One minute I’m in a meeting in Fort Worth Texas, the next we're onboard a flight to Rome via the splendors of London’s Gatwick airport.
Some 14 hours (after departure) we’re curbside in Rome squeezing our bags into the back of a rather unattractive (but functional) Ford Taurus Station Wagon, hired by our friends who arrived the day before.
We’d still be sleeping soundly if the day (and night) had taken its usual course, but instead (to our delight) we were getting a jump start on our trip that will takes us through the wine country of Tuscany and back to Rome.
About 2 hours pass as we head north; we’re making a beeline for a rather nice hillside winery called Poggio Antico (http://www.poggioantico.com/english/index_e.htm) which is just on the outskirts of Montalcino on the road from Grosseto to Sienna. The problem is, it’s taking longer to get there than we anticipated and the possibility of them closing-up shop for lunch is becoming a real possibility.
A phone call (or two) from Greg to the restaurant draws a non-commitment as to when the restaurant will finish serving lunch, perhaps the fact that we’re speaking Texan English intertwined with broken Italian isn’t doing the trick, so we push our wagon harder.
It’s almost 2pm, bugger we’re not going to make it, then right out of the blue Greg spots the entrance to the estate, I slam on the brakes, 400 pairs of shoes experience 4gs in the trunk but survive unscathed; we plough down the cypress lines drive to the main building. Sheepishly we wander inside the main building.
‘It is us, you’ve been expecting us’
‘Oh have we? You want to have lunch?’
‘Does the Pope have a balcony?’
‘I believe he does’
‘Then lunch it is’
We take a table outside on the terrace overlooking the Tuscan countryside. From gray meeting room only hours ago to dining alfresco on a beautiful summer’s day with a feast of Italian delights was a surreal experience (stimulated by jet lag no doubt).
Ristorante di Poggio Antico is widely acclaimed as one of the top restaurants in Italy and offers a creative fine-dining experience in elegant surroundings, with a stunning view over the estate vineyards across to Monte Amiata. And it doesn’t disappoint, but be prepared its not cheap but then again the very best never is!
After one of the greatest lunches of all time we jumped back in the car and head north to our villa in the heart of Tuscany just outside the very charming village of Radda-in-Chianti.
More to come…
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