Pasta Cooking Class & Wine Tasting on Organic Farm in Tuscany
By Gillian Boyd Published 27 June 2026
At our cooking class we learnt how to made pasta from scratch and pair food with 6 wines, all set on an organic farm and vineyard in the rolling Tuscan hills.
Since we retired, we have started taking cooking classes in many of the countries we have visited. It is a fun way to learn more about local culture, meet some new people and pick up a few skills along the way. We love a good chat.
Our knowledge of flavours and food has improved and we are both better cooks as a consequence. You appreciate what you eat more, when you really understand what goes into creating a meal.
A friend had been to this class and recommended it so we booked it on AirBnB online a month or two earlier. It was a 3 in 1 experience to My Farm, Pasta Cooking Class and a Wine Tasting.
Tuscan farmhouse and vineyard
Getting There
From the meeting point in central Florence at 2:30pm, we took the air-conditioned mini bus for about 45 minutes past green farmland to the west of Florence. Italian drink drive rules are strict, so this is a good way to safely enjoy a wine tasting experience outside of the city.
What To Expect
We stopped at an old golden painted farm house with dark green shutters on a hill top overlooking the vineyards, farmland and the wetlands. It was everything you expect (and want) from your classic Italian experience.
As we nibbled on snacks on the terracotta tiled terrace, we looked across the valley to the nearest village, of only 500 people, with its bell tower breaking the skyline and felt instantly relaxed. A gentle breeze wafting us.
Tour
We had a leisurely guided tour informing us about the cute gardens of the farm including the lemon trees, olives and Giardino dei profumi. Then past some guest houses before heading down the hill past the pigs and hens to the vineyards. I could easily imagine staying here and our host pointed out the house was available for rent. There was even a swing.
Black cat and Tuscan views in distance
Organic Farm
The farm prides itself on sustainability using traditional organic techniques. The humidity from the marsh land in the valley means there is no need for irrigation for the vineyards.
The vines are sprayed with liquid copper after every rainfall to protect against fungal and bacterial diseases.
Fava beans are planted between the rows of vines and grow from November to May replacing the nitrogen and eliminating the need for fertilizers.
Birds
Pink flamingos arrive in large flocks in March and April, while we saw many white herons when we visited in June.
After watching a brief video on the history of the farm and the current owners, we sat at 2 tables of 6 guests each for the wine tasting.
Class Mates
Most on the tour were American, including a couple on their honeymoon. Well, Italy is a very romantic place!
We also had 2 Mexican lawyers at our table with superb English but when they discovered I could speak a little Spanish they insisted that I practice with them. It felt odd to be speaking Spanish in Italy.
Wine pairing and canapé in Florence Italy
Wine, Food and Music
For this multi-sensory experience, we tasted 6 organic wines produced on the property under the label Delle Nostra Mani, meaning From Our Hands.
5 of them were served with fresh food and accompanied by specifically chosen music. I have considered wine with certain foods, temperatures and locations but I had never considered wine in relation to music before. It was a novel experience and a lot of fun. We even burst into song at one point. Luckily the others were more harmonious than me!
My favourite canapés were the sausage and cheese on bread paired with the Foglia Punta and the cream cheese with homemade pesto on mini baguette sticks.
Making tortellini at cooking class in Tuscany
Cooking Class
By the time we started preparing the pasta in the cooking class, I felt like the other guests were my friends as the day had been well organised to encourage mingling.
Under the clear instruction of Chef Cassandra, we made fresh tortellini pasta from scratch, carefully rolling the dough out on a marble worktop, then cutting it into squares using a special cutter.
I did well with the dough and cutting thanks to years of making biscuits with my kids, but was a little too generous with my fillings. They tended to ooze out when the dough was formed into different shapes. Graham was a dab hand at this part though.
Pasta made in cooking class, Tuscany
Make It, Cook It, Eat It
Chef Cassandra cooked the pasta for us and served it with a delicious balsamic reduction and grated cheese. We ate it together outside with views of the rolling Tuscany landscape, under a canopy, as the gathering clouds in the distance looked ominous threatening thunder.
And of course it was accompanied with more wine. We felt proud and very satisfied with ourselves for creating such a good meal.
Final Thoughts
The 3 in 1 experience was a very pleasurable way to spend an afternoon and evening in Florence. After spending a day or two in Florence absorbing art and history, it was a nice break to be able to see the countryside and stroll around the gardens and farm, and to leisurely enjoy learning about Italian food. We like variety and that helps us from becoming jaded, so mixing things up helps us keep that child-like first time wonder at experiences and sights.
The day was well organised so that we quickly became friends with our fellow class mates and learnt some new cookery skills about how to make fresh pasta from scratch. The addition of music paired to the wine was a novel idea and enhanced the experience.
We felt proud of ourselves for creating such a tasty meal. So feeling full and happy after a wonderful day, we were driven back to Florence by 9:30pm giving us time for a night cap before bed.