New Wine Festival, Montecarlo Lucca

Every year in the second weekend of November Montecarlo in Lucca, Tuscany celebrates the God Bacchus by hosting the New Wine Festival. Montecarlo, Lucca is famous for both dry white and robust red wines. The white wines especially the Bianco of Montecarlo are as exquisite as the surrounding hills which are famous for growing some of the best Trebbiano grapes in the world.

This year the festival will be celebrated in late November with lovely food, excellent wines and fun and frolic. As is the norm every year the festival will have many, many wine tastings especially of the new wines including those of 2007. There will be food stalls as well offering delicious Tuscan foods including specialties from Lucca. You can get the opportunity to pair delicious Italian food with the most appropriate wine.

All the festivities at the New Wine Festival include wine tastings; food stalls, demonstrations etc will have the common theme of wine running through them. The aim of the festival is to introduce new wines to one and all in a festive and enjoyable atmosphere.

We look forward not only to welcoming all International visitors but we also welcome all wine lovers locals and tourists alike, whether they are amateurs or professionals to celebrate with us. Let us raise a toast together to our ancient God of Wine, Bacchus who has brought so much pleasure to our lives!

Cabreo La Pietra is a famous white wine from Tuscany. It is an elegant white wine made using Chardonnay grapes. Every vintage right from the first in 1983 has been excellent. Its high quality and standards have earned it the IGT appellation.

Cabreo La Pietra is an innovative white wine which is made in the Cabreo estates of Casa di Sala in Greve in Chianti. The wine gets its name from the wine estates they are produced. The estates are owned by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari.

To make Cabreo La Pietra the chardonnay grapes are gently harvested and undergo alcoholic and maleolactic fermentation. These processes are carried out in French oak barrels wherein they remain for a period of two to four months. They are then aged in oak for eight to twelve months before being bottled. The wine remains in the bottle for atleast another six months in the cellars before it is released to the market.

Cabreo La Pietra has a pale and yet bright gold in colour. It has a bouquet which is fruity with a hint of spice and vanilla. The texture of the wine gives a buttery feel. It has an attractive acidic balance with a smooth yet intense finish. It is a complex and well structured wine.

Cabreo La Pietra is among the best of Italian Chardonnay wines. It is a high quality and expensive wine. No wonder Cabreo La Pietra has the prestigious Super Tuscan white label associated with it.

Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC as the name suggests is made at the wine estates of Guado al Tasso situated on the Tuscan coast of Maremma up to the village Bolgheri. Guado al Tasso literally means “Badger’s Ford. This shy animal, the badger, is found all over the estate. Antinori first introduced this wine to the public in 1990. Limited bottles are produced in every vintage.

Guado al Tasso Bolgheri has the DOC appellation. It is a Super Tuscan red wine made using mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and some Merlot and Syrah grapes. It had a deep ruby red colour. The bouquet is that of dark cherries with overtones of dark chocolate and coffee. There are velvety tannins giving it a long and smooth finish. The acidity of Guado al Tasso is balanced by the softness and structure which Cabernet adds to the wine.

Whatever the vintage year the wine is good as there is a lot of quality standards set to justify the pricing of this designer wine. Guado al Tasso goes well with roast, aged cheeses, pastas preferably with red sauces and wild game.

Join us for our Super Tuscan wine tasting classes or our Bolgheri Wine Tour and with a glass of Guado al Tasso we can raise a toast to the brilliant future of all Super Tuscans in the years to come.

Italy is famous for its gardens. Tuscany has many gardens which are part of famous villas. One such famous garden definitely worth a visit is the Villa Gamberaia Gardens.

Villa Gamberaia is situated in near the village of Settignano near Florence. The Villa Gamberaia Gardens are surely one of the most beautiful gardens near Florence. These gardens were designed by Zanobi Lapi around 1610 in the typical Tuscan style. In the sixteenth century, when the villa and gardens were bought by the Capponi family, they spent huge amounts to enhance and enlarge the gardens. They filled the gardens with beautiful fountains and marvelous sculptures.

Villa Gamberaia Gardens have a beautiful cypress alley, a bowling green, a lemon garden and the nymphaeum (grotto) with its carved stone reliefs. At the end of the nineteenth century a parterre divided into four rectangular pools of water was built and was lined with flower beds. This led to the cypress alley. There was also a lot of topiary art.

The garden was damaged during the Second World War. However the Villa Gamberaia Gardens have been restored to their former glory. After the restoration of the Villa Gamberaia gardens wisterias, borders of irises, yews, hollies, lavender and many varieties of roses have been reintroduced to the gardens. These add a lovely fragrance and a colourful profusion of flowering plants always add beauty to any garden.

The spectacular Villa Gamberaia Gardens are private and almost perfect gardens which overlook the scenic Arno valley. There is an entrance fee.

The Gardens at Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati are situated approximately six miles away from Florence in a small town called Sesto Fiorentino (sixth Roman mile from Florence).

The Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens were bought by Simone Jacope Corsi in 1502. The gardens underwent many transformations through the centuries. The gardens had many trees and flower beds. Through the seventeenth century the garden expanded and had water basins in addition to various plants and flower beds.

However the greatest changes at the Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens occurred in the eighteenth century. In 1738 Marquis Antonio Corsi developed these gardens according to the late renaissance style. This style has been maintained in restoration of Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens and can be seen to date. In the early eighteenth century many statues and sculptures were added to the gardens. The gardens were also developed further with the addition of many exotic plant species. Many flower beds were added. The lemon house was added to the gardens.

In the nineteenth century the Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Gardens underwent further changes with the building of an artificial lake and an ornamental stone bridge spanning it. At the moment the lemon house is used to as a theatre for avant garde productions.

The Gardens at Villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati are opened for visitors on request. Please confirm with us before you wish to visit the gardens to avoid disappointment.

Cafe Rivoire is a lovely café is situated on the Piazza della Signoria offering a lively view throughout the day. It is an excellent place to have your breakfast including a steaming cup of coffee and some delicious hot chocolate with an assortment of rolls or pastries. At Cafe Rivoire the food always tastes fresh and delicious.

Cafe Rivoire was opened to the public in 1872. From then up to date it has been providing Florentines and tourists delicious hot chocolate, cocktails, rolls, aperitifs, salads, sandwiches (with a variety of fillings), confectioneries and light snacks. Although coffee and wine are also available it is still very renowned for its hot chocolate. At Cafe Rivoire they also sell chocolates which are not only mouth watering but also come in unique shapes and designs and are beautifully gift wrapped. The dark chocolate varieties are extremely popular and very delicious.

The food, the ambience and the service at Cafe Rivoire all score high marks from both locals and tourists alike. This café is generally bustling with people. You can sit on one of the tables facing Piazza della Signoria with its priceless sculptures and beautiful fountain, arguably the finest piazza in Florence. Or else you can stand at the bar with the locals and pay lower prices. Wherever you choose to dine if you are a chocolate lover like me don’t miss the opportunity to have a cup of hot chocolate and buy a few chocolates to enjoy at your leisure.

Enoteca Pincchiori is a famous and popular Florence restaurant. It is a Michelin rated one. This highly rated restaurant is a restaurant you love or love to hate since you go in with great expectations and occasionally you may come out disappointed.

Enoteca Pincchiori is situated in a sixteenth century renaissance palace with high ceilings and beautiful frescoes. It is situated in central Florence on Via Ghibellina and is among one of the finest and most elegant Italian restaurants.

The presentation of the meals is excellent as they use the best of silver, crockery and cutlery. The table linen and the cutlery also add to the luxuriant palatial ambience. The service is of the highest standards. The lighting is soft but sufficiently bright for you to see what you are eating.

The menu is very extensive. There are many unique pasta combinations. One of the best loved dishes is the ignudi. It contains ricotta cheese with Spanish dumplings and a fricassee made with lobster and coxcomb. There is a wide variety of breads on offer. There are also many sea food based dishes on the menu. The cheese tray is popular at Enoteca Pincchiori. There is an extensive range of desserts and sorbets.

The prices are high and the servings are small. However the consolation is the extensive and excellent wine list. The service is generally commendable. Although you can visit it as a tourist it pays to go with an Italian friend. You have to book a table in advance and gentlemen have to wear a jacket. You also have the option of choosing dishes from the menu and wines from the wine list in advance when you book your table.

Ribollita is a vegetable and bread soup which is generally made using leftovers. It reflects the uniqueness of the Tuscans in not only recycling but vastly improving leftovers to make an iconic Tuscan dish called Ribollita.

Ribollita is made using bread and minestrone soup. The minestrone soup used to make Ribbolita must contain black cabbage or cavolo nero and Tuscan white beans or cannellini. Sometimes this is substituted with Savoy cabbage, kale or chard and northern beans but it then loses its authenticity.

The minestrone soup is made and consumed fresh or kept for a day. The next day stale bread is lined in a baking dish and the remaining minestrone is poured over it to make Ribbolita. The next day it is reheated and some extra virgin oil is drizzled on top. This reheated soup which is thick enough to be eaten with a fork is the authentic Ribollita.

In the Tuscan countryside traditional Ribollita is slow cooked using wooden burners. On long winter evenings this hearty and nourishing soup warms you and its unique flavour is best tasted in a local Tuscan home preferrably with farm fresh olive oil.

Come join us and enjoy some excellent Tuscan dishes and definitely some traditionally prepared Ribollita Soup. Ribbolita which began as a humble and filling soup in the Tuscan countryside to use leftover food has become one of the best loved soups in the world. It is served in the finest restaurants not only in Florence and Tuscany but all over Italy.

Cascine Park is a famous park, located on the right bank of the river Arno in the city of Florence. It is unique for its diverse activities. Cascine Park is one of the most visited parks by the locals who come here to play cricket, basket ball, volley ball, soccer, bike, jog, stroll, swim, just lounge around, to have a picnic or even to visit the largest open market. Every Tuesday many Florentines visit Cascine Park to pick up bargains at the open market held at Cascine Park. Some of the goodies available include fresh fruits and vegetables, groceries, antiques, shoes, household items, jewellry, scarves and bric a brac items.

Cascine Park is also a tourist attraction as its famous fountain that is called Fonte di Narciso. It has inscriptions referring to the legend of Narcissus who gazing at this own reflection supposedly fell passionately in love with his reflection and dove into a pool and died. In 1819, the famous poet P.B. Shelley wrote the popular poem ode to the West Wind when he visited this fountain. There is an inscription to this effect at the base of the fountain.

Cascine Park was originally a farm and the private property of Alessandro de Medici. It was gifted to the city of Florence by the Augsburg Lorrena family and thus was opened to the public. It was further renovated and extended in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century many sporting activities including swimming and tennis became popular at Cascine Park. Horse racing and target shooting also are a part of the sporting activities at Cascine Park.

In the over one hundred and eighteen hectares of Cascine Park there are a large number of beautiful trees and plants including oaks, elms, pines, cedars and horse chestnuts. This diverse flora makes it the home of the Florence Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

On Ascension Day the famous “Festival of the Cricket” is held annually at Cascine Park. It’s a lovely park and whether you are a tourist or a local you can enjoy some leisure time here.

As the name suggests Al Lume di Candela is a quiet and romantic candle lit restaurant situated in Via delle Terme near the Duomo in Florence. Here you can enjoy a romantic dinner by candlelight.

In this intimate little restaurant the food is tasty, the ambience is excellent and the staffs are helpful and friendly. The antipasti or appetizers are tasty morsels. Al Lume di Candela is quite famous for its seafood dishes. The duck is also very succulent and tasty. Many varieties of pasta, rabbit and veal are also highly recommended. The wine list is good and features most of the regional wines.

Al Lume di Candela is a little expensive compared to a few other restaurants but it offers you an elegant ambience, very tasty food and excellent service. It is the ideal romantic getaway for two without leaving the city of Florence. It is a small restaurant hence it is better if you make reservations in advance.

Buon Appetito!