Lifestyle #WineAndDine Slow Travel Through Tuscany: Not Your Typical Chianti Classico Wineries Lauren Mowery Set 26, 2017
The proximity of Tuscany’s Chianti to historic cities Siena and Florence is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the region’s natural beauty has been preserved by strict regulation on development, much of its forest still thick and lush upon its myriad hills. But the villages, perfect encapsulations of a foreign visitor’s romanticized notion, drown in both foot and auto traffic. Summer high-season, when the sun radiates at its warmest and families descend in swarms upon the gelaterias of medieval hamlets, when hotel prices surpass NYC and pool loungers must be staked out A permanent art installation at winery Castello di Ama before breakfast, is, obviously, the worst time to visit. Which makes the fall – now – the absolute best. Autumn also marks harvest – when pickers clip Sangiovese grapes from their vines, and olives from their branches, and relief and gratefulness for another year’s bounty hangs in the air. The Etruscans first staked out Chianti as a reliable source for wine grapes, the first reference to the area’s vino dating back to 998. Ever since, the world has been paying attention. At times, too much attention. Today, perhaps, not enough. The region’s popularity led to increased vineyard plantings, overproduction, and, ultimately, reduced quality (think 1970s Chianti encased in straw baskets.) This eventually depressed wine prices, a phenomenon from which all but top producers still fight to recover. Of course, their market consternation provides a boon to wine lovers, as great bottles can be had for a fraction of those selling an hour south in Montalcino or west in Maremma. When planning a weeklong itinerary, many opt for day-trips from Florence, as most of Chianti’s wineries and villages can be accessed within an hour’s drive. While distances aren’t far in mileage, one-lane roads wending around the craggy landscape make travel enticingly scenic but slow. And shuttling between city and country for two-hours each day doesn’t qualify as the right kind of slow. Rather, skip the city and pick a property tucked between the vines. The kind with balcony-adorned rooms fit with French doors you can fling open each morning to catch the trill of birds. Linger over breakfast. Drive leisurely down the lane to your tasting appointment. No hurrying. No worrying.
Amphitheater of vineyards at Chianti Classico's Ama
When making winery appointments, shoot for one per day, two, maximum. Taste in the morning, head to a village for lunch, then explore in the afternoon. To reiterate, roads encourage an unhurried pace. More than two appointments, and your haste will be tinged with annoyance.