October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024 adventure dates are sold out. Please contact us at info@nullTasteVacations.com to be placed on the waitlist.
Join two-time Grammy nominee singer/saxophonist Mindi Abair and her husband Eric Guerra, a 20-year winery executive, for a food, wine and music adventure like no other in the world!
An incredible small-group experience where you’ll be relaxing in 5-star luxury hotel accommodations located in the ancient city of Siena. Immerse yourself in the very finest wine and food this legendary region of Italy has to offer. Explore the villages and wineries while enjoying private tastings of delectable Chianti, Brunello Di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano wines. Savor the finest handmade, local Italian foods on culinary excursions to a pecorino crafting farm as well as a spectacular farm-to-table getaway that leads to a feast with music and wine, all in the heart of Tuscany.
Finally, enjoy intimate nightly concerts hosted by Mindi Abair and her renowned musician friends.
Tour Details
Tour Details
- Location: Siena, Tuscany, Italy
- Two Tour Dates: October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024
- Trip Price Per Person: $5,800
- Single supplement: $1,500
- Optional Hotel Upgrade: $2,000
- Group size: 40 people
- Meals: Breakfast each morning, 5 dinners, and 3 lunches
- Itinerary: Please note the itinerary below is from our 2021 tour and will be updated for 2024 with no restaurants and wineries as we get closer to the event
October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024 adventure dates are sold out. Please contact us at info@nullTasteVacations.com to be placed on the waitlist.
Curated Experiences
- Enjoy daily intimate shows hosted by Mindi Abair and her special guests
- Explore amazing Italian wineries and relish in private wine tastings at the finest level, with wine expert and co-host Eric Guerra
- Savor world-renowned, locally- sourced Tuscan cuisine
- Relax in the lap of luxury while staying at the 5-star Grand Hotel Continental
- Roam the ancient streets, taking in the history and beauty of Siena
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: From the Heart of Tuscany
- Franciacorta (fine Italian bubbles) Welcome Reception, including a fun, relaxed musical performance, hosted by Mindi and Eric
- Walking tour of Siena to take in the monuments, palaces, and churches in one of the most beautiful cities in Italy
- Family-style Italian dinner featuring featuring Californian wines from Mindi and Eric’s wine company along with Italian wines
Day 2: Pecorino Cheese & Medieval Montepulciano
- Breakfast at our hotel
- Late morning excursion to a delightful local farm that specializes in making pecorino, the ubiquitous local sheep’s cheese
- Historical walk through Pienza, followed by lunch at La Buca delle Fate
- Private winery tasting in a traditional barrel cave where you’ll taste and learn about the great wines of the region
- Dinner at a local restaurant, showcasing the fine cuisine of Tuscany
- Music show hosted by Mindi Abair and her special guests
Day 3: Agriturismo & Romantic Montalcino
- Breakfast at our hotel
- Visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto, established in 1313 by Benedictine monks
- Tour a spectacular agriturismo (hint: farm) to take a behind the scenes peek at how some local products are produced
- Enjoy lunch at the agriturismo while Mindi Abair and guests perform a special mid-afternoon show
- Discover the world-famous Montalcino, a beautiful medieval town known for its fortezza (fortress) and sublime Brunello Di Montalcino wine
- Private tasting at a family-owned winery to taste the delectable namesake wine, some of the finest you may ever taste in your life
- An exquisite dinner at welcoming family-owned restaurant
Day 4: Siena
- Breakfast at our hotel
- Morning and lunch on your own so you have free time to enjoy Siena, one of the best ancient cities in Italy if not all of Europe
- In the afternoon, we’ll engage in a Italian cooking class – while also learning about and tasting more delicious wines
- While the professional chefs take our cooking results and start preparing dinner, we’ll be entertained by another fantastic concert with Mindi and her musician friends
- Enjoy the dinner that is the fruit of all our labors!
Day 5: The World Famous Wines of Chianti
- Breakfast at our hotel
- Visit and tasting at a family-owned winery that is rich in tradition and handed down for generations, embracing age-old winemaking methods in the renown Chianti region
- Time to explore and grab lunch on your own in Greve (Chianti)
- Final dinner and a special show at a local Siena jazz club that will bring down the house with your host, Mindi Abair and special guests
Day 6: Prosecco Farewells & Onto Your Next Adventure
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Prosecco and a final hang with Mindi and Eric
- Check out and departures
*Note: This itinerary is from 2021 and will be updated for 2024 as we get closer to the event.
October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024 adventure dates are sold out. Please contact us at info@nullTasteVacations.com to be placed on the waitlist.
Tour Accommodations
Located in the very heart of Siena, the 5-star boutique Grand Hotel Continental is the perfect home base for our music + wine Tuscan adventure! You’ll love relaxing in the well-appointed elegant accommodations, just steps from the Piazza del Campo, the Duomo di Siena, and the finest restaurants and shopping you could want.
What is Included
- Double occupancy lodging
- Tour: All breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 5 dinners
- All scheduled excursions, including private wine tastings and music shows
- Wine during organized tastings
- Professional guides
Not Included: Travel to and from Siena, personal expenses, and optional gratuities to local staff and your guide. Travel insurance is also not included, though we highly recommend it. Check out our Travel Insurance page for more information.
Arrival & Departure
We will meet at our host hotel, Grand Hotel Continental, in the late afternoon on the first day of the tour. The tour ends mid-day on Day 6. The nearest airports are Rome or Florence and transportation is available by train or private transfer.
October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024 adventure dates are sold out. Please contact us at info@nullTasteVacations.com to be placed on the waitlist.
Your Hosts
Mindi Abair
Two-time GRAMMY nominee Mindi Abair is a saxophonist, vocalist, and author of “How To Play Madison Square Garden.” You might know her as the featured saxophonist on American Idol, or from touring and/or recording with Aerosmith, Duran Duran, Gregg Allman, Smokey Robinson, and more. As a solo artist, she has consistently topped the Contemporary Jazz and Blues charts, earning her 1st GRAMMY nomination in 2014 for Summer Horns and her 2nd nomination in 2015 for her solo album Wild Heart. In 2019 she launched www.wineandjazz.
Eric Guerra
Author of the highly acclaimed “When Great Wine Is Not Enough – A Wine Sales & Marketing Guide For Wineries, Négotiants & Wine Brand Owners”, named 2018 North Bay Business Journal Winery Sales & Marketing Officer Of The Year with over 20+ years of wine experience having managed or sold over 20 million cases and developed over 500+ wine brands, Eric Guerra is a wine author, winery executive, fine wine investor, label designer, and wine public speaker.
He has led some of the industries’ most legendary wineries and wine brands like the iconic Kendall-Jackson, the Napa destination Mumm Napa, the ultra-boutique Gary Farrell Winery, the luxury Vineyard 29 and the celebrated Champagne brands of France. Eric’s unique and diverse exposure of the wine industry truly covers all aspects from grape… to bottle… to wine drinker (you.)
October 27 – November 1 and November 3 – 8, 2024 adventure dates are sold out. Please contact us at info@nullTasteVacations.com to be placed on the waitlist.