The seasons are turning and the time has come for peonies to begin opening their buds, Magnolia trees pouting with color and various cherry trees announcing their joy with cute pom-poms of white. The Tuscan rolling hills are green once again and Spring, the season called Primavera is poised to explode with the richness and bounty of produce we have come to savor and love.
So, here we are braving chilly, rainy, spring-like weather in the town of Volterra, the longest continuously occupied city in all of Tuscany, dated to time-frame prior to the Etruscans, about 1500 B.C. Bill, my husband, runs to school to pick up our daughter, Siena, at 1pm (dismissal time) only to come home with the news that our first local friends here were inviting us along on a visit to two wineries to taste some of their new vintages as now is the time when they are introduced to the sommeliers for the new season...all near a town named Greve in Chianti. I was overjoyed as we came to know these friends
by watching youtube prior to arriving in Italy. Surely, it sounds like stalking but we did not see it that way. We consider ourselves friendly and after watching an abbreviated version of a local Volterran city tour, it became obvious that this presentation was conducted by a professional couple who had a great deal of knowledge and respect for antiquity. We were jazzed. This special couple is Annie Adair & Francesco Gronchi. She, the US-born, licensed tour guide of Volterra and he the native-born Volterran, a graduate level historian-turned sommelier. Together, they own a business called Tuscan Tour. They plan weddings, special events, winery tours & tastings, cooking classes, plus special events. All this we discovered after we were so forward as to contact them and find a way to meet up and talk. Our meeting turned into lunch at their family home and learning the unfiltered ways of navigating the town. We are ever grateful to know them.
So, where is Greve in Chianti? About an hour and 15 minute drive from Volterra and it is located north central of this famous wine region. We made our first stop at a lovely, organic family farm (podere) named Terre di Melazzano which sells direct to the public. It is a winery which prides itself on its practices of conservation and self-sustainability. They have solar energy panels in use and produce some wines which are "senza" (approx. 99% without) sulfides.
We had the opportunity to meet the wine owner, Chiara Falciani, who discussed their wine processes and methodologies. We had a few tastings later and selected three of their wines to take home, one of which is of a low-sulfide content. Cannot wait to try it!
Next, we were off to another specialized winery called La Cinciole Podere. A high-quality winery which takes great time and care to hand mix their grape skins and sediment within the barrel so as to produce the rich color of their chianti classico, Le Cinciole & their reserve, Petresco.
We had the pleasure of meeting the owners: Luca & Valeria Orsini. Valeria was gracious in showing us the methodologies in making a top notch chianti classic & reserve.
while on the way to Le Cinciole, Francesco explained that the rock, Shale (roccia scistosa), was responsible for the growing pattern of the grapes roots and partly responsible for it's unique flavor in their Sangiovese wines.
Once our visit was complete, Annie & Francesco suggested an extraordinary place to go eat lunch, just down the lane in Panzano! The restaurant was called Antica Macellaria Cecchini ! From beginning to end it was a great experience. Huge, almost Texas-style portions of various meats from a world renowned butcher or Macellaria: Dario Cecchini... straight from his butcher shop below to the open-fire griddle in the dining room, added touches from the back kitchen and BOOM!! to your table with extraordinary presentation and flavor! Dario had his own brand of big in introducing himself to the dining room: a duel-belled horn blowing with his arms open wide while saying "Benvenuti!!!" We felt happy and excited to be there! We'll be back with the kids!
A HUGE announcement of the fired-cooked, thick, specialty, Florentine steaks!!!
Bill's Lunch: a variety of tastes...filet tar-tar with lemon, & pork three ways...pork loaf with spiced, orange chutney, Tuscan "tuna"... a pulled pork with capers, and roasted pork infused with thee flavors of sage and rosemary. let's not forget the cannelloni beans at the center in a seasoned extra-virgin olive oil with sage. SO glad I got to taste each sampling, thanks Bill!
In all, we had a terrific time and we are proud to say we know and have met some pretty fabulous Tuscans...above all, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn, eat, & grow in the company of friendly, fun-loving people!
Should you desire to visit Tuscany, especially Chianti & Volterra... please contact our new sweet friends Francesco Gronchi & Annie Adair- they are top notch! Visit their site!
