A Trip into Chianti
An outline of our wine tasting tour
Before we visit any vineyards we usually call into the little town of Impruneta – which is where the soil is so rich in iron it becomes rusty red when cooked – and when fired at high temperature becomes the famous Tuscan Terracotta – nearly all the terracotta tiles that roof the buildings of Florence – including the Duomo – were made and fired in Impruneta.
At Mario Mariani’s workshop it possible to follow the process of turning a pile of grey stony silt into huge red hand-made pots and original sculptures such as these shown below.
Terracotta pots at Impruneta-
The original process was to bake the clay sculptures ( cotta = cooked in Italian) under the Tuscan Sun after being created and then place them in the ashes of open hearths to harden – these days high temperature kilns are used and it is occasionally possible to see the loading process inside the Kiln at Mario Mariani – the Terracotta workshop you will visit,. You will certainly see the small team of workers making pots and sculptures that are both sold locally and exported all over the world where there is demand for their high quality workmanship and exceptionally durable product.
worker iside the kiln at Impruneta
Compare the size of the man with the pots in the kiln behind his – no mean feat to load the kiln! The paper hat which keeps the dust out of his hair is replaced at least twice a day.
The heating up and cooling down of these pots takes the best part of a week so we don’t often catch the loading process – which is why I included it here as part of the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Your next stop will be Montefioralle – a beautiful walled hamlet perched on one of highest points in Chianti and overlooking the centre of the Region – Greve in Chianti. Hopefully there will be sunshine to help you enjoy the magnificent views from this original fortified lookout point.
Your guide will show you the home of Amerigo Vespucci – the map-making explorer who gave his name to the Americas.
By midday perhaps you will be peckish and thirsty and need to go into the centre of Greve to see the famous Antica Macelleria Falorni. One of the oldest and best known butchers in Tuscany – here you can taste a little wine and sample some cold meats and cheeses and work up an appetite for lunch!
La Cantine – Enoteca in Greve
Before lunch you might like to sample some of the other wines of Tuscany in the underground Enoteca in Greve!
Drinking in Greve
Your guide will purchase you a sampling card as part of your package so you can try a couple of Tuscan wines and taste the difference between a Chianti Classico and a Super Tuscan before you go to see a full wine production and tasting experience.
If the weather is good the first vineyard visit and lunch will be with David Miglionini and his family at Montagliari – we like to visit this vineyard because the owners are very friendly – but also because they also make a “balsamic” vinegar – which only can’t be called balsamic because “real” balsamic has to be made in Modena – just like champagne the Modena people are very protective of their product name! This vinegar is something else – the longest- aged vinegar is so sweet it is delicious with ice cream and strawberries – or David’s wife’s home-made apple pie!!!
Balsamic vinegar by any other name
The other original product that David makes is Vin Santo – the sweet dessert wine you are often offered in Tuscany instead of a dessert – in the picture below my friend Filippo is explaining the process of making this wine
Vin Santo store
Oh – and don’t forget to also taste their wine – with your meal where you can sit outside and enjoy the views and also in their special tasting area!
lunch at Montigliari Vineyard
If the weather is not good and an outside lunch is impossible your guide might offer you a choice of two other Vineyards Casa Emma or Monterinaldi – both of which also produce excellent wines. – you may well go there after Montigliari and I hope that Fabrizio – shown in the photo below will introduce you to their newly blended Mezzosecolo – which has been created to celebrate their half century in business.
If you are interested in joining one of these tours please contact me for full details – if we have a van with six people the cost works out at around €79 per head – but obviously more if you are just a couple going it alone or if you want a fixed price with meals and wine included
I hope that you will enjoy a wonderful day out in Chianti – and sleep soundly on your way back to Florence – always a sign of a satisfied customer!
Cheers or Ciin Cin – or what you will
Penny Howard
Above a toast to their new blended wine to celebrate 50 years in business – the Mezzosecola
Finally we got to Casa Emma – a little late -but we still received a warm welcome from owner Paulo Zoppi and our guide Carlo introduced the family to another four splendid wines.
Final samples at Casa Emma
The pleasure was all mine being out with this group yesterday – I do hope they enjoyed their day and it had lived up to their expectations.
