Chianti Classico Riserva

Montalcino Is Most Famous For Brunello

July 1, 2013 by Deborah Mines

Breathtaking vistas surround Montalcino as Cipressi (Cypress trees) dot the hills.

One of the highlights of my Tuscany travels was visiting the medieval borgo of Montalcino. Steeped in history that dates back to the Etruscan times, this hilltop village holds a lot of charm and is best known nowadays for the Brunello di Montalcino wine.

Montalcino is perched atop a hill that dates back to the Etruscan times.

Only 5,300 people live in Montalcino, which sprawls from the centro district along the valley floor below Monte Amiata, a dormant volcano (last eruption was over 300,000 years ago). Montalcino is a very picturesque area with vineyards lining the country roads and Abbadia di S’Antimo gracing the southern wine trail.

Gregorian monks chant daily at Abbadia di S'Antimo. — Gregorian monks chant daily at Abbadia di S’Antimo.

In centro Montalcino, enotecas (wine stores) are plentiful, all pouring the heavenly juice of Bacchus ~ aka Brunello di Montalcino. So little time, and so many Brunellos! [Read more…]

Villa Dievole ~ Chianti’s Most Heavenly Retreat

May 4, 2013 by Deborah Mines

l'aria...in questo luogo e magica — l’aria…in questo luogo e magica

It was love at first sight! I had found the perfect sanctuary– Villa Dievole, a wine resort! Could there be anything more sublime?

From the minute you approach the resort, you feel that you are in a most special place in the world. And you are…

Show me the way... to Vaglagli per favore — All signs point to Vagliagli

Villa Dievole was nestled among rolling fields of vineyards as far as the eye could see, and bordered by the Tuscan wooded hills off of one of the “white roads” near Chianti’s main wine road, the SR222.

The long road to Vagliagli was a solitary drive, meandering six kilometers through the woods on a secondary unpaved road.

The "white road" to Vagliagli — The “white road” to Vagliagli

My eyes were peeled for wild boar and deer, but the only “wildlife” I encountered were a few cars madly passing me on the narrow road leaving me in a cloud of dust. [Read more…]

Candlelight Wine Cellar Tour With Dario Castagno

April 21, 2013 by Deborah Mines

Dario Castagno ~ Reknown Author and Chianti Wine Guide

My quest to meet author and wine enthusiast Dario Castagno actually began a few months before my second trip to Tuscany.

I had read one of Dario’s books, A Day in Tuscany – More Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide, an entertaining collection of short stories about Dario’s mischievous “formative” years in Tuscany sprinkled with colorful folklore. The stories were both amusing and cleverly written with tidbits of historical facts thrown in the mix. Touted by many as a keen observer, Dario artfully embraces the anima (spirit) of the characters in each book, bringing the stories to life with wit and ease.

Besides being a great storyteller, apparently Dario was also a bit of a free spirit in his younger years! He had formed a wine tour company called the Rooster Tours, aptly named after Chianti’s Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) signature wine consortium symbol. His zany adventures toting American tourists around the Chianti countryside for more than a decade was the catalyst for several other books, Too Much Tuscan Sun – Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide, Too Much Tuscan Wine and An Osteria in Chianti. Light, fun reads!

From the start, I was enthralled with Dario’s stories of Tuscany and wanted to meet this man who shared my passion of writing and great love of wine! Up to this point, I really had no preconceived ideas of who Dario Castagno was or even if he was still in the wine tour business. However, It didn’t take long to find Dario! Yes, he is still in the wine tour business, very much so as a matter of fact, and has a great website showcasing his books and tours www.dariocastagno.com

Fattoria Tregole ~ Restored 16th century Agriturismo & Winery — Fattoria Tregole ~ B & B with Boutique Winery in Tregole, situated in the heart of Chianti

[Read more…]