Chianti
In the bus on the way to Greve in Chianti Anna (the director of FFF) scolded me for not having visited the hills that produce Italy’s favorite export. As the day unfolded, I realized why: Chianti is pretty much an essential (and wonderful) place to visit.
Wine tasting in Chianti is one of those things you really can’t miss when you’re in Tuscany, and Le Cantine is a great place to do it at. The have some 100 different types of wine available for the tasting and the owner knows everything there is too know about wine and is extremely friendly. Anna is also somewhat of a wine connoisseur, and with their guidance I tried a selection of wonderful wines made both from traditional sangiovese grapes and from international grape varieties.
A little bit light headed from wine tasting, we headed up a steep hill to the village of Montefioralle for Sagra delle Frittelle, a traditional sweet eaten for St. Joseph’s day. Each region in Italy has their own special St. Joseph’s day treat that are long-time traditions for the local residents. On our way up the hill we saw a bunch of people making their way down with a package of dolci.
The fritelle were totally worth the hike up. The delicious little morsels, fried in a giant communal cauldron, attract people of all ages and the piazza was filled with families devouring the cakes.
Even without the added benefit of the Fritelle, the town of Montefioralle, supposedly the birth place of Amerigo Vespucci, is worth the trek. It is one of the oldest towns in Chianti and it almost entirely constructed of stone and you can still see the original walls that protected the Castello di Montefioralle in feudal times.
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:57 am
Hi
I will try to do your greve trip and wine taste-but is it possible to do it all without a car-we will be in florence April 25 to May 9th. I’d really like to do this by foot and by bus if possible. thank, tony