We have just checked into our final hotel. Along with walking through at least one pair of shoes each we have traveled on planes, trains and automobiles (2686km on the rental car), gondolas, water buses, water taxis, and a hot air balloon. We have eaten 3 times our body weight in pasta, pizza, cured meats and cheese, and drank an Olympic sized swimming pool each in red wine and a hot tub worth of prosecco, white wine and beer. We have met people from all over the world, had too many conversations to count that were 100% English on our end and 100% Italian on the other. When we imagined the trip, I don't think we could have ever in a million years planned for anything better. We did everything we said we wanted to do, and then some at almost every stop. After driving 4 hours from Montalcino to Milano, we made it to our hotel right next to the Linate airport. We are just relaxing on the patio with a glass of wine.
Giampiero, Claudia and Paolo are picking us up for dinner again tonight. It will be an early morning with our flight leaving at 6:55am. I look forward to this last dinner and evening in Italy.
.... Although there is still plenty of time for me to just accidentally sleep in and miss the flight ....
Monday, 23 May 2011
Our First Day Before Milan
This is what we like to call it as there is no need to call it what it really is.
We started the day by visiting the Banfi winery. Banfi is one of the largest producers in Italy, so quite the switch from the one man shows we visited with Silvio. There is certainly a charm that goes with visiting the small guy, and having them come in off the tractor to have a glass of wine with you, but the big beautiful estates definitely have their place as well. Banfi is not exception, and their wines are really good as well. They house the largest glass collection in a museum right on the property. After a tasting, we stayed there for lunch as well.
After Banfi we headed to the monastery. It was kinda weird. They have speakers set up so you can hear the monks chants. The church is beautiful. There was a lot of people set up on the front "lawn" with blankets - napping? That was strange as well. Maybe you can hear the chants there as well?
We had grand plans to do a bunch of other things, but instead we returned to Montalcino, and I believe now we can say we have stopped at every bar, enoteca, caffe and wine shop that serves wine in Montalcino. Sorry Baffas - I know you asked us to save you some wine. Our plan originally was only to drink all the wine in the North, and that would leave you some. I think now you should just really hope they make more in the next 2 months!
We started the day by visiting the Banfi winery. Banfi is one of the largest producers in Italy, so quite the switch from the one man shows we visited with Silvio. There is certainly a charm that goes with visiting the small guy, and having them come in off the tractor to have a glass of wine with you, but the big beautiful estates definitely have their place as well. Banfi is not exception, and their wines are really good as well. They house the largest glass collection in a museum right on the property. After a tasting, we stayed there for lunch as well.
After Banfi we headed to the monastery. It was kinda weird. They have speakers set up so you can hear the monks chants. The church is beautiful. There was a lot of people set up on the front "lawn" with blankets - napping? That was strange as well. Maybe you can hear the chants there as well?
We had grand plans to do a bunch of other things, but instead we returned to Montalcino, and I believe now we can say we have stopped at every bar, enoteca, caffe and wine shop that serves wine in Montalcino. Sorry Baffas - I know you asked us to save you some wine. Our plan originally was only to drink all the wine in the North, and that would leave you some. I think now you should just really hope they make more in the next 2 months!
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Trevor's Barolo in Barolo
Only it's Brunello di Montalcino in Montalcino.
We arrived yesterday afternoon, and wondered the streets of this walled city. It's the first place we've been in a while (besides Florence) that has more then a few houses and a restaurant or two. The tourist area is quite small - maybe a couple of streets. That is of course until you head off to tour the wineries.
We stopped at a couple enotecas for Trevor to drink his beloved Brunello. The first stop we had a flight of five Brunellos and then with dinner we had a 1997 (the BEST year we are told over and over no matter where we go) la Fornace. This was the first winery we stopped at on Silvio's tour. We thought we would give the Reserva from the best year ever (as though we know the difference) a try. It was a great wine! Love it when you have time to give it an hour and it tastes completely different by the time you are done. Licorice, tar etc.
Our hotel here is great. The rooms are a little small, but they are actually just what I was expecting. The view (as it seems to be everywhere we go) is amazing. Hotel Il Giglio. Trev is quite enjoying the name of the hotel.
Pictures from our window:
I even gave a little try to some Brunello gelato. I think maybe they should consider keeping in the wine in the bottle for drinking, or when absolutely necessary for cooking.
We arrived yesterday afternoon, and wondered the streets of this walled city. It's the first place we've been in a while (besides Florence) that has more then a few houses and a restaurant or two. The tourist area is quite small - maybe a couple of streets. That is of course until you head off to tour the wineries.
We stopped at a couple enotecas for Trevor to drink his beloved Brunello. The first stop we had a flight of five Brunellos and then with dinner we had a 1997 (the BEST year we are told over and over no matter where we go) la Fornace. This was the first winery we stopped at on Silvio's tour. We thought we would give the Reserva from the best year ever (as though we know the difference) a try. It was a great wine! Love it when you have time to give it an hour and it tastes completely different by the time you are done. Licorice, tar etc.
Our hotel here is great. The rooms are a little small, but they are actually just what I was expecting. The view (as it seems to be everywhere we go) is amazing. Hotel Il Giglio. Trev is quite enjoying the name of the hotel.
Pictures from our window:
I even gave a little try to some Brunello gelato. I think maybe they should consider keeping in the wine in the bottle for drinking, or when absolutely necessary for cooking.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Trevor's Phone Call
In an attempt to decide what to do tomorrow in Montalcino, we discovered our favourite Brunello winery on the map the hotel has provided us with. This map is great - it comes complete with phone numbers and email. "Let's give them a call and see if we can have a tour," Trev decides. He calls, and as always the first question is do you speak English? Up until this point the person on the other end always does, or asks him to hang on one minute while they get someone that does. This was not the case with this call:
"Do you speak Enlgish?"
"No"
"Uh uh uh uh. Ummmmmmm. A tour?"
"No Inglese."
"Uh uh uh uh. Enoteca? Tour? Tasting?"
"No Inglese"
"Ok. MEEEEEE E eposa FAVOREEEETO VEEENO TU."
At this point I am in complete hysterics listens to this conversation. One person that speaks absolutely no English - as in not even one word, and another trying so hard to remember any of the words we've learned and possibly string them together to make a sentence that even maybe makes sense. The best part about this is the Americans we were on the wine tour with commented on how much we seemed to know in Italian etc. But in the moment with complete pressure to say something....anything...in Italian....almost nothing comes out. Plus I am trying to make my way to the bathroom so I can close the door and laugh my guts out in there as to not distract Trevor further in his attempts at this conversation. The problem is I am laughing so hard I can hardly take steps to get to the bathroom. I am hunched over to my knees with tears rolling down my face trying desperately to muffle my laugh. Well I don't know if you have ever tried to muffle your laugh, but IT DOESN'T WORK! Instead weird snorting, coughing and choking noises come out. This of course only makes me laugh harder. Finally Trevor ends his own torture, or maybe the person on the other end decides to put themselves out of misery and ends the conversation. Well I completely appreciate this is more then likely a "you had to be there" story I could not pass up the opportunity to write about it so I am able to remember incase I need a good belly laugh in the near future.
"Do you speak Enlgish?"
"No"
"Uh uh uh uh. Ummmmmmm. A tour?"
"No Inglese."
"Uh uh uh uh. Enoteca? Tour? Tasting?"
"No Inglese"
"Ok. MEEEEEE E eposa FAVOREEEETO VEEENO TU."
At this point I am in complete hysterics listens to this conversation. One person that speaks absolutely no English - as in not even one word, and another trying so hard to remember any of the words we've learned and possibly string them together to make a sentence that even maybe makes sense. The best part about this is the Americans we were on the wine tour with commented on how much we seemed to know in Italian etc. But in the moment with complete pressure to say something....anything...in Italian....almost nothing comes out. Plus I am trying to make my way to the bathroom so I can close the door and laugh my guts out in there as to not distract Trevor further in his attempts at this conversation. The problem is I am laughing so hard I can hardly take steps to get to the bathroom. I am hunched over to my knees with tears rolling down my face trying desperately to muffle my laugh. Well I don't know if you have ever tried to muffle your laugh, but IT DOESN'T WORK! Instead weird snorting, coughing and choking noises come out. This of course only makes me laugh harder. Finally Trevor ends his own torture, or maybe the person on the other end decides to put themselves out of misery and ends the conversation. Well I completely appreciate this is more then likely a "you had to be there" story I could not pass up the opportunity to write about it so I am able to remember incase I need a good belly laugh in the near future.
Last day in Chianti
Today we are moving on from the villa in Chianti Classico to Montalcino. We figured we didn't get enough Brunello on the day long tour, so we are headed back for more.
Yesterday we spent the day driving around small towns close to us. We stopped in Volpaia for lunch. It's a town of about 6 buildings and 2 restaurants. We sat on the patio until it was time to pay the bill, and it absolutely started pouring. I guess the Vances are not to tour small towns in Chianti Classico as the two days we have done so are the only two days we didn't have perfect weather the entire trip.
We left lunch and headed away from the rain and into sunny Radda in Chianti. The rain decided that we had a great day mapped out, and it followed us. We ducked into a small enoteca for a glass or two of prosecco (and a coke for Driver). After the rain let up just a bit, we made a break for it (and by we I mean Trevor went and got the car, and pulled up to the front door), and headed home for a quick nap.
Then came the meat dinner of all meat dinners. The Brazilian BBQs don't have anything on this place. A butcher runs the place so I suppose we should have expected what was about to come. Six courses of different cuts of beef cooked different ways. Delicious! How can I forget the potato with Chianti flavoured butter - or was it lard? Nothin like some wine flavoured lard to go with the half a cow you are about to eat. Check out the Fred Flintstone cut!
Yesterday we spent the day driving around small towns close to us. We stopped in Volpaia for lunch. It's a town of about 6 buildings and 2 restaurants. We sat on the patio until it was time to pay the bill, and it absolutely started pouring. I guess the Vances are not to tour small towns in Chianti Classico as the two days we have done so are the only two days we didn't have perfect weather the entire trip.
We left lunch and headed away from the rain and into sunny Radda in Chianti. The rain decided that we had a great day mapped out, and it followed us. We ducked into a small enoteca for a glass or two of prosecco (and a coke for Driver). After the rain let up just a bit, we made a break for it (and by we I mean Trevor went and got the car, and pulled up to the front door), and headed home for a quick nap.
Then came the meat dinner of all meat dinners. The Brazilian BBQs don't have anything on this place. A butcher runs the place so I suppose we should have expected what was about to come. Six courses of different cuts of beef cooked different ways. Delicious! How can I forget the potato with Chianti flavoured butter - or was it lard? Nothin like some wine flavoured lard to go with the half a cow you are about to eat. Check out the Fred Flintstone cut!
Friday, 20 May 2011
Pool Day!
Yesterday - After a quick drive into Figline to take our wines to Mailboxes Etc, we had a relaxing day at the pool. A cooler of beer and water, and some sun.
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