The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo



101. Vino al Vino - Panzano-in-Chianti

Now this is how it's done!



Panzano is starting its own wine festival and the organization is about 100 times better than at Greve. There are eighteen small booths snuggled around Panzano's small main square. You buy one ticket allowing you to taste whatever you wish! No ridiculous hole punching system here! The estate owners are presenting their own wines and are on hand to tell you all about their products and as it's their wine they each seem to have many cases on hand, ensuring there is no shortage...







Again I come on the Friday and Annette joins me on the Saturday. Everyone is in happy mood and we meet some fellow Brits living in Bologna and have a whale of a time.

This area of Chianti is a bit special with some cult wines being made in the 'conca d'oro' or golden shell, which is a south facing hill that gets more than its fair share of sun.





I get to taste Castello dei Rampolla's 105 euro 'vigna d'Alceo' which is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Franc blend. La Massa's 'Giorgio Primo', the legendary 'Anfiteatro' and Villa Caffaggio's all Cabernet 'Cortaccio'.

Well done Panzano! See you next year!
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