Wine Tasting at Chianti Hills – An Experience to Remember!

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Author: nfmmbs

When it comes to exotic wines, nothing can even come close to the Tuscan wine! Wouldn't it be exciting if you get a chance to visit the Chianti Hills in Tuscany and actually be a part of the wonderful wine making process itself? Your mouth will start watering even as you think about it. Stop dreaming and start planning a Tuscan wine tour just for the love of wine!

Chianti Hills is undoubtedly the best and the most popular wine region in Italy. It's no wonder that Chianti is synonymous with excellent wine all around the world'. The enthralling hills of Chianti stand gigantically amidst Italy's art cities such as Tuscany, Florence, Siena, and Arezzo.

Food And Wine In The Tuscany Districts

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Author: Andrea Cardelli

There are some little facts that tourists and holiday makers to Tuscany need to know about the reputed food and wine that have made the Italian city a must-visit destination. It is well known among visitors and tourists to Italy that Tuscany has some of the Continent's finest cuisines and wines which are mostly used to entertain first-time visitors. Wine adds a special touch to any occasion that is worth celebrating. This explains why people from all over the world choose to travel all the way to Italy and specifically Tuscany, to celebrate special moments. As for Tuscany, it is not in any way different from other favorite tourist destinations in terms of relaxation spots but what makes it stand out is the unique taste of its dishes; making it an attraction to all comers.



Tuscany wine has an unrivalled reputation among all others in the region with a distinct flavor that makes it a favorite to many wine lovers all over Europe and globally too. Since wine is known to add color to all events being celebrated, it is only wise for one to make Tuscany a preferred holiday destination. There are multiple wine zones in Tuscany. Some of the most important of these wine zones include Chianti Classico, Bolgheri and Montalcino.

I Love Italian Travel - Tuscany Wine Touring

Image via WikipediaWho has not heard about Tuscany? Its capital Florence is a living work of art, whose relatively small historic center contains far too many sites to list here. Where else you can find world-class jewelry in shops lining a bridge as they have been for centuries on the Ponte Vecchio? You might be surprised that Bistecca all Fiorentina, the local beefsteak, is excellent. Enjoy it with a Chianti or other fine Tuscan wine. Tuscany is a lot more than Florence. You may want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa and visit the partially walled city of Lucca, home to 99 churches. Or visit Florence's historic rival, Siena, which has retained its medieval flavor. Its Piazza del Campo is one of Italy's finest squares. Make sure to see the Palio, a historic horserace pitting the city's 17 neighborhoods against one another every July 2 and August 16. The Renaissance village of Montepulciano is best known for its Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOC. Go to Saturnia to see some Etruscan and pre-Etruscan tombs. There's a whole lot more to see, for example, the region of Chianti.

What about the wine? Virtually everywhere you turn in rural Tuscany somebody is making fine wine. Most of it is red, but there are some great whites as well. Tuscany is home to Super Tuscans, wines that defied traditional wine making practices and regulations. They aren't allowed to carry Italy's fine wine designations. Many of these wines sell for much more than $100 a bottle, so successful producers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Sangiovese is the most widely planted red grape in Tuscany. It's the heart of Chianti DOCG (with and without the Classico refering to the traditional Chianti region), Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and many others. Don't be confused; many Super Tuscans contain Sangiovese and sometimes no other grapes. Other quite common Tuscan red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The whites are simpler. The most common are Trebbiano, especially Trebbiano Toscano, and Vermentino. The famous Tuscan sweet wine Vino Santo is made from white grapes.

Companies that sell Tuscany wine tours include Prime Italy, Select Italy, and Alabaster and Clark Wine Tours Worldwide. Tuscany wineries that provide visits include Antinori in Firenze now in the agriturismo business, Avignonesi in Montepulciano, the organic winery Badia a Coltibuono in Gaiole in Chianti which offers a restaurant and lodgings, Barone Ricasoli in Gaiole in Chianti, and Ruffino in Pontassieve to name but a few. A few words of warning are in order. Be sure to check ahead of time for opening hours and whether English is spoken. Some of these places may charge admission; others may expect that you buy some of their products.


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Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com which includes information on Italian wine and food.

Living a Slow Chianti

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If you want to immerse yourselves in Nature, car is not the right mean. Visiting Chianti's hills and landscapes is an experience really worth living as close to Nature as possible. We have just talked about cycling.... but there are some other ways. You can easily go along Chianti on foot, horse-back or even by hot-air balloon!



Although we are getting less and less accustomed to walking, we can have the pleasure of hiking along many routes.




An easy itinerary from Greve in Chianti is going from the main square to Montefioralle, one of the most charming Italian medieval villages, where you can visit San Cresci's Romanesque church that dates back to beginning of XII century. This itinerary, among olive trees, vineyards and cypresses takes 2 hours and a half and it is pretty easy. Along the road it is possible to taste good Chianti wine having a snack at fattoria della Villa di Zano.



Riding a horse is a very relaxing way of getting in touch with Nature without any technological equipment, experiencing local sounds and feelings.



It is a different way to spend your holiday respecting Nature. Not far from Greve you can find Il Ranch a good point to start visiting these outskirts and visitors can experience a safe but exciting tour on horse-back, with the support of the riding school managers. There is one or more day trekking or just riding in those wonderful surroundings. If you love horses and good food, Il Ranch also offers you gourmet itineraries (for further information http://www.maneggioilranch.com)



The Tuscany Aerostatic Association offers the most unusual way to admire Chianti: getting on an air balloon. If coloured balloons, renewed by Jules Verne's novel Around the World in Eighty Days, are your best way to enter the landscape (well, if you don't suffer from dizziness), you can make a reservation to have your head in the clouds on the website http://www.balloonintuscany.com.



The variety of landscapes and views makes Chianti a land unique in the world. If you slowly immerse yourselves in this magical atmosphere of vineyards and olive trees, you can enjoy it completely, instead of having a rapid glance from the car windows. Chianti isn't just a beautiful postcard; it is also smells, fresh air to breathe and the sounds of Nature.



Thus, the best is leaving the car aside, at least for a short time...and let's start from the greenest transportation: That's bicycle.



In Greve in Chianti 800 m far from the town centre, there is a bike mender renting out bicycles for few hours (Ramuzzi, Via Stecchi 23, tel.+39.055.853.037). Here you can get all the info you need and also choose the more convenient itinerary. We also suggest the itineraries listed in the web site (http://www.ramuzzi.com). If you like best a route, shorter but very challenging, starting from Greve; we suggest you the 27 km itinerary, reported in the guide Toscana in bici, published by Istituto Geografico De Agostini. For other itinerary, we suggest the booklet Terradisiena in bici available in every tourist office of Siena's county.



Greve-Monte San Michele-Panzano-Montefioralle-Greve



From Greve main square, take road 222 towards the local cemetery. That road becomes rugged among olive trees and vineyard. Once you get to Pian della Canonica go ahead towards Montedomini. At the first cross- road, turn right to Monte San Michele, where you can find the old restaurant of San Michele. This place is perfect for rest because of the wonderful view and to revive you with good food. After going along a winding path inside the wood, you can proceed towards Panzano in Chianti on a rapid and rocky slope. At Panzano, get the main surfaced road towards Mercatale/San Casciano until the cross-road in località La Torre, where you can stop and admire the magnificent medieval tower. There is a cross-road at km 24 where you have to turn right towards Pian di Campaggi until get to a brook. Your last effort, really worth doing, is climbing up to the charming walled village of Montefioralle. Then back to Greve following a rapid downhill on a surfaced road.

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We are situated in the main square of Greve in Chianti, a picturesque small town near the two main historical cities in Tuscany: Florence and Siena. For more information about the Chiantishire and our Hotel, please visit our website: Albergo del Chianti Hotel





 
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An Italian Meal for the Week

An Italian Meal for the Week: "To Begin, an Aside: I have just posted my notes from this year's Chianti Classico vintage presentation, and also selections of the Chianti D'Annata and Riserve that impressed me. However, these wines are still in Italy; what you will now find in stores are the Chianti D'Annata (vintage wines) and Chianti Riserve presented last year. And what might you serve with them?

Starting with a Chianti d'Annata:
Mixed cold cuts, antipasto misto, and crostini.
Followed by (we're in winter and it's cold) Pasta (my father-in-law is partial to penne) al sugo, with a bolognese sauce, which is as common in Tuscany as it is in Emilia Romagna.
Then, moving up to a Chianti Classico Riserva:
You might have stewed wild boar (or beef), or perhaps a bistecca alla fiorentina (a portherhouse steak), served with spinach and either fried or mashed potatoes.

To finish up, Zuppa Inglese. Some might be tempted to serve it with a sweet wine, a vinsanto even, but I would simply want an espresso, and (perhaps) a tiny glass of grappa.

An Italian Meal for the Week originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 14:39:30.

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