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Chianti Wine Route Tuscany food routes

[Chianti is a hilly area between Firenze and Siena, Arezzo and the Pisan Hills (Colli Pisani), which has always been considered the "heart of Tuscany" (Toscana): a string of magnificent landscapes with many vineyards , chestnut and oak groves, stone oak forests, medieval towns, romantic castles and charming country houses. It is also the land where one of the best red wines in the world is made: Chianti. ... Traveling through small towns

The Chianti area is an ideal base for exploring medieval towns, romantic vineyards and characteristic hilly landscapes. In every small town you can find wine cellars, castles and farms, and taste precious wine in one of the many enotekas. Legendary origins and winemaking traditions have turned the region of Clante (Clante - as one local stream was called during the Etruscan period) into a world famous region.

For those coming from Florence, the easiest way to get to the land of winemakers is Impruneta, where there are many monuments, including the 13th century crenellated bell tower, St.Mary's Basilica (Santa Maria, Basilica di Santa Maria ) and the Treasury Museum (museo del Tesoro). In autumn, two international events take place here: the Wine Festival with a parade of allegorical chariots, and the Fair of Saint Luke (San Luca).

Behind Florence, on the way to Siena, an obligatory stage of the journey will be the old medieval town of Greve in Chianti, with an ancient peculiar triangular square, on the sides of which there are palaces, porticoes and covered galleries, converging at the Church of the Holy Cross (Santa - Well, Chiesa di Santa Croce).
In September, the largest Chianti wine exhibition takes place on the square. The city is dominated by the Montefioralle Castle, a medieval fortified town.
Then, on our way, Volpaia is a picturesque medieval settlement that has arisen around the castle, an old center of winemaking.
Nearby is Radda, which has grown up around the church of St. Nicholas (San Nicolò, San Nicolò - 14th century) and the majestic Praetor's palace (about 1415). We also recommend visiting the parish church of St. Justa (San Giusto in Salcio, San Giusto in Salcio), immersed in green vineyards in a small hollow, and the parish church of St. Mary (Santa Maria Novella, Santa Maria Novella) with a characteristic facade in Romanesque style. Close to Radda, there is another important point of the program: the Consortium of Chianti Classico wine (Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico), where the Research Center of Chianti History (Centro studi storici chiantigiani) is located.

Continuing towards the Chianti mountain pass, we will first see Gaiole, one of the most famous panoramas in Italy, and then many farms and castles, including San Leonino and Fonterutoli.

After Siena, of particular historical interest is Monteriggioni, built in the 13th century on a hilltop and surrounded by a massive fortification, and Castellina, an Etruscan outpost in Siena with a beautiful central square crossed by the medieval Via delle Volte ( via delle Volte).

Finally, we will stop at the magnificent Poggibonsi, where in October there is a festival dedicated to the ancient technique of pressing grapes in hilly areas, and in Montespertoli to visit the annual Chianti exhibition.

Wine: All Chianti wines are classified as DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - "Denomination controlled and guaranteed by origin"), but all Chianti wines are different from each other, each has special characteristics due to a particular terroir and production method.

The mixture of grape varieties is always the same, only the percentage varies: Sangiovese - 75-90%, Canaiolo - 5-10%, and Malvasia del Chianti - 5-10%, here the perfect composition, discovered in the 19th century by Baron Ricasoli, to which Trebbiano Toscano was later added. This tradition is so ingrained that Tuscan growers plant vines of various varieties together, immediately observing the correct proportions required for making wine.

The cultivation of the Tuscan vines is largely due to the soil, which is mostly made of marl, which, being porous and permeable, prevents water from stagnating at the roots.
In autumn, after the harvest, you can still see several clusters of grapes on the vine: this is a sign that the winemaker is practicing the "governo" method, that is, he adds fresh must from raisin grapes to fermenting wine to restart the fermentation process so that the sugar is completely processed into alcohol. Thus, a dry, stable wine is obtained.

After the end of fermentation, refining takes place: the wine remains in steel or concrete vats until March, and after bottling is ready for sale.
A Chianti wine that has been aged for many years (and at least three months refined in the bottle) may be entitled to bear the name “Riserva”, provided that at the time of consumption such wine has a volume fraction of alcohol of at least 12%, in comparison with 11.5 ° Chianti Classico.

Properties

Color: red, bright ruby, aroma: intense, with notes of fragrant violet, iris and vanilla, taste: balanced, dry, with vanilla and almond flavors; with age, it becomes velvety and soft. About 63 million bottles are produced annually.

At the table

Young Chianti and all simple DOCG wines are ideal wines to go with any meal. Old wines and wines of the "Riserva" category are the best choice for dishes made from meat, game and spicy cheeses.
Bottles should be stored horizontally, wine is served at room temperature. Typical Tuscan dishes include ribollita, a mixture of boiled vegetables left over from yesterday's dinner, re-stewed with stale bread and extra virgin olive oil (extravergine).
Another classic local dish is traditional snacks such as crostini (croutons) with chicken liver (crostini di fegatini di pollo), bruschetta (baked baguette) with tomatoes (bruschetta con il pomodoro) and pork neck sausage from Siena, known as finocchiata.

There are several places that you not only want to see, but where you definitely want to live, and not in a hotel, but in a house, and to keep the house old, the view from the window is wonderful. One of these places is Tuscany, more specifically - chianti valley... This region is strongly associated with Florence, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, beautiful cities, where the great architects of the Cinquecento and other eras worked, but there is another Tuscany - rural, farmer, where the main characters are vines, olive trees and amazing incomparable landscape. Hills, valleys ... and again hills and valleys, and so on to infinity, extending into the azure sky.

So, no overnight stays in Florence, just the Chianti valley and only apartments in a beautiful old house. We already had to book houses in Provence through the system http://airbnb.ru/ and http://www.homeaway.com/. I described this experience in detail in my article Our Home in Provence. But there was August, a super-high season, and there were many problems, and we arrived in Tuscany in early April and, as our hostess said, were the second this season to stay with her. So this time we just booked through www.booking.com without any problems. The only problem was the best choice, and, fortunately, there was no mistake - the farm turned out to be just great http://www.agriturismosanleo.it/.

According to the owner, the oldest buildings were over 1000 years old. Now everything has been restored and adjusted to accommodate tourists. All apartments have their own entrance, a terrace with outdoor table and chairs, and each has a kitchen with a stove, dishwasher and refrigerator. Inside there is one or more bedrooms, air-conditioned everywhere, but the decor retains the style and spirit of a farmhouse. There are only 9 apartments and they are designed for a different number of guests (from 2 to 6).

There is a swimming pool, but it was not open at the beginning of April. There are olive trees all around, some of them very old.

The farm specializes in the production of olive oil. In the breakfast room there is a winter garden and old machinery for processing olives. You can book a guided tour, during which you will be shown the estate itself and the modern oil production (45 minutes, 10 euros per person). The hostess speaks English.

Breakfast is not included in the price, but you can order it separately. Sweet Italian will cost seven euros, but by paying another five euros, you will receive prosciutto, cheese, boiled eggs or scrambled eggs, olives. Everything is very high quality and there is a lot of everything, but the price of 12 euros for breakfast is somewhat annoying, given that there is a kitchen in the room, and the nearest supermarket is 5 km away.

The Internet is possible only in the option “under the door of the hostess’s office”, but maybe this is for the best.

Dinner is organized on Saturdays at the farm. For 25 euros, you are offered a variety of snacks, chicken from our own poultry house and red house wine. But we took snacks, wine and a Florentine steak (Bistecca alla fiorentina) - a huge piece of beef (1 kg) for two. It turned out at 35 euros per person. Everything is very tasty and very home-like.

Bottom line: Everything is just great! In Tuscany, you have to live this way - closer to nature. The only thing you need to be prepared for is that there are very winding and narrow roads, constant ascents and descents, for those who feel sick to come to the Chianti Valley, I would advise with a supply of anti-swinging means.

If you want to go on a trip to Europe that I am organizing, check out the current offers for joining groups on my website www.dmitrysokolov.ru

Dmitry Sokolov

Unusual travels to Europe http://www.sokolovcz.ru/
Our guesthouse in South Moravia http://www.pansionnalednicke.ru/
My travel blog

The taste of Tuscany is the taste of wine, olive oil and other delicacies; A full acquaintance with these flavors means not only tasting the best samples, but also observing the nature, landscape and production thanks to which they are born.

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The region's gastronomic tradition is extremely rich: there are 42 EU-certified wines in Tuscany (DOC and DOCG categories). Also in Tuscany there are 19 farms with registered origin and as many as 455 traditional products. For those who want to learn more about the richness of the local gastronomic culture, there are specially designed routes.

Wine Route Vino dei Colli di Candia (Lunigiana)

Spelled Garfagnana IGP © finedininglovers.it

The main product of the Garfagnana region is the chestnut; it has been a staple food for many years. No less famous is the local spelled of the IGP category (patented geographical name), from which many soups are prepared. The neighboring area, Lunigiana, is famous primarily for the lard from Colonnata (also IGP category). You should also try "testaroli" - a kind of pancakes cooked on special "dough" discs made of cast iron or iron directly on a live fire, "zgabey" (strips of fried dough) and "panigacchi" (cakes made of water and flour, which are baked in wood stove). In this corner of Tuscany, despite the mountainous landscape, two types of controlled by origin (DOC) wines are produced: Candia dei Colli Apuani Doc and Colli di Luni Doc.

Lucca and Montecarlo: wine and olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil from Lucca in the DOP category is made from at least 70% Frantoio olives, as well as from the Leccino, Moraiolo and Pendolino varieties. Local specialties are garmuja soup with meat and vegetables, pies with artichokes, onions or potatoes, and trout with fried beets. The main dessert is buccellato cake made of flour, butter and sugar with raisins and anise seeds. The wines from the Colline Luccesi and Montecarlo have an extremely ancient history dating back to the Etruscan era.

Flavors and colors in the Pistoia Apennines

Two traditional products for which the region is famous are the ornamental citrus fruits of Tuscany IGP and magnolia from Pistoia IGP. Local farmers are also proud of IGP Sorana beans: this variety with white, small and slightly flattened fruits, has a very delicate taste, which was appreciated by the composer Gioacchino Rossini. They also make pecorino cheese from raw sheep's milk from the mountains and valleys of Pistoia and sweet chestnut flour from the Pistoia mountains.

"Chestnut Route from Mugello" to Marradi

Chestnuts from Mugello © teladoiofirenze.it

For a long time, the inhabitants of the town of Marradi associate its history and name with the chestnut: here it is also called the “breadfruit”, since not so long ago the chestnut was one of the few sources of food for the inhabitants of the mountains. Local chefs have created a variety of recipes that will help you appreciate the main product of these forests; in October, a chestnut festival is held in his honor - Sagra delle Castagne. In addition, in this area, they love and know how to cook mushrooms, polenta, tortelli, sausages, sauces and main game dishes.

Casentino Valley Products

Prosciutto from Casentino DOP © ilmangiaweb.it

The products of the Casentino Valley have been renowned for their quality for centuries. As in many other places in Italy, local producers try to make the most of local products and raw materials. Far outside Casentino, local ham (Dop category), pork salsiccia "Sanbudello", white gobies of the Central Apennines of the Chianina breed (IGP), from which the famous Florentine steak is made, became famous. Arezzo's abbuccito cheese is not quite ordinary; Chetika is famous for its chestnuts, truffles and red potatoes. The latter is grown in the traditional way and is used to make tortelli (dumplings).

Route through the Tuscan part of the Tiber Valley (Valtiberina)

In this valley, the white gobies of the central Apennines of the Chianina breed (IGP) are raised, the meat of which is ideal for steaks, as well as baking, stewing and boiling. December and January are considered “pork season”, when sausages, hams, salsicci, sambudelli, soprassat, capocolla, chicchloli and other meat products are harvested. The local olive oil smells of herbs and is made from gentile, morkon, oriola, frantoia and leccin varieties. The list would be incomplete without the Kentucky tobacco from which the famous Tuscan cigars are made.

Wine route around Arezzo

The Val di Chiana Valley gave its name to the “Chianina” breed of cows, which is now grown in other parts of Tuscany. The meat of this breed has a pronounced taste and contains a moderate amount of fat, evenly distributed throughout the meat. This is why cooked meat is so soft. A special variety of beans "zolfino" and "valdar beans" grow here. As for meat products, we will mention "porchetta", a suckling pig roll baked in a wood-burning oven. Another typical dish is the Etruscan rabbit stewed in a pot with onions, garlic and olives. The local yellow salty bread is unusual. Of the desserts, try the Aretino gatto, a biscuit roll with chocolate custard. The main wine is Chianti Colli Aretini (Docg) and Cortona (Doc).

Meet the Chianti Classico

Chianti cuisine draws on the culinary customs of the two provinces, Florence and Siena, to create its own image. A typical example is stracotto alla chiantijana, a leg of beef with beans, sage, rosemary, garlic and tomatoes. Chianti Docg is the most common wine in Italy. It is grown in six provinces (Arezzo, Florenia, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato, Siena). Chianti from traditional habitats is designated Chianti Classico Docg. This incomparable wine is characterized by the smell of violets and plums, has a fruity and harmonious taste and a sour aftertaste, emphasizing its freshness.

Route through the hills of the Chianti Colli Fiorentini winery

This area is considered to be a zone of "poor cuisine", the birthplace of such dishes as "trippa" and "lampredotto", "ribollita" and "pappa-al-pomodoro", which are prepared with stale bread, as well as soups, pasta "penne-horroricate" Pepozo-alla-fornachina, beef stew in wine, is another famous local specialty, once a favorite dish of Brunelleschi himself. Cinto Toscano pork (Dop category in preparation) is valued no less than Colline di Firenze olive oil (Dop category in preparation). Chianti Colli Fiorentini Docg wine - bright ruby \u200b\u200bcolor, transparent, in the "reserve" version has an even more complex taste and smell with hints of tobacco, baked cherry and plum jam.

Chianti Rufina and Pomino Wine Route

Mushrooms play an important role in local cuisine. A rather unusual mushroom is popular here - the early hygrophor, which appears in February when the snow melts, delighting gourmets with its strong and wonderful taste. Local potatoes are prized: tortelli with potatoes are considered the symbol of Mugello cuisine. Among the almost obsolete dishes, it is worth remembering the soup made from rank and “brodo di compenso” - a vegetable broth, to which butter and cheese crust are added for taste. Typical wines of the area are Pomino Doc and Chianti Rufina Docg.

Montespertoli Wine Route

In terms of slope exposure, soil composition and climate, the Montespertoli region is ideal for growing grapes. In 1997, the Chianti Montespertoli sub-zone was isolated to highlight the high quality of the local wines intended for long-term bottle aging.

The cuisine here is traditional for the Florentine region: ribollita with kale and canellini beans, panzanella, pappa col pomodoro and a Florentine steak. Chianti Montespertoli Docg has a ruby \u200b\u200bred color that becomes more garnet with aging; smell - wild berries and violet. The wine has an excellent structure, velvety and delicate taste.

Medici Route: Carmignano wines

Dates from Carmignano, dried on reed mats, have been considered a delicacy since the days of ancient Rome. The "cantuccino di Prato" shortbread almond biscuits are well-known, which go well with "vin santo". Carmignano is the smallest Docg region in Italy and the first Tuscan wine (along with Chianti) to be controlled and guaranteed in origin. Its taste is dry and harmonious, the smell is violets and wildflowers.

Montalbano route

IGP Toscano olive oil, with the Montalbano refinement, is made from olives of the varieties Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino, Pendolino, Rossellino and Pianjente. It is green in color with hints of yellow, the taste is fruity, with notes of almond and artichoke. Of the sweets, we note "brigidini di Lamporecchio", the finest biscuits with anise flavor, "berlingozzo" - a bagel, which used to be worn by country gourmets right around the neck, "cantuccini", which go so well with a glass of wines santo. Chianti Montalbano, now the Docg zone, has been famous for its wine since the 13th century! This wine was served at the table of the bishops of Pistoia.

Wine route "Colline Pisane"

The most famous delicacy of the province of Pisa is the white truffle, and the fruit is the cherries from Lari. Table grapes from San Colombano are also known. It is worth noting a few unusual meat dishes, for example, "testicciola alla pisana" - a boiled head of a young bull or lamb, but fish cuisine dominates here, of course. A typical example is the cuttlefish ink risotto. The DOP category is currently being issued for pecorino cheese from Balze Volterrana. The newly registered Chianti Colline Pisane Docg has become a new star among Tuscan wines.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Route

San Gimignano is known primarily for its medieval tower houses that once belonged to local aristocrats, each of which sought to surpass the others in height. Along the route you will encounter whole fields of saffron (right now the DOP category is being issued for it).

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg is an old wine that even Dante mentioned in his Divine Comedy. First it was awarded the Doc category, and in 1993 - Docg. It is a white dry wine of yellow-straw color with a delicate aroma and dry harmonious taste.

Collie Senesi: on the hills around Siena

The most famous Sienese dish is pichi. "Panforte" and "Ricciarelli" are also quite famous in Italy, the Igp category is being issued for them now. The first, by the way, was first mentioned already in 1205: at that time it was made by no less than pharmacists, apparently due to the large number of ingredients in the recipe. It consisted of candied fruits, honey, caramelized sugar, almonds, flour and many spices. The ancestor of "Ricciarelli" was marzipan, they also contain sugar and almonds. The sweetness became popular in Siena in the 15th century. Chianti Colli Senesi Docg wine is almost entirely made from Sangiovese. Ruby red wine has a characteristic violet scent. The dessert Vin Santo dei Colli Senesi attracts more and more tourists who are fond of oenology to the region.

Wine Route Nobile di Montepulciano

To the southeast of Siena, at the very border with Umbria, is the town of Montepulciano, called the "pearl of the Cinquecento" for its amazing architecture. As elsewhere in the Sienese region, they eat "pichi" (a type of hand-made spaghetti) with meat and mushroom sauces. Red wine Nobile di Montepulciano was first mentioned at the beginning of the 14th century. In 1980 it was awarded the Docg category. "Nobile" - slightly tannin, dry, characterized by a pomegranate color with orange hues that intensify with aging. The smell is violet, more or less intense.

Orcia Valley Wine Route

Local cuisine: grilled meats, homemade pasta, soups, game gravies, pecorino Terre di Siena cheese, lake fish. Orcia Doc Rosso is a versatile wine, white Orcia Bianco is combined with light and fish dishes

Montalcino Wine Route

Buristo - salami, almost disappeared from the shelves due to new sanitary and hygienic rules, has been made for centuries from pork blood, fat, lemon peel, raisins, pine nuts and spices. Salami "bastradro" is a dry-cured sausage made from the same minced meat as salsicchu. Brunello di Montalcino is the first Italian wine to receive the DOCG category. It is produced on the territory of the commune of Montalcino exclusively from the Sangiovese variety, in the local dialect called "Brunello". This classic wine goes well with red meats, roasts, game, and aged cheeses. It can be drunk by itself, as the Italians say "for meditation."

Wine and food route
Montereggio di Massa Marittima

The cuisine of the Maremma is very varied and rich, including soups, tagliatelle with sauces, pork and boar salsiccha, game dishes. Wine Monteregio di Massa Marittima Doc became known not very long ago. There are eight categories in Doc, including Red, Reserve, Pink, Novello. All are made from Sangiovese and other red grapes. Montregio goes well with a variety of dishes.

Etruscan Coast Wine Route

The route runs close to the seashore, from Cecina to Piombino, partly capturing the island of Elba. Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci are home to the most famous vineyards in the world, from which grapes are made Sassicaia. Game plays an important role in the local cuisine, and the proximity to the sea means a large selection of fish dishes. On the Elbe, octopus with potatoes, Elbe mussels, “Stokkafisso alla Riesche” and other interesting recipes are popular. An unusual local specialty is strawberry jam, slightly sour, ideally combined with pecorino cheese.

Monteccuco Wine Route and Mount Amiata

The route covers the slopes of Mount Amiata, which lies between the Maremma lowlands and the Sienese hills. There are many forests, vineyards and olive groves, medieval towns, castles and farms with old wine cellars and olive oil presses. In this non-touristy part of Tuscany, product manufacturers don't shy away from innovation as long as they don't break centuries of tradition. The region is famous for its game, mushrooms (primarily porcini and royal mushrooms), chestnuts from Amiata IGP, olive oil from sejano olives (DOP category under development).
Montecucco red wine acquired the Doc category not so long ago, in 1998. It is made from Sangiovese and other red grapes.

In the famous Chianti valley in Italy, we managed to come in not the best weather. You can never trust the forecasts ... This summer does not please Italy at all with hot and sunny weather, it should be noted. At first, we were upset to see the sky in the clouds. But, gradually blurred landscapes of Tuscany, washed out by high humidity and occasional rain, we were simply charmed.

The views were like on the paintings of old masters! As if the bright colors of summer have slightly lost their brightness from time to time ...

I deliberately did not improve the brightness in photos with Photoshop.

The first breath of autumn is already being felt in Italy.

It comes at the end of October, but already at the end of August we saw slightly yellowed trees.

Endless vineyards with juicy bunches of almost ripe fruits and olive groves in the rolling Tuscan hills - this is the Chianti Valley.

The grapes were grown here by the ancient Etruscans.

Medieval castles and farm houses, which often house cozy hotels; small wineries where you can taste all of the above wines, as well as local sausages and cheeses - here you can get stuck for a long time.

In the Chianti Valley, the famous Classico Chianti wines are produced from Chianti grapes. And also wines Brunello di Montalcino and San Giovese from the grape variety San Giovese. The taste of the wine differs significantly in different parts of the Chianti Valley.

The Chianti Valley is located within the cities of Prato, Pistoia, and covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 90,000 hectares. We drove through the central part called Chianti Classico. In addition to the central part, there are several more areas in the Chianti Valley:

Chianti Montalbano is located near the town of Montalbano, north of Florence.
Rufina is located in the northeastern part of the valley.
Colline Fiorentini - South of the central part, in the Siena Hills.
Colline Aretine - east and southeast of the city of Arezzo.
Colline Pisane west of Chianti Classico, near Pisa.
Coline Montespertoli is located along the Montespertoli hills in the western part of the valley.

The Chianti symbol is the black rooster, which is featured on all wine bottles and numerous souvenirs. The rooster was raised to the rank of a symbol in the 13th century, when Siena and Florence were actively sorting out their relations over the borders of their territories. Then the black cock of Florence sang before Siena, bringing victory to his city. (How easy territorial disputes were sometimes resolved in those days ...)

After such a "cock" victory of the city of Castellina, and Gaiole united in the Military League of Chianti Classico and placed the image of a cock on their flag. Here we drove through the territory of this former league.

The classic Tuscan landscapes with cypress trees have never left anyone indifferent.

We stopped literally every kilometer to take a couple of shots.

The Chianti Valley has amazing heady fresh air.

In addition to vineyards, the Chianti Valley is famous for its olive groves and the olive oil produced here.

Sometimes cities and towns suddenly appeared among the vineyards. The capital of Chianti Classico is the city of Greve. Without exception, all graying in this area are called with the ending "in Chianti", therefore, most often when communicating in the valley, this ending is omitted. seen from afar, it turned out to be quite large, in the central part there were some towers. We will definitely visit someday!

First impressions are always the strongest. The Chianti Valley of Italy in my memory will now forever remain in the shroud of rain.

The sun came out only once, showing what the valley looks like in bright light.

We will definitely come back here in sunny weather!