Chianti day trip

To get a taste of the Tuscan countryside, we decided to book a wine tour to the chianti region for a day trip (about an hour drive south of Florence), well known for its winemaking. What better way to experience the countryside then to visit a few local vineyards and sample wines which have helped popularize the region.

Prior to visiting Tuscany, my main point of reference of the area was the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun”. A chick flick with a quirky cast ensemble and even stranger plot sequences, but what the movie does well is showcasing the natural beauty of the region. Lush green landscapes, minimalistic villages, field of vineyards with rolling hills in the background as far as the eye can see…and we all know how accurate movies can be right? However, In this case I’m glad to report it wasn’t far off from the real thing.

Picture taken from the balcony of a castle winery located in Chianti Classico sub-region of Tuscany
Picture taken from the balcony of a castle winery located in Chianti Classico sub-region of Tuscany
Bit rainy the day we visited, but still very scenic
Bit rainy the day we visited, but still very scenic
Caste Winery we visited as part of our tour.
Castle Winery we visited as part of our tour.
Me - The barrels in the background are specially imported from the USA, France which helps with the aging & flavor
Me – in the background are specially imported high quality oak barrels from the USA and France which are essential for the aging process and gives the wine it’s unique flavor…or that’s what they want me to believe to justify their prices 🙂
Christine in the wine cellar of the castle
Christine in the wine cellar of the castle
Christine and I in front of a huge wine barrel
Christine and I in front of a huge wine barrel…just for show, not used to age any of their wines. Picture doesn’t really serve a purpose for this post, but as we don’t have many pictures together it made the cut. 🙂
The last 6 remaining bottles of vine from the first harvest in 1904.
The last 6 remaining bottles of wine from the first harvest in 1904. With tours visiting daily you’d think they’d be more secure so no one accidentally breaks one. Maybe that’s just my NY cynicism 🙂

Finally, no wine tour would be complete without a tasting. I’ve been waiting all day for this! They should really consider leading off with the tasting. Helps the time pass by, gives you time to sober up and allows you to appreciate the tour of the complex more since you’re not standing around wondering when the wine tasting is going to start. 🙂

Wines produced by the winery which we sampled. All were very good.
Wines produced by the winery which we sampled. All were very good.

In addition to wines, we also got to sample local cured meats, cheeses and olive oil.
In addition to wines, we also got to sample local cured meats, cheeses and olive oil.

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