By Rachel ThompsonA whirlwind tour of some of the most idyllic tourist spots in Tuscany was the basis for our June buying trip. Side-stepping the trainer clad and camera wielding coach trips of Florence (where even the mosquitos wear bum bags) first on our target list was Castellani, a short hop from Pisa airport, for a mammoth tasting. There followed by a tour of the as yet unfinished winery at Ceppaiano, our joint venture with Castellani, and a quick nose around their guesthouse at Poggio al Casone with Piergiorgio Castellani. The vibrant palette of blue sky, terracotta tiles, green vines and the unmistakeable lobster pink of northern Europeans frolicking in the pool was a sight that only Tuscany can deliver. The day ended with a meal on a vine fringed veranda with the most enormous Bistecca Fiorentina known to man – see before and after shots – and yes it was all eaten by one person…but you don’t want to see the after shot of the person concerned.
The following day involved a whistle stop tour of Fattoria di Basciano in the Rufina appellation of Chianti with owner Paolo Masi. Another day, another beautiful agriturismo, another beautiful swimming pool, minus sunburnt tourists this time. From there henceforth to Montepulciano to see the lovely Simona Fabroni of Villa Sant’Anna. Again we succumbed to the usual trap of eating too much pasta before realising that a good three courses lay ahead – ah well, it would have been rude not to…The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly the Vin Santo cellar, where the wine sits in tiny barrels for no less than 11 years before bottling – and they have no idea how much will be left in the barrels when they open them.
Our final destination was the incredible hilltop town of Montalcino to visit Castello Banfi. We were of course late, and the journey involved a number of very scenic but very windy roads, so it was a slightly queasy looking trio who finally arrived at Banfi HQ, a sprawling metropolis of vats, barrels and pipes. If any of you have the fortune to visit the incredible Il Borgo, Banfi’s five star hotel in the old Castello crowning a hill surrounded by lush vines, you will want to stay there forever.
The following day involved a whistle stop tour of Fattoria di Basciano in the Rufina appellation of Chianti with owner Paolo Masi. Another day, another beautiful agriturismo, another beautiful swimming pool, minus sunburnt tourists this time. From there henceforth to Montepulciano to see the lovely Simona Fabroni of Villa Sant’Anna. Again we succumbed to the usual trap of eating too much pasta before realising that a good three courses lay ahead – ah well, it would have been rude not to…The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly the Vin Santo cellar, where the wine sits in tiny barrels for no less than 11 years before bottling – and they have no idea how much will be left in the barrels when they open them.
Our final destination was the incredible hilltop town of Montalcino to visit Castello Banfi. We were of course late, and the journey involved a number of very scenic but very windy roads, so it was a slightly queasy looking trio who finally arrived at Banfi HQ, a sprawling metropolis of vats, barrels and pipes. If any of you have the fortune to visit the incredible Il Borgo, Banfi’s five star hotel in the old Castello crowning a hill surrounded by lush vines, you will want to stay there forever.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment