Milan · MILAN WINE TASTINGS
These are the 15 milan wine tastings people book most, each with its price, its length and who it suits. Start with number one and work down until something fits your day.
From Como, take a shared boat cruise past lakeside villas and villages, including Villa d’Este and Villa Erba. A skipper such as Alessandro, Mario, or Sebastian shares stories and points out photo spots. Sip Prosecco or a soft drink, and use the optional phone audio guide for more detail.
“Our guide was absolutely lovely, very funny and engaging - highly recommend!”
Spend three hours in a popular Milan restaurant learning to make pasta dough and tiramisu with an English-speaking chef. You’ll get a welcome glass of Prosecco, prepare the dishes at your workstation, then sit down to eat with wine. Hosts named Mimo and Damiano have led classes, though the instructor may vary.
“Really enjoyable. I gave up trying to make pasta years ago. Now thanks to Mimo I will try again. Really good fun and meeting people.”
At this roughly three-hour class near central Milan, a chef guides you through homemade tiramisù, fresh pasta and ravioli, then gnocchi with truffle sauce. You cook, eat, and taste Italian red and white wines with a group of up to 20. Instructors named by past participants include Francesco and Denisse.
“Take this class! It was really fun and the pasta we made was absolutely delicious. When we come back to Milan one day I would take it again!”
Spend about 10.5 hours travelling from Milan into Piedmont’s Langhe hills, with a guide, a free stroll in Alba, a family-run winery visit and a tasting of six Langhe red wines, including Barolo. The group is capped at 19. Guides have included Stefano, Monica and Oleg; names vary by date. Lunch is on your own, and Tuesday castle visits switch to a viewpoint in La Morra.
“This was an amazing experience that allowed me to experience the Italian countryside wine making region and even experience the truffle festival. Stefano was an amazing guide, with plenty of interesting historical information. And he had the foresight to take the necessary steps to ensure the trip went smoothly. One example was the truffle festival going on in Alba which made the city much busier than normal. The original plan was for each member of the tour to grab their own lunch, but knowing it would be really busy, Stefano booked a table for everyone at a nice restaurant to ensure we wouldn't have issues getting food on our stop.”
Spend about three hours in a central Milan restaurant learning to make pasta dough, fresh noodles, ravioli and tiramisu. In a group capped at 12, you work through each recipe with an English-speaking instructor, then sit down to eat pasta and dessert with wine or soft drinks. Instructors have included Francesco, Mimmo, Memmo and Alba.
“Great experience, totally worth it. Chef was friendly and we learned some useful tricks. Food turned out fantastic. I would highly recommend!”
At Chef and the City in Milan, cook three Italian dishes with a chef such as Ilaria, sometimes joined by Fernando or another instructor. Make fresh pasta and learn practical techniques, then sit down with your group to eat what you have prepared and drink wine. The menu varies, and you take home the recipes.
“My husband and I had been wanting to take a cooking class in Italy for a couple of years now. We finally decided to do and we picked the perfect Chef! She was very knowledgeable and passionate about cooking, and we learned a ton from her. We had so much fun! Thank you for helping us check another bucket list item.”
At Cantina Urbana on Via Ascanio Sforza, a sommelier guides you through the compact urban winery, its barrels, amphorae, and tanks, then leads a tasting of four or six house wines with local charcuterie. English and Italian tours last 1.5 hours. Guides such as Irene, May, Francesco, Mia, and Julia have led sessions, though your guide may vary.
“The tour was amazing! Such a beautiful and welcoming space. The workers were very friendly and made me excited for my wine tasting experience. It was my first time in Milan and I cant wait to return, especially to revisit this winery. The wines I sampled were all so delicious, and I'm not a big wine drinker lol. The woman running the tasting was fantastic, very knowledgable, and helpful with accommodating my tasting with my earlier than expected train ride back home. 20/10 experience would totally go again with friends and family.”
At Azienda Agricola Sorsasso in Domaso, a family member guides you through the cellar and explains the winery’s story and how its wines are made. Then settle in on the terrace for three local wines paired with regional food, including bread, cheeses, or cured meats, with Lake Como and the Alps in view.
“The host was fabulous. The wines were very nice and the food was great. Visiting a small family run business was excellent. We would highly recommend this tour.”
SuBacco’s two-hour shared boat tour leaves from Como for a close-up look at lakeside villas, villages and Nesso’s waterfall. A captain such as Fabio, Luca or Leonardo may share local stories as you cruise aboard a Karnic SL651, with a bottle of white wine or prosecco, water and a chance to swim near Villa Pliniana. The shared group is capped at eight.
“This was just a great experience, what a way to see Como from the water. We booked a private 2 hours trip, and our skipper Fabio was really welcoming, friendly, fun and knowledgeable. As a local, he clearly loves this area deeply, and he shared the history of the villas lining the lake, took us to the Nessa waterfalls and encouraged us to swim just of Villa Pliniana. We enjoyed a bottle of ice cold local wine, soft drinks for the kids, as we returned to the pier at Como. We would do again in a heartbeat.”
At Capitan Drake in Como, a sommelier leads a roughly 90-minute tasting of four Italian wines, with 4 to 5 glasses listed and a board of prosciutto, cheeses, and buffalo mozzarella. Learn about grape varieties, wine regions, and pairings in a group of no more than 12. Hosts have included Sandu and Giuseppe.
“Fun and informative group tasting in small wine shop in Como city. Tasting was hosted by local sommelier, she was well informed, answered questions, etc. Selection of wines poured was interesting, focusing on local wines. Nice selection of meats, cheeses, breads, to pair with wines. Would recommend to others vising Como looking for local wine tasting experience.”
At Azienda Agricola Sorsasso in Domaso, a winemaker guides you through the cellar and a tasting of three wines paired with local food and naturally leavened bread. Expect regional wine-making stories, generous food pairings, and a terrace with views across Lake Como and the Alps. The winery is a 20 to 30 minute walk from Domaso, much of it uphill.
“We spent an amazing afternoon here, it is so much more than just a wine testing. There is a generous food pairing with each wine, white, red and rose and plenty of water if it is very hot, as it was on our visit today. The location is fabulous, with panoramic views across the northern end of Lake Como and access via car was easy enough. Sylvia was a fabulous host, explaining about her family’s wine business and history. She gave very good tasting notes and the tour of the winery was excellent. Nothing was rushed. The wines themselves were absolutely first rate in an area not noted for wine…”
At Chef in Milan’s central cooking space, a professional chef guides you through chocolate tiramisù and Neapolitan-style pizza, from dough to toppings. You’ll eat what you make and sample Italian red and white wines, prosecco, and soft drinks. The English-language class lasts about two hours, welcomes up to 20 people, and offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
“Although the address seems to be in a residence apartment, the first two floors are all business. Chef was incredibly informative and friendly. We met two other couples, none of us knew each other but we shared this same interest, lots of laughs and of course the delicious food we made (Naples style pizza and tiramisu)! The instructions and recipe from Chef were easy to follow, and we look forward to making at home when we return. Chef taught us verbally and practically, so we could learn the techniques. He offered prosecco, wine, beer and of course water. Such a unique, fun activity to do as a visitor. Highly recommend!”
Cruise Lake Como for about an hour with an Italian-English guide, a multilingual phone audio guide, and Prosecco or soft drinks. From Como, you’ll see lakeside villas including Villa d’Este, Villa Erba, and Gianni Versace’s former Villa Le Fontanelle. Groups are capped at 12; captains may include Alessandro, Mario, Sebastian, or Federico.
“Great way to see Lake Como and some of the beautiful houses while enjoying some Prossecco. Sebastian our guide was great.”
Meet at La Dogana del Buongusto for a 90-minute tasting of Italian red, white, and sparkling wines. An English-speaking sommelier explains how wine is made, how to taste it, and how to pair it with food, while a chef-prepared spread of appetizers and bread is served. Some sessions have been led by Abinesh, Salman, or Samer, but your host may vary.
“We had a wonderful experience learning the proper way to drink and identify the different characteristics of each wine. The staff was very welcoming and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour during your stay in Milan!”
Leave Milan by air-conditioned minivan for two hours of free time in Bergamo, lunch near Lake Iseo, and a guided Franciacorta winery visit with two sparkling wine tastings. The day includes a three-course meal, one glass of wine at lunch, and Wi-Fi in the van. Guides and drivers have included Nicolò, Elia and Francesca.
“This excursion was worth all that we paid for it! We had a very busy trip up until this point and this was such a pleasant change. Very low key, very well organized. Our drivers were very kind and very helpful, but they were not “tour guides”. They would drop us off and give us a time to meet back up, which was totally perfect for us and allowed us to prioritize what we wanted!”
Pick a ticket, a shoreline or a kitchen.
