Today was my Tuscan Winemakers Experience from Jess for my birthday. I walked about 30 minutes across town, past the Fortezza, and met my 12 companions for the day. The two women sitting next to me in our van had just graduated from college, and studied architecture. Another young woman there with her mom is still in school and studying interior architecture – always a small world.
There were two comfortable Mercedes vans and we drove about 45 minutes to the winery, Cantina Sociale Colli Fiorentini in Montespertoli, where our host Roberto makes his wine. It’s a facility that processes the wine for multiple wine makers and we tasted a number of wines from other “associate” wine makers. In this region they do not put the wine in oak, or if they do it’s for a short time. Most of the wine is stored in stainless steel vats that are temperature controlled, and they also use large concrete containers that are lined with fiberglass or other inert material. Roberto does not speak much English, so our presentation throughout the day was by Leo (Leonardo), and he was one of the most knowledgeable wine people I’ve experienced.
After the winery we went to Roberto’s house, Fattoria Palaia, also in Montespertoli, for an extraordinary lunch. Leo explained everything about each wine, then all the edibles of our lunch, from cheese through dessert. Roberto’s wife Mary made the food, which was antipasti of cheese and meats, followed by pasta, then chocolate cake – as Leo described it, “chocolate cake, with a chocolate glaze, covered in chocolate syrup" – wow. It seemed as though every two minutes we were poured another glass of wine, without regard to whether or not there being a new food dish in front of us. Everyone got pretty sloshed – and Leo told us to make sure that no one caused the vans to be cleaned up afterward. It’s clear that Roberto probably makes more from his tours than the wine, and they also use the place as a venue for other events and kid’s birthday parties – there is a pony for them. Leo lives near there, so he stayed in Chianti while we drove back to the city.
With all the wine I needed to walk home, so it was a long 30 minutes back to the apartment.
Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BjuqTyPkpCcpiCj67
Sunday - Day 39
5/22/2022
Today was low key. I had asked N&M if I could take them out for lunch today, but never saw their reply, and by then it was too hard to get a lunch reservation on a Sunday – so they invited me over. Great conversation as usual, and I saw some of their photos from a trip to Ethiopia. They also had zucchini blossoms blooming on their terrace. I stopped for some things on the way home and made pizza for dinner – no alcohol involved.
There were two comfortable Mercedes vans and we drove about 45 minutes to the winery, Cantina Sociale Colli Fiorentini in Montespertoli, where our host Roberto makes his wine. It’s a facility that processes the wine for multiple wine makers and we tasted a number of wines from other “associate” wine makers. In this region they do not put the wine in oak, or if they do it’s for a short time. Most of the wine is stored in stainless steel vats that are temperature controlled, and they also use large concrete containers that are lined with fiberglass or other inert material. Roberto does not speak much English, so our presentation throughout the day was by Leo (Leonardo), and he was one of the most knowledgeable wine people I’ve experienced.
After the winery we went to Roberto’s house, Fattoria Palaia, also in Montespertoli, for an extraordinary lunch. Leo explained everything about each wine, then all the edibles of our lunch, from cheese through dessert. Roberto’s wife Mary made the food, which was antipasti of cheese and meats, followed by pasta, then chocolate cake – as Leo described it, “chocolate cake, with a chocolate glaze, covered in chocolate syrup" – wow. It seemed as though every two minutes we were poured another glass of wine, without regard to whether or not there being a new food dish in front of us. Everyone got pretty sloshed – and Leo told us to make sure that no one caused the vans to be cleaned up afterward. It’s clear that Roberto probably makes more from his tours than the wine, and they also use the place as a venue for other events and kid’s birthday parties – there is a pony for them. Leo lives near there, so he stayed in Chianti while we drove back to the city.
With all the wine I needed to walk home, so it was a long 30 minutes back to the apartment.
Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BjuqTyPkpCcpiCj67
Sunday - Day 39
5/22/2022
Today was low key. I had asked N&M if I could take them out for lunch today, but never saw their reply, and by then it was too hard to get a lunch reservation on a Sunday – so they invited me over. Great conversation as usual, and I saw some of their photos from a trip to Ethiopia. They also had zucchini blossoms blooming on their terrace. I stopped for some things on the way home and made pizza for dinner – no alcohol involved.