An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
Awoke after another great sleep in our Frette linens (having forgotten to mention that in yesterday’s villa description). Dario, our guide for the day, (late 20s, great tan, blond hair in a little ponytail, two pierced ears, blue eyes, a multi-day growth) arrived at 9:30 sharp, and we set off. He took us in his red Subaru mini-van first to Cecchi vineyards, one of the largest and most technologically advanced in this region of Italy.
Quite the operation, with remarkably few people actually needed; in fact, we saw a robot wrapping the boxes stacked atop the pallots with broad celophane tape. We then went to the other extreme, as we visited the vineyard (Caparsino) of a friend of his who does about 25,000 bottles a year (tiny), mostly by himself, with no pesticides or anything unnatural. Quite a delicious vin santo (sort of a dessert wine) which we then bought a bottle of (after learning that it can be opened and stored - corked - indefinitely. We’ll certainly be enjoying that nightly!) along with a ‘90 Chianti Classico Riserva.
We then took a walk in the woods to see some recently unearthed Etruscan tombs from about 700 bc. Interesting. Four were found there, with one being clearly the king’s, as it had a few rooms and had contained jewelry and other valuables; oddly enough, though, they creamated their dead, then buried the ashes in the elaborate tombs. We then drove for a bit (along many dirt roads which they call “white roads” due to the lightness of the ground) ending up in Volpaia for lunch. A small stone Italian city atop a hill, it had once been a large castle - as had many of the Tuscan cities.
We ate in the back garden of the only restaurant in town, with a beautiful sweeping view. The crostini appetizers were good (the herbed tomatoes and the chicken liver pate) and not-so-good (a mayo-something); a so-sweet melon with prosciutto which was divine; the pastas were delicious - spaghetti w/tomato sauce and ravioli w/butter; entrees were veal w/mushroom sauce (ok) and beef w/tomato sauce (good); accompanied by the house red, always good in these parts. Desserts were an excellent tiramisu and a panacotta w/chocolate sauce. All served by the cherubic Italian mama Gina.
We then set off for the afternoon, grateful that for once someone else was driving. We saw Vertine, a tiny hilltop Italian village of about 44 inhabitants that had also once been a large castle. (these towns were all built around the 1200s atop hills and were fortresses due to the wars between Siena and Florence which went on steadily from about 1100 to 1551, and according to our Sienese guide, are still ongoing today, but in words and spirit only) We then visited Brolio, a large castle in which the present Baron Bettino (whom we bumped into walking his grounds) still lives. The outer shell was built around 1200 of the typical local large grayish stones, but in the mid 1800s, that Baron’s wife didn’t like it, so a redbrick castle was built inside the older walls. Spectacular view of the whole Tuscan valley, all the way to Siena, close to 30 km away. We finished at the Rampini ceramic shop — one of the best in the country. Truly wonderful creations, which they’ll customize; we just took the info and will wait to see what else we find.
At 4:30, Dario dropped us off, and we drove to Greve to see that town and do some shopping. It was good to get out on our own, since although he was full of interesting information, he seemed to be burnt-out or disinterested, and by the end of the day we felt as if the life had been drained out of us. He had come highly recommended, but aside from his prepared guide-speak, he didn’t say much; a bit uncomfortable when it was just the three of us in the van. Luckily we got in our car and blasted some Talking Heads, which relieved our torpor. Greve was nice, with a lovely central piazza and shops. Got some very nice fruit, found a bakery, and, finally, some coconut yoghurt. Also had our first Italian pizza which was not warm and not too good; don’t think that was the right place. . .we’ll have to try again, often.
Returned home along the now-familiar roads, and sat out by the pool reading with the most wonderful view of the vineyards and valley and a multi-hued reddish sunset over it all.