Experience Tuscany

There was no doubt the next contest on the line to win a free stay in Tuscany was going to be dedicated to wine lovers and cellar tours.
Tuscany each year produces a relatively small amount of wine (around 160 million liters per year over 33 thousand hectares of land), as it applies a strong selection over the lands dedicated to vineyards, and another strict selection to the grapes allowed to become wine. Indeed each year a large part of the grape production is discarded to maintain a high quality wine. Needless to say that Chianti wines dominate the Tuscan wine production, with about 50 percent of the total, which increases to 66% with Chianti Classico. Brunello and Morellino di Scansano amount to 9 percent of the production with the remainder 25% occupied by all the other small fractions of the market (excellent wines nonetheless, like Vernaccia of San Gimignano or Nobile, or Sassicaia).
There are hundreds of wonderful cellars in Tuscany. Many are historic and ancient ones, brick vaulted and located in the basement of prestigious wine farms or mansions and castles. Others are modern cellars, completely automated, computer controlled and located in more contemporary buildings. It is in these places that you will be able to discover their secrets and the great knowledge that makes of grapes a delicious nectar. Wine in Tuscany is a serious thing. therefore your holiday extension will be a great opportunity to dwell into this important aspect of the region’s cultural heritage.
Three are the prizes to be won in the sweepstakes. A four-night stay in the Lucca area and two two-night stays in the Brunello-Montepulciano area and one in the Sienese Chianti area. To be eligible to receive the prizes you should have already booked a holiday in Tuscany or be willing to do so within ten days of being acknowledged of their win.
Participating is very easy. You just need to send 4 electronic postcards to participate. Click here to go to the flash application for the contest.

Click here to check out and hide the full rules of the contest or visit this page

Cheers and good luck!

Yet another contest to spend few days in Tuscany for free in a wonderful setting, pampered in first class hotels, tasting the best Tuscan food in renown restaurants, and shopping like crazy in the most beautiful boutiques and interesting shops of Florence and Siena. This is what offers the “Taste and Shopping” contest, the latest opportunity given by the Tuscany region to win a splendid vacation in Tuscany.
Like usual, participating is a swift, and this time it’s fun too. You just need to register with a 5 seconds procedure then solve an easy Memory-like game. Flip the cards and match the twin ones. When done you will be prompted to insert your details and participate in the sweepstakes that is held on April 5, 2010.
The contest is particularly targeted to those who love fashion, food, typical Tuscan products and shopping. The territory around Florence and Siena will host the three prizes to be won. Three stays that offer rich opportunities to discover the best of Tuscany: from shopping to hiking tours through castles and farms, from wine and food tastings to free museum visits. You will get to know the best wineries, taste world famous wines and taste the typical Tuscan cuisine.
The first prize consists of four nights in the Chianti for two people in a superior room bed and breakfast, shopping excursion and wine tour and tasting with driver, VIP lunch and free museum tickets.
The second prize will take you for two nights in the Montalcino and Montepulciano area, accommodated in a superior room B&B for two people, touring Brunello wine farms with tastings, traditional Tuscan lunch in montalcino, cheese tasting and visit in Pienza, and free museum tickets.
The third prize consists of a two night stay in the Livorno Maremma region for two people in a superior room B&B. It is included the visit with driver of the Antinori wine farm with wine tasting, lunch in a traditional Bolgheri restaurant, local products farm visit, and free museum entrances.
Start immediately here, you will be in in just seconds. Good luck!

Vin Santo (or Holy Wine) is a typical Tuscan wine, perfect as a present, and on your table during the Holidays. The Vin Santo of Chianti is a sweet wine of certified and guaranteed origin. Its production is permitted in the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena. The Tuscan Vin Santo is the symbol of hospitality: every family offers it to visitor according to its his jealously guarded recipe. In 1997 the certification for Chianti Vinsanto was established as a recognition for a wine that has always been produced in the areas of Chianti.
But there also is another reason for the institution of the certification. The wine is made with dried grapes, therefore the sugar concentration is higher than usual. Traditional Vinsanto reached an alcoholic concentration that by law required producers to obtain a license for liqueur wines (between 15 to 19 degrees, 30 to 40 proof). As Vinsanto accounted only for a fraction of wine farm production, or it was made at home, very few licenses were requested, resulting in illegal production. Thanks to the DOC recognition now Vinsanto has its own category and can be produced in total legality.
The Traditional Method
Traditionally this sweet wine was produced by collecting the best grapes and drying them on mats or hanging them on hooks. The tradition wants grapes to be set to dry in periods of waning moon, as the conviction was that this avoided rotting. After drying the grapes were crushed and the juice was transferred into casks of different woods and variable size (generally between 15 and 50 liters each), which had just been emptied of the previous production of Vin Santo. It was important that during the emptying the “mother”, as the dregs of the past production were called, remained in the cask. The “mother” was believed responsible for the quality of Vinsanto. The barrels were sealed and usually located in the attic of manor houses or otherwise in an attic because it was believed that the high temperatures of summer and the low ones in winter helped the fermentation and the scenting of wine. It is generally believed that three years of aging are sufficient to produce a good Vin Santo.
The Tuscan tradition does not include yeast to produce this wine. However, “wild” yeasts, responsible for the actual fermentation and correct aging of the wine, would be transferred in the wine during the non-sterile processing. The producer would never be able to guess which yeast would result in a good Vinsanto. Therefore the juice was set to ferment in many small different casks. If one or more produced good Vinsanto, that cask would be jealously preserved and its “mother” redistributed in other casks to produce an equally good wine. The reason for this is that at a certain alcohol percentage not all yeasts survive; therefore chance had to select one or more, if any, casks with a strong enough yeast. Traditionally casks were never washed for this reason, to preserve the qualities that produced a good wine.
Modern Method
However, modern production is completely different. As the “mother” also includes many substances that should not be included in wine, nowadays only new casks are used for each batch, and selected yeasts that are suitable for high sugar concentrations are introduced in the production. Nevertheless, the wide variety of aromas and richness of the traditional production are lost, therefore many producers add a small amount of selected “mother” to recreate traditional scents.

October 31st will be the 4th Urban Hiking day, and Siena has outlined an interesting trail uniting culture, history art and a sprinkle of mystery!
The trail starts at the Botanic Garden, that hosts about 100 different flora species, some even poisonous, to finish off at the Italian Enoteca, an impressive example of Sixteenth century military architecture. Along the route there will be surprises and recounting of the mysterious story behind each place. The Halloween night in Siena also holds a novelty dedicated to children. A Fairy Guide will collect them at 3pm from Piazza del Campo taking them to Saint Augustine’ park. There a “haunted” bus will be waiting for them. On board animators will entertain the children until 6 pm with games about Halloween and the Middle Ages.
At dinner time, 20 restaurants will offer different menus at a promotional price ranging from 10 euros to 25 euros. The free guided urban hiking tours will depart at three different moments during the day, at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. On the way there will be mysterious and scary apparitions, enacted by a theatrical company.
The tour starts at the Botanical Garden and its Nineteenth-century “stove”, a greenhouse that mimics the dense rainforest where large orchids with large colorful flowers grow besides disturbing, carnivorous plants and trees forming roots that sprout from the ground with tentacles.
The second stop is at number 50 of Via della Cerchia, to admire the painting on the wall of a man with a long beard. According to tradition this is the picture of a hermit or Giomo, the ghost that haunted the Botanical Garden. Then comes the turn of the “Madonna of the Crow.” The legend has it that a raven hit by the plague wanted to rest above the fresco, and died electrocuted by a lightning to prevent infecting the painting.
The next stop is at the Cathedral or Duomo of Siena, in particular at it “magic square“, a curious stone, which contains an esoteric message of 5 words that can be read from top to bottom and from right to left. During the Middle Ages it was used against evil forces.
Then the tour proceeds towards Fontebranda that, according to legend, holds a Spanish treasure hidden in the Sixteenth century.
The tour ends with a visit to the Italian Enotheque and its magnificent premises within the ramparts of the Medici Fortress. This is the most mysterious building, as no plan or design of the imposing military building is to be found! Finally, all urban hikers will be offered a glass of wine by the Enoteca.

For more information:
Phone: +39 0577 292128 Email: turismo@comune.siena.it Website: http://www.trekkingurbano.info/tuttosultrekking-eng.html

San Gimignano has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the towers that distinguish the town. At one time these were 72 but now there are only thirteen to characterize this elegant town in the province of Siena.
San Gmignano’s worldwide fame, is not only owed to its particular architecture, but also to the wealth of works of art and the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a fine white wine produced exclusively here. It seems that the grape was introduced for the first time in the Municipality of San Gimignano by a certain Vieri de’ Bardi, from Liguria, around 1200. Thanks to the work of his descendants, Zanobi and Angiolo Bardi, the development of the grape cultivation became very popular and made the wine famous. Already in 1276 the trade of Vernaccia di San Gimignano was flourishing, fact proven by the taxation ordinance that in that year imposed a charge of three coins for each load of Vernaccia outside the city walls.
When visiting San Gimignano, you should not miss out:
The cathedral, completed in 1148, and considered one of the most prestigious museums in Tuscany. Built on three naves, it is a container of Florentine School frescoes with St. Sebastian by Benozzo Gozzoli, Stories of St. Fina by Domenico Ghirlandaio and wooden statues by Jacopo della Quercia. The Palazzo Comunale, which formerly housed the mayor, is very interesting. It currently houses the civic museum and the art gallery containing masterpieces by artists such as Benozzo Gozzoli, Pinturicchio, Pier Francesco Fiorentino, Domenico di Michelino and Filippino Lippi. Inside the Town Hall you can also visit the hall of Dante with the Majesty of Lippo Memmi and access the Torre del Podestá or Torre Grossa, a 54 meters high structure built in 1311.

More information on the Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vernaccia was the first Tuscan white wine to receive the guaranteed origin label in 1993. The wine has been subject to a constant evolution, both in the vineyard and the cellar, which has led to great quality levels. It is obtained from grapes of the vine of the same name, with the possible presence of other non-aromatic white grapes, up to a maximum of 10 percent.
The pale straw yellow color, tending to gold as it ages, is its characteristic, just as the fine and penetrating scent. The taste is dry, harmonious, with a slight bitterish aftertaste. Alcohol level must be at a minimum of 22 proof, 23 for the aged reserve. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is an excellent companion for bread soups, Italian appetizers, fish and shellfish. This nectar is also a delicious aperitif. Always serve chilled!

Find San Gimignano in Tuscany here:

View San Gimignano in Tuscany UNESCO World Heritage Site in a larger map

Along the Strade del vino (Wineroads) and truffle paths to discover the landscape beauties and the tastes of San Miniato near Pisa and this region of Tuscany.

Duration of Tour: 3 days, 2 nights
Dates: Friday 2 October, Friday 9 October, Friday 16 October
Conditions: Upon request, for at least 6 participants. The weekend formula is also possible in other days (according to accommodation availability). In case of fewer participants prices and itineraries may change.
Vespa 125cc: Drivers must be of age and A or B licensed.

San Miniato is a little nice medieval town right in the heart of Tuscany, half way from Florence and Pisa, and is well-known for its art and history. The white truffles growing in its soil are also reason of fame.
Why on Vespa? The itineraries on Vespa let the traveler discover large areas at a slower pace, so that he can enjoy the landscapes without hurry, in search of the treasures of the place.
Riding a Vespa allows breaks to watch the nature around, visit an ancient church on the top of a hill, and taste a glass of local wine. Vespas can pass through the narrowest alleys, the smallest villages, allowing a more simple and free way of traveling.

Schedule:
Individual arrival in San Miniato on Friday and settling in the accommodation, free day. Dinner in the hotel/farmhouse and overnight stay.

First thing Saturday morning the Vespa is delivered to your stay and after a little briefing you are off to go along the wine roads. The first stop is in a farm to visit the cellar and to taste local wines. The visit continues to another estate with lunch and tasting of some typical products of the territory. After lunch again on the Vespa to discover some villages nestled in the countryside, such as Castelfalfi, Palaia, and san Vivaldo, where the Chapels of “Jerusalem in Tuscany” is surely worth a visit. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.

On Sunday morning is scheduled the route along truffle roads, that will lead you to Corazzano, where you will take part to a little walk in the woods and attend a demonstration of how truffles are found, with the help of a truffle hunter and his dog. A delicious truffle tasting session will follow. Truffles will also be the protagonists of your lunch in a typical local Tuscan restaurant. Afterwards you will return to your accommodation where the Vespa will be picked up before your departure.

The price for the package is 390 Euro per person, including a double bedroom and one Vespa for two people.
Extra charge of 20 Euros per person per day for individual use of the Vespa and Extra charge for single rooms (quoted at booking).

The price includes:
- Two overnight stays in double bedroom with breakfast and dinner (drinks not included), in a hotel or farmhouse in San Miniato.
- Two days Vespa rental with helmets and insurance, detailed itinerary road maps, booklet providing route information, Vespa road assistance.
- Wine tasting in a wine farm, truffle hunting demonstration with truffle taste sampling; lunch on Saturday in a farm and on Sunday in a restaurant (both including beverages)

This post was submitted by Paola Sancarlo.

It is September, and it is impossible to write about Tuscany without writing about wine at least every other day during this month.
If you have already been to Tuscany you might have realized that every now and then, especially when you go off the beaten road, you may encounter a scenic road that has taken the name of the wine denomination of that area. In Tuscany there are many wine roads. Of course the most famous are those regarding wines such as Chianti, Sassicaia, Brunello, and others, but there are many other roads that are noteworthy and may let you come to discover your most favorite wine ever. The Lunigiana offers the “Candia and Lunigiana Hills Wine Road“.
The cultivation of vines on the hills of Candia originates in a the distant past. The ancient terraces and wine trade documents lead us back to the year 200 BC.
Apuan hills rise under the shadow of the high and rugged Apuan Alps, whose gray contrasts with the lush green plains planted with vines. Following the green vines, your eye will accompany the steep slopes of the hills down to the sea. On these steep terraced hills for over 2000 years vines have been cultivated with great effort and sacrifice. The yield of grapes for farmers has always been very low, due to the natural limitations of arable land.
The wine road begins south of the town of Montignoso, follows the Apennines, through the municipalities of Massa Carrara and Fosdinovo to drop in the Lunigiana hinterland and reach Pontremoli.
The hills overlooking the coastline and covered with vineyards are followed by the Lunigiana hinterland. Here forested mountain areas, give way to less harsh relieves and more or less flat areas where cultivated with vineyards and other crops of various kinds.
The route includes two certified designations of origin wines: the “Candia dei Colli Apuani” which is produced in the hills of Massa Carrara and Montignoso, and “Colli di Luni” born in the hills of Fosdinovo, Podenzana, and Caprigliola.
Following this wine road you can discover the still intact landscape of the Apuan and Lunigiana coast, appreciate the rugged peaks of the Apuan Alps, the steep hills of the Apennines that offer stunning open views of the inland.
This is a zone bordering with three regions. Here the Tuscan culinary traditions spouses those of Liguria and Emilia with as many nuances as are the towns of Lunigiana and the coast, elaborating on the traditional humble Tuscan cuisine, always keeping the oil and wine as the unvaried quality ingredients.

From Chianti to Maremma in September there are many opportunities to taste local products and discover ancient rural traditions. This is grape harvesting month. What better occasion to visit the villages of Tuscany, along Wine Routes that go deep in the countryside and along the coast, tasting world-famous Tuscan wines? In September Tuscany comes alive with harvest celebrations, town fairs related to grapes, production cellars are open for tasting and purchasing, villages fill their streets with music and typical products.

In Lorenzana near Pisa from the 11th to the 13th there will be the Wine and Agricolture Festival offering restaurant service with typical dishes of the Pisan hills and food stands with the Chianina steak as a specialty. For more information: www.asclorenzana.com

On the 12 and 13 and from the 17th to the 20th in Ciggiano, near the town of Civitella in Val di Chiana close to Arezzo the Wine Festival of Wine and Oil will be held. Here you will find live music in the town square, folklore and tasting of traditional dishes with old peasant flavors. For more information: Ciggiano Tourist Info Phone +39 0575 440323

In Greve in Chianti from the 11th to the 13th is held the nineteenth Chianti Classico Review, an exhibition of wine producers in Chianti Classico. By purchasing a ticket you will receive you sampling glass for 8 wine tastings and food tastings. Each one of the many kiosks offer wine and food to discover the Chianti, a symbol of Tuscany.

Panzano in Chianti comes alive from the 17th to the 20th with Vino al Vino, a celebration that will liven up the main square with kiosks of local producers, music and shows.

In Rosignano near Livorno, at the Tourist Port Cala de’ Medici, on the 12th and 13th wine meets sailing with the La Rotta del Vino, or Wine Route. Boats will compete in a thrilling race while on board chefs will be busy preparing original culinary creations, combined with thirty excellent wines. Both on Saturday and Sunday from 7PM onwards, the Piazza del Borgo Cala de’ Medici will be home to Walkin’ Food – Food and street artists with food stands to enjoy some of the most famous street food from Tuscany and beyond, with music and performances. For more information: www.larottadelvino.it

In Chiusi from the 19th to the 27th the Grape and Wine festival allows to taste wines and local products in the traditional wine cellars and in “taste workshops” in addition to all the shops in town. The offer includes appetizing local dishes and original recipes, traveling shows and musical entertainment. Among the events food and wine will be the protagonists: some restaurants of the area have organized “The Banquet in honor of Bacchus”, presenting dishes paired with local wines. Wine will be the protagonist of evenings dedicated to wine tasting tours by the Italian Sommeliers Association and of tasting kiosks located in various parts of the town. For more information: www.festadelluvaedelvino.com

In Scansano located in Maremma the Grape Festival is held on the 26 and 27. The Morellino di Scansano is the centerpiece of the event and it will be celebrated in the cellars of the historic center, and it will be paired with tasty local products such as oil, cheese, and meat. For more information: www.comune.scansano.gr.it

In Impruneta on the 27th the 83rd Grape Festival is a must-attend with the parade of allegorical floats from the various town districts with wine tasting and local products sampling. This is a very old tradition born in 1926 that still revives the tradition of grapes harvesting and farming. For more information: www.lafestadelluva.it

Spend a September full of great tasting food and traditions near Siena. The territory around Siena is the place for good food and taste. Here September brings a series of events not to be missed, starting from the Val d’Orcia, passing through the Val d’Elsa and the Chianti. The protagonists here are abundant wine, Tuscan dishes, honey and cheese. The delights of the palate are associated with the beauty of the charming villages around Siena. Visitors can get completely lost in this authentic and genuine atmosphere.

Here are the festivals and fairs around Siena and its province that must be absolutely tried out:

49th Fair of Cheese in Pienza
This is a feast of gastronomic excellence dedicated to one of the most representative products of Pienza and the Val d’Orcia, cheese. The festival, scheduled for September 5 and 6, will offer samplings and tastings in the streets of Pienza to experience one of the symbols of the town.

Feast of Luca in San Gusmè
Like every year in San Gusmè, in the municipality of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the Feast of Luca is renewed from September 5 to 13. The streets of the village will be transformed into an art gallery with paintings exhibited in front of the many shops of handicrafts and artisans. Country and Chianti style dinners are organized every evening. The last day of the event a dinner with a show will be held in the main square of the village.

Honey Week in Montalcino
The Fourteenth-century fortress of montalcino will host the annual appointment with the Honey week until September 13. Visitors can take advantage of a guided honey tasting tour and learn the important health facts about all properties of the products derived from a beehive. It is noteworthy that all the shops of Montalcino for the occasion will exhibit windows inspired to the world of beekeeping. More info on www.prolocomontalcino.it

Crystal within the City Walls in Colle Val d’Elsa
Live crystal workshop shows, fine wine tastings off of elegant crystal stemware, Tuscan culinary proposals and walks along the medieval village of Colle di Val d’Elsa are just a few things to do during this event to explore the fascinating and ancient traditions tied to this territory. From September 24 to 27 the event “Crystal within the City Walls” is back in the Valdelsa town. The old part of the town will be framed by special and striking art installations that will enrich the medieval village.

Chianti is a land of poetry where the excellent wine by the same name is made. It is a land rich of emotions. The display of beauty begins along the Chiantigiana road. The first town that one finds along this road is the quiet village of Radda in Chianti: stone houses, picture-postcard views, the cypress trees lined up or standing alone guarding a house. Then one gets to Greve in Chianti, the realm of the flask, where farmers keep the history of this prized nectar, the Chianti Classico wine. From Greve departs the Cassia road that crossing the Chianti reaches Montespertoli and Barberino Val d’Elsa. In the past, the original Chianti area was compelled to share its name and brand with a much larger geographical area that now encompasses six provinces in Tuscany. The matter was settled in 1996, when the Doc denomination of “Chianti Classico” was officially attributed to the original Chianti land.
The Chianti offers many places not to be missed while visiting it. One among all is the Volpaia Castle. It was built in the Eleventh century as a fortified village on the watershed between two small valleys, the land border between Florence and Siena. It was erected by the Florentine family of “the Volpaia”, that in the Renaissance distinguished themselves as scholars and artists such as Benvenuto and Lorenzo. The latter was a friend of Leonardo da Vinci, known to have built, on behalf of Lorenzo de’Medici, the planetary clock for Palazzo Vecchio Florence, a copy of which is now in the Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence. Through corridors and tunnels of the castle one gets to the “Enoteca” where you can taste the wine and other products including older vintages of “Chianti Classico Castello di Volpaia”. At the Enoteca English and German spoken. Here all the wine produced at the castle can be purchased, including their aged vinegars and yearly olive oil production.

Wine Therapy
Wine therapy is one of the hottest trends in the world of wellness. This practice, already used by ancient Greeks and Romans, in its modern form was born in France and is not as well-spread in Tuscany as of yet. Grapes are rich in organic acids and mineral salts that exert a beneficial anti-aging action on the skin. Blood vessels are also greatly benefited. Finally, the peel and seeds, rich in polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids and anthocyanins, act as antioxidants and help to contrast aging. Since some time time now, commercial cosmetics products based on extracts of the vine, grape and grape seeds are available. Wine therapy in Tuscany has been inserted among wellness practices. For more information, call +39 0577 738 312.