Tuscany’s Castle Winery Leaves a Dashing Legacy

Castello Di Verrazzano in Chianti on a lovely mellow day

Chianti, an area of Tuscany located between Florence and Siena, is beautifully grooved with vineyards over wide rolling hills. Castles often decorate the tops with their surrounding estate of vineyards full of grapes grown plump and aromatic under the warm Tuscan sun. Castello Di Verrazzano, overlooking the town of Greve in Chianti, is one of them.

Gardens of Splendor

Every castle has a moat, of sorts….well, this is actually a large pool

Plump juicy Verrazzano grapes

The “vineyards situated in Verrazzano,” are mentioned in a manuscript dating back to 1170, preserved in the Abbey of Passignano. Olive groves are recorded to have been growing on the estate simultaneously.

Castello Di Verrazzano vineyards

Today, the Renaissance villa is built around the tenth century tower. Originally, the castle was an Etruscan, then a Roman settlement until the Verrazzano family acquired it in the seventh century.

Captain Verrazzano, Explorer of the New World

Giovanni da Verrazzano, born in the castle in 1485, was a Florentine navigator who explored the bay of New York and most of the East Coast of North America in the early 1500’s. Not one to keep a low profile, while seeking entrance to the Pacific Ocean near South America on his third and final voyage, he mistakenly landed on an island with cannibalistic natives. End of story….almost. New York immortalized him by naming their double-decker suspension bridge the Verrazzano-Narrows in 1964.

The Verrazzano Estate’s boundaries have not changed in over one thousand years.

Today the Cappellini family runs the estate after acquiring it in 1958. At the time it was in a neglected state and needed repairs. The villa was restored and the surrounding 220 acres of land reorganized, nourished and replanted in vines which are replaced every twelve years. A system of thorough organic fertilization as well as the practice of agronomic techniques has contributed over time to superior wines. The harvest is done exclusively by hand through a careful selection of grapes.

Vineyards surround the castle

Most good stories have a great ending, and this is no exception. In my next post you are invited to come along with me on a wine tour of Castello Da Verrazzano. I promise a dungeon with cells, but no dragons! Stay tuned…..coming this Wednesday!

Vineyards and Castles on Horseback

Horseback Riding in Tuscany

” ‘Andiamo,’ let’s go, the sound comes out at a gallop.”  Frances Mayes

Imagine riding horses under cypress shadows that fall in wide bands across a sunlit pathway that meander over the hillsides of Tuscany. Endless blue skies blown clean of clouds frame medieval villages and vineyards. Birdsong and breezes gently caress your senses and nature is suddenly all around you. 

Have any of you, like myself, ever dreamed of riding from castle to castle on horseback? Recently, I have fallen in love with a similar idea. Riding from winery to winery on horseback. But the very best is to combine the two of them together and ride to castles and wineries on horseback! And what better place to journey through than Tuscany.

Tuscany is a primeval land full of history, legends, and ancient peoples. Pathways wind through meadows and forests that pilgrims walked many centuries ago. Olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees embellish the landscape in the most striking tones, giving a balance of beauty that soothes and refreshes the soul.

Chianti is a region in Tuscany located between Florence and Siena. Steeped in ancient history, the land has grown wealthy from wine. Today the vineyards produce an excellent quality. This was not always the case. Many of us remember the cheap Chianti  encased in a wicker bottom with a candle sticking out of it, displayed in Italian restaurants years ago. However, the wine has changed with time and today has become some of the best in the world. Classico is a term used which means that the wine is grown in the oldest zone of origin. The map below shows the area.

Map of Chianti in Tuscany

Chianti wine was first mentioned in a document from 1398. The above outlined Chianti area boundaries have been fixed since 1932 and have stayed the same.  But not all are Chianti Classico. Divided into 8 sub-zones, each one produces its own Chianti wine. As you ride through the region, you will find many farms and wineries along the road offering wine tasting.

There is no better way to experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Tuscany than on horseback. Enjoy a day under the Tuscan sun and experience the ambience close up and personal. Below I have listed a few recommended riding experiences that offer wonderful horses that anyone can ride. Click on the titles to open the websites. I have provided a brief description after each title.

Horseback Riding in Chianti

After riding for two hours through the Chianti hillsides, you will return to the stables and enjoy a robust Tuscan lunch of salamis, cheeses, meats, fresh vegetables and wines from the same vineyards you just rode through.

Horses and Vineyards 

Beginning with a one hour ride through vineyards, olive groves, and medieval villages to a 17th century Villa’s estate, you will be taken on a guided tour of the ancient cellar. The unique process of making olive oil and wine will be discussed, followed by tasting the olive oil and several wines. A Tuscan lunch, consisting of bruschetta and pasta, or dinner for the pm ride, will be served afterward.

Seven Castles of Chianti on Horseback

For those who are up for a week-long excursion, this is the one. This rides takes you on a wide loop through the Chianti Classico wine region north of Siena.

Heads up, heels down and enjoy the ride!

Italy’s Women of the Vine

In Italy, more than a third of those working in wine are women. A new wave of feminine vintners is taking the boot by storm. From all regions across Italy’s domain, women are making their mark in the previously male dominated world of winemaking. These women are bringing a fresh new way of looking at wine, their land and the produce it brings by growing and developing organic, natural grapes with no chemicals.

Let’s hear it for our Italian ladies of the vine. (all photos credit of google)

The Antinori sisters from Florence are spearheading their 627 year old winery, being the first women in 26 generations of the Antinori lineage to have any significant role in the family’s winery. All three sisters are involved in public relations in addition to running their winery with their father, Piero Antinori.

Albiera, Alessia, and Allegra Antinori

The Antinori legend began in 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori first entered the Winemakers Guild of Florence. Today, the wine industry has become an ultracompetitive global business, where they distribute their wine across the world.

A cutting edge cantina deep in the heart of Chianti is the Antinori’s newest project. This polished underground cellar made of terra-cotta and local stones, is hidden under olive groves and rows of grapevines.

Albiera sums up nicely her family’s winemaking priority. “The liquid in the bottle has to embody the soul of the people who make it. Nothing is more important than that.”

Elisabetta Foradori, from the Trentino-Alto Adige

Elisabetta, a single parent of four, makes wine from the Teroldego grape. Her winery is beautifully nestled in the Trentino Valley, shadowed by the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy. Her top Teroldego is called Granato, a stunning red said to be polished and refined. Elisabetta uses old terracotta pots to ferment her wine and has a fascinating way of wrapping her grapevines.

Nicoletta Bocca, from San Fereolo in the Piedmont region

Nicoletta’s wines come from sustainable organic and biodynamic agriculture. Originally from Milan, she bought vineyards in the Turin area from elderly neighbors who could no longer take care of them, and from whom she learned much of her winemaking techniques and skills.

Dora Forsoni, from Tuscany

Poderi Sanguineto I & II, Dora’s winery, makes Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano. Her brothers had no interest in working in the wine business, so Dora took it on and loves it. A natural comedian, she enjoys telling the story of how she had a run in with a wild boar and has many scenes butchering things….one tough lady!

Arianna Occhipinti, from Ragusa Sicily

A non conformist in many ways, Arianna grows the Nero d’Avola and Frappato grapes. Her wines are considered earthy, mysterious and intriguing much like her. Her vines are uniquely trellised, growing up and around in a circular motion. She is known to produce an excellent olive oil as well.

These women of the vine are bringing a unique freshness to the winemaking world. Confident, independent, and wise, they continue to show originality and capability in producing top-notch world-class wine. They are intensely in love with their land and lovingly, passionately grow and cultivate their grapes into the magnificent wines for which they are known.

As Allegra Antinori puts it, “women choose the wines more often than men, and they are often more intuitive about food pairings and far more experimental. Having a woman involved in every aspect from winemaking to marketing has made a major difference in the company’s growth. Wine is emotional, not rational. It has a lot of personality, and people who are not wine experts are starting to understand subtle differences. Women especially embody that.”

Do you happen to know of a woman vintner who is making incredible wine? I’d love to hear about it. Please share in a comment below.