It’s going to be a beautiful day. Our plans are to stay local and do some exploring within the heart of the Chianti region. After a cup of coffee taken outside overlooking the vineyards on the far side of the valley (see photograph’s) we got our stuff together and climbed board our trusty Ford and headed down the track and out for the day.
Our first stop would be Castello di Volpaia which was only a few kilometers away on an apposing hilltop. It was a little early but the tasting room was open and its 5 o’clock somewhere right? After a couple of slurps of Chianti Classico and the Chianti Classico Riserva, none of which did much to impress, we were offer a tasting of Volpaia Olive Oil, wow now that was tasty, so a couple of bottles were purchased and we made our excuses about our lack of wine purchases and moved on.
Next up we headed to the small town of Greve, a market town with the coolest and one of the oldest butcher shops in the whole of Italy. The center of town is marked by a triangular piazza, on this occasion there were a couple of market stalls vying for space with a Porsche Car Club meeting (bizarre but true). We wandered the piazza taking in the sights, sounds and smells, beware the butcher shop is rather smelly, regardless of scent we purchases a selection of meats to be consumed later with some of Tuscany’s best wines (bought next door). Feeling a touch of hunger we took up residence in a small café on the north side of the piazza, alfresco of course, ordered lunch, a bottle of wine and watched the comings and goings.
Suitably relaxed it was time to go balsamico hunting, an expensive sport I was soon to discover. Greve is the home of one of the best produces of balsamic vinegar in the world, Castello di Verrazzano, a beautiful vineyard perched above the town (and not easy to find). Now let me explain, Balsamico of Verrazzano is no ordinary vinegar, produced from the Trebbiano grape, it is pure as can be. Aged for several years this concentrate is complex and intense and a must for anyone who enjoys the very best life and Mother Nature has to offer. The scary part is it cost nearly $100 a bottle and you only get 100 cc – yikes!
Burdened down by my newly acquired 100cc bottle of balsamico, we left Verrazzano and headed home for the day. After all we had several bottles of wine to consume.
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