two or three, depending on distances, opening hours and how you like to travel. A day should feel like a discovery, not a schedule.
Is the Self-Guided Tour difficult to follow?
Not at all. You receive a clear itinerary with timings, directions, reservations and practical tips.
Do we need a car?
For a self-guided tour, yes. For a guided tour, transport is arranged around where you are staying; a private transfer can be added on request.
Which wine regions do you cover?
Mainly Umbria and Tuscany. Other Italian regions on request.
What is the truffle hunt?
A morning in the Umbrian woods with a truffle hunter and his dog, followed by the table: aperitivo, truffle bruschetta and scrambled eggs, umbricelli with truffle, a small dessert, water and wines chosen by Francesca.
Why choose Wine Things over a standard wine tour?
Because nothing is standard. No large groups and no fixed timetable: every itinerary is designed for you by someone who knows the wineries of the region personally.