Do I need prior cooking experience?

No. The class is designed for beginners and home cooks; chefs demonstrate technique and guide each step.

Is the Brunello tasting included?

No. The guided Brunello tasting with a sommelier is an optional add-on that you can select when booking.

Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

Yes. Report allergies or intolerances at booking and the menu will be adapted where possible.

Where exactly is the meeting point?

The experience takes place in a historic villa near Montalcino; specific meeting details are provided after booking. Transfers are not included.

What languages are available?

Live instruction is available in English and Italian.

Is this suitable for children?

Check minimum age at booking; the class is family-friendly but best for children who can safely work at the bench.

Hands-On Pasta Class in Montalcino Villa: Make Tagliatelle & Taste Brunello | Cooking Class

On a sunlit terrace above vineyards in Montalcino, a short drive from the town’s fortified Torre, you’ll find a hands-on cooking class set inside a historic villa. This three-hour workshop centers on fresh pasta—tagliatelle and filled tortelli—and ends with tiramisù for dessert. Optional guided Brunello tastings with a sommelier bring the region’s celebrated Sangiovese wines into the lesson, pairing technique with terroir.

The experience begins with a warm welcome: coffee or cappuccino and a sweet, then you move into a light-filled kitchen where chefs fluent in English and Italian demonstrate dough, rolling, and filling. Class sizes are capped at 15, so everyone works the bench, feels the dough, and receives a custom apron and diploma to take home. The setting—stone walls, terracotta floors and wide windows that open onto vineyards and cypress-lined lanes—ties the lesson to place: Montalcino sits atop rolling Tuscan hills of calcareous clay and galestro stone where Sangiovese grapes have been cultivated for centuries.

Key features of the day include hands-on instruction in shaping tagliatelle to the right thickness, assembling tortelli with seasonal fillings, and layering tiramisù with proper texture. Guests who opt for the wine add-on taste two glasses of Brunello and one of Brunello Riserva while a sommelier explains the DOCG’s history (Brunello di Montalcino received DOCG status in 1980) and how soil and microclimate influence flavor. The villa itself feels like a living part of the landscape: reclaimed stone, an intimate dining room, and views of vine terraces and olive groves.

Practical details matter: the class runs about three hours, accommodates dietary needs with advance notice, and does not include transfers. It’s accessible for most visitors and suitable for beginners and confident home cooks who want to refine technique. Beyond the kitchen, wandering the nearby lanes of Montalcino’s old town rewards you with medieval architecture, panoramic lookouts and small enotecas where you can continue tasting.

Why book this? It’s more than a recipe class—it's an entry point into Tuscan food culture, connecting kneading technique to local ingredients, wine to place, and strangers to a shared table. For travelers who prefer active learning over passive dining, this villa cooking class offers tactile skills, a convivial meal, and a clear sense of why Montalcino’s food and wine culture remains one of Italy’s most prized rural traditions. Book early—sessions cap at fifteen and run in English and Italian during harvest (late summer through autumn) when the villa hums with activity. Each guest leaves with a personalized apron and diploma as a keepsake; include allergy information when you reserve so recipes can be adapted. Pair the class with a visit to Montalcino’s fortress at sunset or a cellar tour to see where the wines you tasted were born.

About Hidden Experiences

Hidden Experiences is a Firenze‑based experiential travel company specializing in curated guided tours and tastings across Italy. Operating from Firenze, Toscana, Hidden Experiences connects travelers with certified local guides and vetted partner wineries, museums, and chefs to deliver authentic, small‑group and private experiences.

Hidden Experiences offers a broad selection of wine tastings, walking tours, cooking classes, and museum visits across northern and central Italy. Sample itineraries include Prosecco tastings in Valdobbiadene (Treviso), guided winery visits and tastings in Valpolicella (Verona), Montepulciano, Montalcino and the Langhe, wine and picnic experiences in Monferrato (Asti), Bardolino visits on Garda, and tasting experiences in Florence and Milan.

City highlights include private walking tours of Como, guided visits to the Uffizi, Accademia and Cappelle Medicee in Firenze, Teatro alla Scala and Duomo tours in Milano, and extensive Turin itineraries including the Museo Egizio, Mole Antonelliana, Palazzo Reale and historic walking routes. Culinary options range from pasta and deluxe cooking courses in Firenze and Livorno to balsamic vinegar tastings in Modena and market‑to‑table street food tours in Florence.

Partners are local wineries, historic sites, certified guides and experienced chefs; services range from short 1.5‑ to 3‑hour visits up to half‑day experiences, with private and small‑group formats. Hidden Experiences focuses on clear descriptions, vetted local partners, and in‑destination expertise to ensure reliable logistics and memorable visits for visitors seeking authentic Italian food, wine and culture. Bookings originate from Firenze and are organized regionally across Toscana, Veneto, Piemonte, Lombardia and Emilia‑Romagna. Each experience emphasizes regional traditions, seasonal products and local storytelling to connect travelers with places they visit.