Italy: Chianti, Tuscany

View from the villa across towards Sienna

So, we are back from our fabulous holiday in Italy. Actually that was two weeks ago and the first week was pretty awful so we will avoid thinking about that.

I managed to catch up with most of my work-related stuff quite quickly however, the same can not be said of the garden! 

Despite the scorching temperatures everything became very over-grown and looked a right mess. And it still does despite emergency ministrations. Mind you, it could have been a lot worse but thankfully friends and neighbours kept up with watering duties and the tomatoes, beans and cucumbers look remarkably healthy.  Fingers crossed!  The same people also did a stellar job looking after CtC who, in his indeterminable and unique character, welcomed us back by delivering a dead mouse to the top of the stairs, in the bedroom, at 3am and proceeded to chomp and devour his catch! 

Charming.

So here are a few photos and recollections from the first part of the holiday - a week in Tuscany.

From our villa in the Tuscan Hills we visited the nearby estate - Badia a Coltibuono - Winemakers since 1051.  Badia translates as Abbey and was established by Vallombrosan monks and they cultivated the land specifically vines and olive trees already practiced since the third century BC by the Etruscans and Romans of the nearby village of Cetamura del Chianti - an important archaeological site - see
https://www.cetamuradelchianti.com/
 Cetamura del Chian
​

Long, orderly rows of vines define the area of Chianti, amongst the hills separating Siena and Florence.

Badia a Coltibuono is now a 2000 acre estate which also includes ancient vineyards, olive groves, a hotel and spa, restaurant and gardens and also offers a range of activities such as trails and trekking and cycling, history talks and walks, cooking classes and 'introspective photography' [whatever that might be].  Naturally we just headed for the cellar door and the opportunity to taste the Chianti Classico wines and sample the Tuscan IGP extra virgin olive oil.  

Check out: Badia a Coltibuono

ABOVE:  ​The Black Rooster is the symbol that represents all the wines of the Chianti Classico appellation

Information from the Visit Tuscany website:  Chianti Classico is one of the best-known wines in the world, represented by the famous Gallo Nero – Black Rooster. The history of this symbol has its roots in the Middle Ages and in a curious legend – including the story of warring factions from Siena and Florence duping each other whilst establishing territorial boundaries by using a white cockerel (Siena) and a black one (Florence) and their location as the dawn rose and the cock crowed.  Amongst trickery and underhand play, the two birds and their knights met only twelve miles from the city of Siena (at Fonterutoli, near Castellina in Chianti) where peace was made and the boundaries of their respective domains were defined once and for all.

This is one of my favourite photos - showing the rest of the gang leaving the Badia's Cellar Door with two cases of wine and a tin of olive oil.  We had an excellent deal on both - with a 'buy one, get one free' on the boxes of wine!  It was (apparently) a limited offer usually given to the staff.

Well, it worked for us!!