Land of the Scots

Scotland

BY: MICHAEL LINDSAY

A land of rolling hills, brisk air, and plenty of scotch. Though the weather may be a bit unpredictable, you are sure to have an enchanting visit in the land of the Scots.

We began our adventure in the capital city of Edinburgh. Arguably the historic center of Scotland the city boasts breathtaking architecture, a bustling food scene, a history of paranormal activity, and of course, the birthplace of the world’s most famous wizard. Edinburgh is an incredibly walkable city with many of its main attractions located in the central part of the city known as Old town.

Edinburgh

At the center of the city, you will see Castle Rock, a steep incline of basalt rock covering an extinct volcano. Nestled at its peak is Edinburgh Castle, one of the most besieged castles in all of Europe, now one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions. You can book afternoon tea at the castle before your tour where you will see the Great Hall, Argyle Battery, The Royal Scots Museum, and much more. Don’t be alarmed if you are near the castle around lunchtime as the One O’Clock Gun is still fired as part of a Scottish tradition. Six days a week the cannon can be heard at 1:00pm, this started in the 1800s as a timekeeping service for nearby ships. Unfortunately for us, a day of high winds thwarted a visit to the castle. Luckily everything else we wanted to see was within walking distance. Naturally, the second most important history of Scotland is Harry Potter!

A stone’s throw away from Castle Rock is Elephant’s House Cafe and Victoria Street, both major attractions for Harry Potter fanatics like us. Elephant’s House is of course where J.K. Rowling sat while she wrote the first books about the now famous boy wizard. Still operating as an unpretentious cafe for locals, walking in you are hit with a sense of quaint normalcy. Tables packed with older patrons and young adults working on whatever the day holds for them or just having a coffee date with friends.

Just around the corner from Elephant’s Cafe is Victoria street; a narrow, curved, sloping street with colorful storefronts. Serving as the inspiration for what is seen in the Harry Potter series as Diagon Alley, this architectural landmark has many allures. Here you will find independent shops and cafes alongside the Harry Potter Museum, The Great Wizard gift shop, and the Enchanted Galaxy gift shop. You can bet we found some wonderful HP souvenirs to take home.

Rounding out our Harry Potter tour in Edinburgh was actually the hotel we stayed at. The Balmoral was not only opulent and refined, it has a dedicated apartment where J.K. Rowling stayed to write book

7 of the series. This was the cherry on top of our Harry Potter fandom tour of Edinburgh.

Other Edinburgh attractions

Once we had our fill of literary history, we were surprised at how many things we could do just in Old Town. We visited Palace of Holyrood House, walked the Royal Mile, had high tea at Balmoral, took an underground vault tour at The Real Mary King’s Close, participated in a “Scotch Whisky Experience,” and capped off our time in Edinburgh with a Valentine’s Day dinner atop Calton Hill. There is much more to explore from haunted tours, museums, gardens, pubs, the list goes on.

As enchanting as the city can be, you won’t get a true sense of Scotland without visiting the Highlands. This northern region is dotted with picturesque Lochs, rolling hills, herds of sheep, and yes, one more iconic Harry Potter relic. We took a day to travel north, stopping at the Monachyle Mhor Hotel for a fine dining experience. Focused on locally sourced fruits, vegetables, and herbs from their personal gardens and wild meats and seafood from the surrounding landscape, a rotating menu means you are always eating the freshest ingredients featured that season. Not to mention the fact we got an oyster and scotch pairing experience, a true Scottish delight!

Continuing north past loch after loch, we made it a point to stop at the famous Glennfinnan Viaduct. Easily identified from the Harry Potter movie series, if timed right, you can catch the iconic red Jacobite steam train chuffing across the bridge. Always a good idea to pack warm and water-resistant clothing, especially if visiting in the winter. We got caught in a rather aggressive mix of wind and rain while we were there, but managed to make it to the viewpoint and get a picture in our house sweatshirts and scarves. For the true fanatic, you can book a ticket on the train that traverses the viaduct and live your wizarding world dreams. This will certainly be on our list next time we visit!

Once we warmed back up in the van we continued north to the remote Isle of Eriska where we sipped tea, walked the grounds and enjoyed another

Highlands

amazing meal at the Isle of Eriska Hotel. From there we trekked to Knockderry Country House for lunch and then on to the small town of Luss for a 4x4 adventure. We each took turns learning how to drive a true Land Rover through steep and muddy terrain while overlooking the storied Loch Lomond. From the hillside, we overlooked Loch Lomond Golf Course, one of the world’s most expensive private clubs.

Traveling through Scotland truly felt like traveling through stories you grew up with. The landscapes are so familiar to us through television and film and visiting in person only added to the allure. Everyone we met was so inviting and excited to show us their beautiful country and you will nay find a Scotsman or woman who take themselves too seriously. The whole experience was one we will never forget. What surprised us the most I think was the food. Yes, we ate some of the traditional staples, but the inventiveness and push to source and create with local ingredients left our whole group with a new appreciation for a landscape that is often touted as cold and desolate. No need to worry though, if you do get chilly there is always whisky nearby to warm you up.

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Tenuta di Arceno

An Ancient Tuscan Estate

BY: OLIVIA CHIARASTELLA

Tenuta di Arceno is an ancient Tuscan estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga, the southernmost commune of Chianti Classico. Located 30 kilometers east of Siena, the estate is dedicated equally to Sangiovese and international varieties, producing a portfolio of six wines under the Chianti Classico DOCG and Toscana IGT designations. Led by winemakers Pierre Seillan and Lawrence Cronin, the estate’s 90-hectares of vines are parceled into 60 individual blocks, so that each is farmed and harvested individually to yield its highest quality expression. With the ancient walled town of San Gusmè as its backdrop, Tenuta di Arceno is a site to discover off the beaten path in Tuscan wine country.

Tenuta di Arceno has been a center for winemaking since the 16th century. Located near the fork of two rivers – the Ambra, which flows to Florence, and the Ombrone, which flows to the Mediterranean – this area was formerly the nexus of the Etruscan civilization. In honor of its history, the reference to “Arceno” comes from the Etruscan word archè, meaning "point of origin.”

Through its history, the estate passed through ownership by two prominent Italian families – the Del Taja family, followed by the Piccolomini family. The Del Taja family purchased the land parcel by parcel in 1504, expanding the estate and adding architectural enhancements. In 1829, the Del Taja family sold the property to one of the most illustrious families of Siena, the Piccolominis, who added to the grandeur of the estate – whereby they built gardens, lakes, and many of the villas that stand on the property today. Continuing its legacy of family ownership, Tenuta di Arceno was acquired by Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke in 1994.

Tenuta di Arceno has a diverse portfolio of the highest quality wines across two classification levels – three wines centered on the native Sangiovese grape in the Chianti Classico DOCG range; and three wines celebrating the estates international varieties under the Toscana IGT designation. The estate is situated at the southernmost edge of Chianti Classico in the butterflyshaped commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, closest in proximity to Siena, and rightfully referred to as ‘the most Senese Chianti Classico.’

The estate is 1,000 total hectares of which only 90 hectares are planted to vines, and the remaining land is preserved for native vegetation. Separated into 63 distinct vineyard blocks, the vineyards are planted equally to Sangiovese and international varieties.

Wines:

Tenuta di Arceno produces six wines from the estate.

Three Chianto Classico DOCG wines (Chianti Classico Annata, Chianti Classico Riserva and Strada al Sasso Gran Selezione) Three Toscana IGT wines (il Fauno, Valadorna and Arcanum).

All are 100% estate grown and bottled.

Tenuta di Arceno features a stunning tasting room for guests to enjoy the latest vintages from the estate’s collection of the world’s finest Chianti Classico DOCG and Toscana IGT wines. Visitors are welcome to experience a true taste of Tuscany, while exploring the extensive vineyards, rolling hills, ancient Cypress trees, sun-drenched fields, olives groves, vineyards and medieval monuments scattered throughout the property.