Heading for the hills
With spring hopefully round the corner, Christine Austin looks forward to exploring the wilds of Tuscany and staying a while at a beautiful wine estate or two.
WITH its fabulous scenery, hilltop villages and an abundance of glorious food and wine, Tuscany in Italy has long been a magnet for holidaymakers. The great attraction of Tuscany is that you don’t have to wait until the summer months to visit. Florence and its surrounding countryside are ready to welcome everyone for winter escapes, spring breaks and sunshine holidays. My favourite time is early spring, when there is enough sunshine to enjoy the sights, but you can still get a restaurant booking or tickets to see some of the world-famous art in the many museums and galleries.
I like to spend a couple of days in Florence before heading out to the hills. There are too many galleries, sights and restaurants to cover everything that Florence has to offer in just one trip, so be prepared to leave with your wish-list only half accomplished. My favourite activity in this beautiful city is just wandering around, absorbing the glorious architecture and history, with occasional stops for really good coffee. I usually book one gallery in advance to save on queuing.
When you have overloaded on the great masters and your feet need a rest, then it is time to pick up a car and head out to the vineyards and there are plenty of estates ready to welcome you. In recent years there has been a surge in the numbers of wine estates which have transformed their buildings and gone into the tourism business. It means a great combination of wine, dinner and accommodation, all on one site.
Dievole is a classic example. Years ago, I visited this large, beautiful wine estate in the south of the Chianti Classico region, just a few kilometres north of Sienna when it was slightly run-down and needing investment. That investment came from an Argentine former oilman who has transformed the house, the vineyards and the winery into one of the most spectacular estates in the region. I visited again last summer, and it is fabulous. There are just 31 rooms, so this is a fairly exclusive hide-out, and the food and wines are exquisite.
If you just want to have a look, you can call in for a tasting, although you need to book in advance, or better still book a table for lunch. www.dievole.it.
Another perfect place to visit, either for a stay or just for a tasting, is Capannelle. This estate is around 40km south of Florence, just outside the tiny village of Gaiole in Chianti and it occupies a beautiful hilltop site, complete with a pool dug into the side of the hill.
It used to be part of the personal estate of James B Sherwood who owned the Cipriani in Venice. This is probably why it only has five rooms, and it feels more like a great quality B+B that happens to be on a wine estate.
The style is informal, the rooms are welldesigned and comfortable, but best of all, the cellar leads down from the dining room and the wine is excellent. The old cellars have been turned into one of the most delightful, smallscale, top-quality wineries I have seen in a long time complete with a James Bond-style inner sanctum housing some of the very best bottles. Chianti Classico Riserva is the main wine with bright fruit and savoury notes with an 80 per cent Sangiovese-based Solare adding more depth and character to the range. An interesting diversion is 50:50, made in collaboration
with Montepulciano producer Avignonesi which is labelled as a humble regional wine, but which packs fabulous plum and herbal notes to justify its eyewatering price tag. Check www.capannelle.com for details.
Close to Radda and occupying an immense stretch of hillside, is Castello di Albola (www. albola.it). This is a medieval village which has been transformed into a hospitality centre with accommodation and restaurant. The various packages include winery tours and tastings, with lunch or dinner, and the estate is well worth a visit, especially for the view.
Informal and definitely well worth a visit for a tasting and lunch is Principe Corsini, (www. principecorsini), around 20km south of Florence. This is a historic property which has been in the same family for centuries. They offer wine tastings, tours of the vineyards and cellars and an osteria where you can find a simple lunch. There are also two small houses with access to a pool that are available to rent.
On a totally different scale, Il Borro is for people who want to escape from reality and stay in a medieval village which has been brought up to date with style and panache. The style is to be expected since the investment behind this project comes from the Ferragamo family, more noted for their fabulous fashions, and the houses and apartments are classic, well-designed and functional. This is a private village, complete with winding streets, a historic church and small shops selling artisan goods rather than tourist souvenirs. You want a pair of hand-made shoes? The little shoe shop can oblige.
The experience of staying at Il Borro might be a little like that experienced by generations of Tuscan farmers, but with comfortable beds, 21st century plumbing and two restaurants onsite. If you have a large family group, you can take over the manor house with 10 bedrooms, two swimming pools and a staff of three for a mere 10,000 euros per night.
The wines of Il Borro come from the surrounding vineyards and the cellars are open for tours and tastings every day. (www.ilborro. com)
South of the Chianti Classico area, it is worth heading to Montalcino and the property that revived the fortunes of Montalcino 40 years ago. Castello Banfi does not just produce more of this wine than anyone else in the region, it is also in the tourism business. When the day visitors to this stunning castle have tasted their way through the range and climbed back on their buses, the street of houses and apartments overlooking the vineyards becomes peaceful once more. An on-site restaurant provides a locally sourced menu and there are cookery courses available if you want to cook as well as eat. (www.castellobanfi.it)