Home » Europe » Chianti wine route. Traveling through Tuscany

Chianti wine route. Traveling through Tuscany

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

The gastronomic tradition of the region is extremely rich: Tuscany alone has 42 wines certified at EU level (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; for many years it was a staple food. No less famous is the local spelled IGP category (patented geographical name), from which many soups are prepared. The neighboring region, Lunigiana, is famous primarily for lard from Colonnata (also IGP category). You should also definitely try “testaroli” - a kind of pancakes cooked on special disks of “dough” made of cast iron or iron directly on a live fire, “zgabei” (strips of fried dough) and “panigacci” (flatbread made from water and flour that is baked in wood stove). This corner of Tuscany, despite its mountainous landscape, produces two appellations of origin (DOC): Candia dei Colli Apuani Doc and Colli di Luni Doc.

Lucca and Montecarlo: wine and olive oil

Lucca's DOP extra virgin olive oil is produced from at least 70% Frantoio olives, as well as Leccino, Moraiolo and Pendolino varieties. Local specialties include garmuja soup made with meat and vegetables, pies with artichokes, onions or potatoes, and trout with pan-fried beets. The main dessert is a buccellato cake made from flour, butter and sugar with the addition of raisins and anise seeds. Wines from the Luccan hills (Colline Luccesi) and from Montecarlo (Montecarlo) are extremely ancient history, dating back to the Etruscan era.

Tastes and colors in the Apennines of Pistoia

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

"The Chestnut Road from Mugello" to Marradi

Chestnuts from Mugello © teladoiofirenze.it

For a long time, residents of the town of Marradi have associated its history and name with chestnut: it is also called “breadfruit” here, since not so long ago chestnut was one of the few sources of food for mountain residents. Local chefs have created a lot of different 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 game main courses.

Products of the Casentino Valley

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 use local products and raw materials as much as possible. Far beyond Casentino, local ham (Dop category), Sanbudello pork salsiccia, and the meat of the white Chianina bulls of the central Apennines (IGP), from which the famous Florentine steak is made, have become famous. Abbucciato cheese from Arezzo is not quite ordinary; Cetika is famous for its chestnuts, truffles and red potatoes. The latter is grown in the traditional way and used to make tortelli (dumplings).

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

In this valley, white Central Apennine bulls 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, soprassata, capocolla, cicciloli and other meat products are prepared. The local olive oil smells of herbs and is made from the varieties of Gentile, Morcona, Oriola, Frantoia and Leccia. The list would be incomplete without Kentucky tobacco, which is used to make the famous Tuscan cigars.

Wine route around Arezzo

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

Introduction to Chianti Classico

Chianti cuisine draws on the culinary customs of two provinces, Florence and Siena, creating its own image based on them. A typical example is stracotto alla chiantigiana, a beef ham 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 growing areas is designated as 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 wine estate

This area is considered a zone of “poor cuisine”, home to dishes such as trippa and lampredotto, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, which are prepared with stale bread, as well as soups and pasta penne straccicate. Peposo alla fornachina, beef stewed in wine, is another famous local specialty, once a favorite dish of Brunelleschi himself. Cinto Toscano pork (Dop category under development) is valued no less than “Colline di Firenze” olive oil (Dop category under development). Wine Chianti Colli Fiorentini Docg is bright ruby in color, transparent, in the “reserve” version it has an even more complex taste and aroma with hints of tobacco, baked cherries and plum jam.

Wine Road Chianti-Rufina and Pomino

IN local cuisine mushrooms occupy an important place. A rather unusual mushroom is popular here - early hygrophorus, which appears in February when the snow melts, delighting gourmets with its strong and wonderful taste. Local potatoes are prized: potato tortelli are considered a symbol of Mugello cuisine. Among the dishes that have almost gone out of use, it is worth remembering the soup from chin and “brodo di compenso” - a broth of vegetables, to which butter and cheese rind are added for taste. Typical wines of the area are Pomino Doc and Chianti Rufina Docg.

Montespertoli Wine Route

Due to the exposure of the slopes, soil composition and climate, the Montespertoli region is ideal for growing grapes. In 1997, the Chianti Montespertoli subzone was created to highlight the high quality of local wines intended for long bottle aging.

The cuisine here is traditional for the Florentine region: ribollita with curly cabbage and cannellini beans, panzanella, pappa coli pomodoro and Florentine steak. Chianti Montespertoli Docg has a ruby red color that becomes more garnet with age; the smell is wild berries and violet. The wine has an excellent structure, velvety and elegant taste.

Via Medici: Carmignano wines

Dates from Carmignano, dried on reed mats, have been considered a delicacy since Ancient Rome. The shortbread and almond cookies “cantuccino di Prato” are famous, they 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 by origin. Its taste is dry and harmonious, its smell is of violets and wildflowers.

Montalbano route

IGP Toscano olive oil, specified as Montalbano, is produced from Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino, Pendolino, Rossellino and Piangente olive varieties. It is green in color with shades of yellow, the taste is fruity, with notes of almond and artichoke. For sweets, we would like to mention “brigidini di Lamporecchio”, the finest anise-flavored cookies, “Berlingozzo” - a bagel that village gourmets used to wear right around their necks, “cantuccini”, which go so well with a glass of Vin Santo. Chianti Montalbano, now the Docg area, was famous for its wine back in 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 cherries from Lari. Table grapes from San Colombano are also known. It is worth noting several unusual meat dishes, for example, “testicciola alla pizana” is the boiled head of a young bull or lamb, but, of course, fish cuisine dominates here. A typical example is cuttlefish ink risotto. The DOP category for pecorino cheese from Balze Volterrane is currently being finalized. The recently registered Chianti Colline Pisane Docg has become a new star among Tuscan wines.

Wine route of Vernaccia di San Gimignano

San Gimignano is best known for its medieval tower houses, which once belonged to local aristocrats, each of whom sought to outdo the others in height. Along the route you will come across entire fields of saffron (the DOP category is currently being issued for it).

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Docg is an ancient wine that even Dante mentioned in The Divine Comedy. At first it was awarded the Doc category, and in 1993 – Docg. This is a dry white wine of straw yellow color with a delicate aroma and a dry harmonious taste.

"Colli Senesi": in the hills around Siena

The most famous Siena dish is pici. “Panforte” and “Ricciarelli” are also quite famous in Italy; the Igp category for them is now being formalized. The first, by the way, was first mentioned in 1205: at that time it was made by no less than pharmacists, apparently because large quantity 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 sweet became popular in Siena in the 15th century. Chianti Colli Senesi Docg wine is made almost entirely from the Sangiovese variety. Ruby red wine has a characteristic violet aroma. Dessert Vin Santo dei Colli Senesi attracts everything to the region more tourists who are interested in oenology.

Wine route Nobile di Montepulciano

South-east of Siena, near the border with Umbria, is the town of Montepulciano, called the “pearl of the Cinquecento” for its amazing architecture. As elsewhere in the Siena region, people eat pici (a type of handmade 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” is slightly tannic, dry, characterized by a garnet color with orange hues that intensify as the wine ages. The smell is violet, more or less intense.

Orcia Valley Wine Route

Local cuisine: grilled meats, homemade pasta, soups, game sauces, Pecorino Terre di Siena cheese, lake fish. Orcia Doc Rosso - a universal wine, white Orcia Bianco goes well with light and fish dishes

Montalcino Wine Route

Buristo - salami, which almost disappeared from the shelves due to new sanitary and hygienic rules, has been made for centuries from pork blood, fat, lemon zest, raisins, pine nuts and spices. Salami “bastradro” is a dry-cured sausage made from the same minced meat as salsiccia. Brunello di Montalcino is the first Italian wine to receive the DOCG category. It is produced in the municipality of Montalcino exclusively from the Sangiovese variety, called Brunello in the local dialect. This classic wine goes well with red meat, roasts, game, and aged cheeses. You can drink it on its own, as the Italians say, “for meditation.”

Wine and food route
Monteregio di Massa Marittima

Maremma's cuisine is very varied and rich, including soups, tagliatelle with sauces, pork and wild boar salsiccia, and game dishes. The Monteregio di Massa Marittima Doc wine became known not very long ago. Doc has eight categories including red, reserve, pink, novello. All of them are made from Sangiovese and other red grape varieties. Montregio goes well with a variety of dishes.

Wine route “Etruscan Coast”

The route runs close to the sea coast, from Cecina to Piombino, partially covering the island of Elba. Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci are home to the most famous vineyards in the world, from which Sassicaia is made. 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, Elbian mussels, stoccafiso 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 Amiata Mountains

The route covers the slopes of Mount Amiata, which lies between the Maremma lowland and the Siena hills. There are many forests, vineyards and olive groves, medieval towns, castles and farms with ancient wine cellars and olive oil presses. In this non-tourist part of Tuscany, food producers do not shy away from innovation, as long as they do not violate centuries-old traditions. The area is famous for its game, mushrooms (especially porcini and king mushrooms), chestnuts from Amiata IGP, olive oil from Seggiano 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 grape varieties. VKontakte

If you were asked to drive along the Chianti wine road in search of a “drunk road”, would you take it? So I had no reason to deny myself such an adventure. So what is hidden behind such beautiful description and what is this road famous for?

2. “The Drunken Road” is the calling card of Tuscany, the Orcia Valley and the city of Monticchiello to which it leads. An asphalt ribbon lined with cypress trees, descending from the most picturesque hills, is included in the UNESCO heritage. Her images decorate magnets, spoons, postcards, and stamps. Local residents even sometimes pray to her. I'll post a postcard as a guide. This is what we went for.

3. Traveling through Tuscany was difficult. Leaving Florence, we turned onto the Chianti wine road and headed for miracles. It would seem that what is so difficult here? Go, you just have to go.

4. But the trouble is that the landscapes of Tuscany are incredibly beautiful. And instead of the road, you want to look around, the speed drops to a minimum, cars honk behind you, you trudge along like a stoned drug addict. In 30 minutes we drove only 20 kilometers, took a hundred photographs and began to understand that we might not make it on time. But I simply didn’t want to go any further. Could stop at every bush, stone, vineyard

5. The closer we got to the Val d'Orcia valley, the more difficult it was to press the gas. I couldn't stand it, turned on the emergency lights, pressed to the side of the road and took photos, photos, photos.

6. People who are in love with landscapes and romantic natures simply should not be allowed into Tuscany. There is a chance that their psyche will be disturbed, and they will not want to return to their home country.

7. At a certain moment the thought came to me, did I even give in to the “drunk road”? You might as well stay here. Enjoy the views, uncork a bottle of dry white and experience zen.

8. There are no problems with bottles. There are local shops along the road where you can buy quality, homemade, Tuscan wine. How difficult it is to move on!

9. If you know about wine, then cities like Montalcino and Montepulciano will gently echo in your ears, your hands will reach for the glass, and your lips will whisper I want.

Sponsor's Corner

CALL THE PASSWORD "LJ" AND RECEIVE A 5% DISCOUNT ON ANY TOURS!
The Mercury company was founded in 2004 and is one of the leading tour operators in Italy, as well as other countries of the world. The company organizes both individual and group tours. Travel and vacation are learning something new, unknown, new acquaintances and hobbies. The journey should correspond to your inner world and ideas! To be the way you see it, so you can always be confident in the individual approach of the company’s managers, who know and love Italy, and attentive attitude to any of your wishes. Tours to Italy or any other country in the world at your request.

10. Oh, it’s not for nothing that this path is called the wine road, because 80% of the territory of Tuscany is covered with vineyards, and local wineries have received world fame and gold medals from various competitions of the noble drink.

11. Did I already say that it is very difficult to drive and not stop?

12. During the Renaissance, students of the Siena art school honed their skills in local natural landscapes. The paintings still reflect the beauty of Tuscany. How is it even possible not to become an artist, poet or winemaker here?

13. I couldn’t stand it. He abandoned the car and ran into the fields.

14. If there is beautiful scenery, delicious wine, then you can live here. We must give the Italians their due, not to spoil the beauty of these places, but even to embellish them - art. I'll tell you about a couple of local towns soon. They deserve a separate story.

15. Almost there. There's just a little bit left. Here she is already drunk dear, only the view from above. Was it in vain?

16. But first, a couple more landscapes.

17. Almost finished postcard or magnet. I'm thinking of ordering it for friends and giving it as a gift. It's a good idea to give magnets of your own production with your photographs. Or I’ll put together a collection and donate it to New Year calendar everyone.

18. It was not in vain that I traveled. Oh, not in vain. I denied myself wine, swallowed saliva, and hurried at stops. Not in vain.

February 16, 2015 2:24 pm Greve in Chianti - Italy February 2014

We travel abroad by public transport. I'm somehow afraid to get involved with a rental car. I don't drive myself. My daughter drives quite confidently, but this is in the vastness of Israel, but in the vastness of others... In short, I’m afraid and that’s all.

And if visiting major cities, the individual does not really need this car, then in order to travel to the countryside and suburban spaces personal transport necessary. This need is especially felt if you are in a region so renowned for its beauty as Tuscany. And where should a poor tourist go? That's right - book a private tour. This pleasure is not cheap, but fortunately, I didn’t regret it for a second.

Our dear guide, Elita, met us in the hotel lobby, put us in the car and we set off under a steady drizzling of rain, which decided to spoil our pleasure. But from this gray shroud of rain it became, on the contrary, for some reason very cozy and humble. You know, when peace descends on the soul, and it, wrapped in this peace, like a fog, without excessive zeal, but with sincere curiosity, watches what is happening.

The gray day, under a rainy drizzle, could have been mistaken for autumn, if not for the almonds blooming in early February. The smell of pret, the sloping wet slopes, brought to mind the November wild boar hunt that the local population loves to indulge in, or at least about picking mushrooms in the pre-dawn morning.

The elite carefully and confidently drove the car along the wet road going up the mountain, where the first stop at Verrazzano Castle awaited us at an altitude of 348 meters. (You can get to the castle on your own from the Florence bus station (located in Piazza Santa Maria Novella near railway station) on intercity bus No. 365 (about 1 hour on the road).

Built as a fortress in the Lombard era (the name of this place was first mentioned in 1170 in a manuscript preserved in the Abbey of Passignano), in the 13th century it was transformed into the so-called “house of the signora”. And in the 16th century it turned into a classic villa with a typical Tuscan farm, surrounded by a beautiful garden. And these lands have belonged to the family since the 7th century.

But the family recently sold the castle. I don’t know who. We were not able to enter the house, because the next day we were expecting the new owners to arrive, either for a name day or for their daughter’s birthday. And during the off-season they are even allowed inside. But we didn't succeed.

But you could look around and admire the neighboring castle of Vicchiomaggio and the vineyards that fan out all the way to the forest estates, you could completely freely. And in this castle lived none other than Mona Lisa Gherardini. It is believed that she was the one who posed for one of the most famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci. The background for the image of the beautiful and mysterious Mona Lisa was the incomparable landscapes of Tuscany.

And then they gave us a tasting, and it was completely free!!! We liked the wine. And I liked the youngest, two years old. We ate this splendor with bread and olive oil. And it’s even difficult to say what you liked more - wine or oil. Tart with bitterness, the smell of cut mint, and chrysolite gold, it spread over the bread crumb. We bought them there, without further ado.

Yes, they also sell wine vinegar there. Its consistency is more like liquid marmalade. And its taste is sweet with a hint of wine. He matures 8!!! years in oak barrels. And by the end of the 8th year, the volume decreases by more than 2 times.

It was here that the famous navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano was born in 1485. Served Jovania, however, the French crown. He was the first European to explore the lands of the eastern shore of the Atlantic, reaching New York Bay and Naragansset Bay. In New York, a bridge that connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island is named in his honor.

The death of the navigator remains a mystery. According to one version, he was killed and eaten by tribes of cannibals from Antilles. According to another, he was captured by the Spaniards and hanged as a pirate in Cadiz. But his fellow countrymen remember and honor him. In the neighboring town of Greve in Chianti, where we went after the castle, there is a monument to him.

Of course, we went to this Tuscan town not for the sake of the monument to the navigator, but for the sake of tasting the local cellars. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the tasting room was closed. To be fair, it should be said that there was not a single tourist on the street of the town, not even a local residents hid somewhere.

Greve is actually a commune with a population of about 14 thousand people. The town is tiny, but the buildings there are very old, dating back to the 14th-15th centuries. In 1325, Greve was completely burned and was literally reborn from the ashes. It took almost a century to restore it, but now it is considered one of the main cities of the valley.

In the main square of the city, of an unusual triangular shape, the Church of Santa Croce rises, this is on the sharp top of the triangle. And at the obtuse corners there are statues of the aforementioned navigator and this cupbearer god, who more closely resembles a quartered lover.

As one of my friends said: “I fell in love!”

Despite its microscopic size, Greve in Chianti is the capital of the valley, the symbol of which is this lively black cockerel.

If you believe one legend, in the 13th century Siena and Florence waged armed disputes regarding their borders (in the end, the Florentine Republic absorbed the Siena Republic). And so it was decided, at dawn, with the first rooster crow, to send messengers from each city, and through the point where they intersect, to draw new borders. And while the well-fed, white and fluffy Siena cockerel was sleeping soundly, the Florentine messenger had already set off on his journey, thanks to the premature cry of a black rooster, who roared with good obscenities when it was not even dawn yet, because he had not been fed the evening before. It was this bird, and precisely for these merits, that was first placed on the flag of the Military League of Chianti Classico, and later on the labels of bottles of famous wine.

But besides wine, the valley is also famous for its pigs, from which all sorts of delicacies are made. These pigs are the product of selection by a restless person, but in this case the good news is that the crossing took place naturally, and not through genetic engineering. So, a domesticated pink pig was crossed with a wild free guy boar, and the result was the Sinta Sinese breed. We stocked our suitcase full of different types of sausage. It was delicious.

For the next famous product produced in the Chianti Valley, namely Florentine steak, we went to the nearby village of Panzano to visit the famous butcher Dario Cecchini.

When the mad cow disease epidemic swept through Europe, the Florentine steak was banned in Italy because the causative agent of rabies was primarily found in the animal's spine. At this tragic moment for all the butchers of Italy, Dario organized a “bistecca funeral”, he was shown on all Italian television channels and he immediately became famous.

This steak, Florentine in the sense, is made from local Chianina cows.

To be honest, we didn’t order a kilogram steak for each nose (you can’t have one for two, it’s the establishment’s policy). My pancreas is no stranger, it won’t tolerate such excesses, and I don’t like throwing away food. We ordered two portions of deli meats and one, well, hamburger. The first time I ate raw meat. I thought something terrible would happen, but nothing, the body did not protest either during the process of absorbing the reality or afterwards. True, tasty, but not a masterpiece, again.

We sat and chatted about life with Elite. We drank, ate, and paid. I liked it. A kind of local Tuscan popular print flavor. Not true, it was good.

And the final point of our journey was the famous city-commune of San Gimignano. I was already in it, but my daughter was not. My first visit happened at the peak of the tourist season, when tourists rushed in a swarm along the two streets of this fortified city, spinning in Brownian motion around 14 medieval skyscraper towers.

Chianti is exactly what you think it is. The wine fully reflects the characteristics of the region. Through it you can evaluate how sunny days in Chianti, how rich the aromas of its herbs are, how clean the air is and how measured life is. The landscapes of Chianti are endless vineyards, interrupted only by the houses of their owners, well-groomed greenery, hills lined with bushes one after another. For lovers of such idyllic pictures, they even built a special road that will lead through the best wine-growing lands directly to the homeland of the famous Chianti - Brolio Castle.

There are ancient towns scattered throughout the region, where the atmosphere of rural life in the sunshine has been preserved. Leonardo da Vinci appreciated the beauty of these places; it is hardly by chance that he painted the famous Mona Lisa here. According to one version, the Mona Lisa was from Chianti.

Flights to Chianti

Departure city
 Enter your departure city

Arrival city
 Enter your city of arrival

There
!

Back
!



Adults

 1 

Children

Up to 2 years

 0 

Up to 12 years

 0 

Find a ticket

Calendar of low prices for air tickets

How to get to Chianti

By plane

The airport, which serves the Chianti region, is 1 km from the center of Pisa and 80 km from Florence. There are no direct flights from Moscow, so you will either have to be content with connecting flights through Rome or other European cities, or use ground transport.

By train

Net railways connects the cities of the Chianti region with each other and with neighboring provinces. Florence and Siena can be reached from Rome and Milan in a couple of hours.

Hotels in Chianti

City
 Enter city name

Arrival date
!

Departure date
!



Adults

 1 

Children

 0 

up to 17 years old

Find a hotel

The Chianti region is dotted with hotels and guesthouses; the choice depends solely on the preferences of tourists and their transport capabilities. It’s convenient to move between towns by car, and then you don’t need to get attached to large settlements. In this case, you can choose a picturesque house away from the noise, feel like the owner of a grape plantation, wake up and watch orderly rows of plantings from the window. Many hotels are occupied by old mansions, where you can also pretend to be at least a duke. At the same time, it is not necessary to empty your treasury completely.

The minimum cost of accommodation in Chianti is from 40 € per night for two. For this money you can get a simple room in a house or hostel, for example, in Greve (Residence Casprini da Omero) or Gaiole (La Fonte Del Cieco, Villa Vittoria Gaiole In Chianti). In Gaiola, you can also stay like a king at the five-star Castello di Spaltenna Exclusive Resort & Spa (from 200 €), and there are several similar places in Castelnuovo Berardenga.

The cost of three-four rooms varies from 80 to 300 € per night.

Shopping in Chianti

Wine. Wine. And again wine. You can take it out even in boxes, the main thing is to check it in as luggage, meeting the standards of your airline. However, difficulties may arise when entering Russia. According to current customs regulations, you can import no more than 2 liters of strong alcoholic beverages per person into our country. In addition to wine, Chianti produces grappa, limoncello, and cognac. The marking - a red label with a black rooster in the center - speaks of high quality. Good wine costs from 10 €.

In addition to alcohol, you can bring local olive oil, cheeses, sausages and boar meat delicacies from Chianti.

Wine tasting in Chianti

Any establishment will offer visitors local wine. But some places enjoy special love among Italians and the interest of foreign tourists.

In Panzano, queues form for Antica Cecchini. This legendary butcher shop is famous for its Florentine steak, where the owner reads passages from Dante's Divine Comedy and pours homemade wine from his private cellars. In the shop of butcher Dario Cecchini there are autographs of fans of his creative approach to carcass and work: Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, Elton John and other celebrities.

Castellina has two Michelin-starred restaurants whose chefs prepare dishes that best pair with Chianti from different vintages.

In Radda, you can visit the Volpaia Castle, where they offer tasting tours with a sample of freshly squeezed olive oil. Of course, they won’t let you go without a glass of wine either. The drinking place will be an old church turned into a bar, or a picturesque garden.

At Meleto Castle in Gaiole, after a tour of the castle and winery, you can taste wine, grappa, and cognac with an appetizer of locally produced cold cuts. There is also honey and organic olive oil. Everything can be bought right there.

We managed to come to the famous Chianti Valley in Italy not in the most better weather. You can never trust forecasts... This summer does not please Italy at all with hot and sunny weather, it should be noted. At first we were upset when we saw the sky in clouds. But gradually the blurred landscapes of Tuscany, blurred by high humidity and periodic rain, simply enchanted us.

The views were like paintings by old masters! It’s as if the bright colors of summer have slightly lost their brightness over time...

I deliberately did not improve the brightness in the photographs using Photoshop.

The first breaths of autumn can already be felt in Italy.

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

Endless vineyards with juicy clusters of almost ripe fruits and olive groves on the rounded Tuscan hills - this is the Chianti Valley.

The ancient Etruscans grew grapes here.

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

The Chianti Valley produces the famous Classico Chianti wines from Chianti grapes. As well as Brunello di Montalcino and San Giovese wines from San Giovese grapes. The taste of wine varies significantly in different parts of the Chianti Valley.

The Chianti Valley is located within the cities of Prato and Pistoia, and covers an area of about 90,000 hectares. We drove through the central part, called Chianti Classico. In addition to the central part, there are several other 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 Aretina - east and southeast of the city of Arezzo.
Colline Pisane is west of Chianti Classico, near Pisa.
Coline Montespertoli is located along the hills of Montespertoli in the western part of the valley.

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

After such a “cockerel” victory, the cities of Castellina and Gaiole united into the Military League of Chianti Classico and placed the image of a cockerel on their flag. We drove through the territory of this former league by car.

Classic Tuscan landscapes with cypress trees have never left anyone indifferent.

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

The Chianti Valley has amazing, intoxicating fresh air.

In addition to its 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 the grays in this area are called with the ending “in Chianti”, so most often when communicating in the valley this ending is omitted. seen from afar, it turned out to be quite large, some towers were visible in the central part. We will definitely visit someday!