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



196. Centovini at the Certosa

And so onto wine festival number 4! And bringing May's wine festival to a happy conclusion...

I've picked up the wine list and searched out some gems to try. Andrea has moved the festival back a week as last year was too cold. It's the opposite problem as it's so hot he has to put even the red wine on ice to cool it down!

A very enjoyable time is spent, all the usual sommeliers are here and I move effortlessly from Spumante to white to red and dessert wines including an incredible Marsala and Passito di Pantelleria to add to all the usual fabulous red wines and just my next article for the Florentine to come...
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