Our Tuscan Farm

What it is and where it operates

Our Tuscan Farm is a small family farm in the Chianti area of Tuscany that hosts its own wine tastings, cooking classes, harvest days and private events on the property. The address on the homepage is strada di Magliano 14, Barberino Tavarnelle, Florence, Italy 50028, and the farm says it is "Open year-round by appointment only." Every experience on the site takes place at the farm.

The owners tell their own story. "Shannon (from the US) and Marco (from Italy) met in Miami and fell in love," the homepage says. "They grew their family to a team of 6, and after 17 years, decided to chase their dreams in their favorite place on earth, Tuscany." They bought a farm "complete with 750 olive trees and a vineyard." The about page says the family does "all of the tending to the land, harvesting of the grapes and olives, and general upkeep ourselves," and calls it "a sustainable and organic farm."

The farm, the house and what it produces

The house is the setting for every visit. The about page says it "was once the town's olive press" and "still has the press downstairs." The house "dates back to the 1800's," and a local legend links it to the battle of Semifonte in 1202, when locals are said to have hidden their treasures in the grotto underneath; the house was named Tesoro, and so is the farm's wine.

The property has "about 2 acres of vineyard where we grow sangiovese grapes," and the homepage says its roughly 750 olive trees produce 5 different types of olives: frantoio, leccino, moraiolo, piangente and maremmano. Some trees, it says, "are 250 years old." The olives are hand-picked and pressed at the local frantoio, and the oil, sold as Vecchio Frantoio, is "bottled upon receiving an order" and hand stamped with a wax seal. The farm says its grapes are harvested and pressed in-house and that it has "wines in the cantina that date back to 1989." The homepage describes the oil as "the perfect combination of mild spice with a well rounded fruity finish," with "an acidity at harvest of 0.1%," and says no additives are introduced. The online shop lists wines including Tesoro 1202, a Sangiovese 2024 and a Sangiovese 2022 Barrique, alongside the olive oil and artisanal cheese, and a tree-adoption gift comes with a plaque, a photo, a numbered charm and three bottles of oil.

The experiences

The homepage lists its experiences as a Full Day Tuscan Experience, a Half Day Tuscan Experience, a Wine Tasting and Cooking Class, a Cooking Class, a Cooking Class for Kids, a Wine Tasting, an Olive Harvest and a Picnic in the Vineyard. The tasting and the cooking class are described in detail on their own pages.

The Wine and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting starts with "a tour of our home that was once the town's olive press," a visit to the wine and olive oil work areas, and then a tasting on the terrace "with views of Chianti." Guests taste "three of our Tuscan wines" with "sausages cooked on our open fire pizza oven, bruschetta, & local pecorino cheeses." The page promises "You will not leave hungry" and suggests the tasting as "a great start to our cooking class." The price is per person, and the farm asks for "a minimum of 2 people."

The Cooking Class takes place in "our newly renovated Tuscan-style kitchen." After a tour of the house, guests taste the farm's wine while preparing "the dish of your choosing," under the motto "If we can make it, you can have it!" The class includes one main dish, the house wine and a homemade dessert, and a second dish or dessert can be added "for an additional fee." The page adds, "If you are really lucky, Nonna Barbara will be here for your class."

The homepage also invites guests to "Experience an authentic olive or grape harvest." The olive harvest runs from mid-October through the end of November, and the farm calls its harvest "a family affair where friends and family alike join in to help," with every olive picked by hand. The FAQ tells harvest guests to wear comfortable walking shoes they do not mind getting dirty and to dress in layers. Its general packing advice for Tuscany is practical too: temperatures can change a lot from day to evening, and closed-toed shoes are best because summer roads are dusty with dirt and gravel. The shop also sells the tasting and the cooking class together as a single booking.

Booking and private events

Experiences are sold through the farm's online shop, which lists them like products and shows prices in the shopper's local currency, so the price is best checked on the site. Both detail pages ask guests to make contact before paying: the tasting page says "Please contact us prior to purchasing to ensure availability of your requested dates," and the cooking class page says "By appointment only."

The farm also takes private events on the property, "From romantic sunset dinners to large family gatherings," and offers gift cards and a membership. Guest reviews on the homepage mention an antipasti platter, the sunset view and a tour of the farm, and one guest calls it "The best day of our 21 day trip to Italy."

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The site does not give a length for any experience, a maximum group size or start times, and the tasting and cooking pages do not state a cancellation or refund rule. The Full Day, Half Day, kids' class and vineyard picnic are listed without descriptions on the homepage. It does not say which languages the family hosts in, though the owners' story and the site are in English, and it says nothing about step-free access in the old house.

Our Tuscan Farm suits travelers who want an unhurried afternoon with a family on a working Chianti farm, tasting its own wine and oil or cooking a dish they choose in the family kitchen, with an olive harvest to join in autumn. Couples and families who can arrange a date in advance and make their way to Barberino Tavarnelle are its natural guests.