A Day of Wine Tasting in Bolgheri

Our introduction to the wines at Tenuta Le Cologne began with a discussion about the topography and climate of the Bolgheri region.

One of Italy’s smaller, and perhaps lesser-known, wine regions is that of Bolgheri. Bolgheri is a town which has given its name both to a region, which lies along the coast of Tuscany south of Livorno, and to the wines produced there. 

Unlike some of the more well-known wines of Italy, commercial wine production is relatively recent in this area, taking off only in the 1970’s. But its roots go back further to when the first French style grapes were planted in the 1940’s. Production then was small, starting with a single vineyard, and just for family use. 

I like to imagine sitting with the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, sipping wine from his small vineyard, and seeing that “ah ha” moment on his face as he realized what a special wine he had.  That wine was called Sassicaia and today it is the most famous (and most expensive) of the Bolgheri wines.  

Someday I hope to taste this very special Bolgheri wine.

 The unique quality of Bolgheri wines comes from several factors.  First is the French varietal grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, sometimes blended with Syrah or Petit Verdot.  Second is the land and microclimate in which the grapes are grown.   Bolgheri vineyards closest to the coast are influenced by the sandy soil and sea breezes.  Moving inland and higher up the hills, the higher elevations have a more gravel type soil.  Each setting influences the flavors of the wines produced.  The third factor is the bowl (our guide called it an amphitheater) of hills which surround the area, giving a big hug to the vineyards.

The hills surrounding the Bolgheri vineyards help to create the climate, and the flavors, of the wines

 I am far from a wine expert; I learned all of this information on a day of wine tasting at two Bolgheri wine cellars. The trip was arranged by a group of friends, some of whom are much more knowledgeable about wines than am I. Of course, no one wants to be the designated driver on a wine tasting day, so we were lucky to have Giovanni Palmieri, from The Tuscan Wanderer, as our driver and guide for the day. Giovanni was able to share information not only about the wines but also about the countryside and the many small towns along the way. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to join this fun group for a day of tasting in Bolgheri and, as always, Giovanni was the perfect guide.

Tenuta Le Colonne

Our first stop was at Tenuta Le Colonne, a beautiful winery in the town of Donoratico in the most southern part of the Bolgheri region. The vineyards here are very close to the sea.  At Le Colonne we began to learn about Bolgheri wines and the characteristics of the region.  After a tour of the cellars we began our tasting. 

The dining room at Le Cologne

While many wine tastings come with a bit of bread and cheese, Le Colonne puts on a more elaborate spread in their elegant dining room. The addition of a special meal paired with a variety of wines made this a particularly enjoyable wine tasting.

 We were served an abundant lunch that began with a wide variety of appetizers: interesting stuffed focaccias, torta di ceci (a crispy chickpea pancake) with several different toppings, and a salumi and cheese board. 

The presentation was beautiful. We passed the plates family-style around the table, wanting to taste each appetizer. Perhaps the most surprising was a focaccia made with chocolate and filled with finocchiona (fennel) salami and goat cheese.

Next came a course of mostly crudo (raw) dishes. Tuna, Octopus, and a Beef Tartare were all available options. Again, each was artfully presented and delicious.

Finally, a tart shell filled with a most interesting (and delicious) combination.  A basil cream topped with fresh strawberries.

Each wine was described during the tasting.

Of course, each dish was paired with a wine.   The appetizer course began with a crisp Vermentino, a lovely wine.  (Although the Bolgheri region is mainly known for their reds, they also grow Vermentino grapes). The Vermentino was followed by the Le Colonne Rosato, a very light rosé blend of Merlot and Syrah.

Then it was on to the reds.  We sampled two, their Bolgheri Rosso DOC and their Bolgheri Superiore DOC. These are Le Colonne’s superstars.  Both were wonderful with the Superiore the more complex and intense of the two, made using only select grapes. Several bottles of the Superiore made it to our van for the trip back home.

The patio at Casa di Terra

 Our next stop was a short drive away to another Bolgheri winery in the more modern setting of Fattoria Casa di Terra, a family run winery. The winery building, with its steel and cement architecture, sits in the middle of the vines. 

The lowest levels house the tanks in which the wine is aged before bottling. There are large stainless ones along with some small urn shaped cement ones and beautiful large wooden ones. 

On the ground floor are the tables set for tastings and the wine shop. Up top, a wide terrace provides a view over the vines and is used for summer season aperitivo.    

It was interesting to taste similar wines – a Vermentino, a Rosato, and several reds, including their Bolgheri Superiore – and yet find different flavors and scents as compared to the earlier winery. Here I found the Rosato really appealing. In truth, my palate is not sophisticated enough to clearly sense all the underlying flavors in wine. You’ll never hear me say “oh, there are notes of tobacco, sage, and blackberry” and yet – peach – there was a definite peach flavor to this Rosato. 

Wine tasting at Fattoria Casa di Terra

It is hard to beat the combination of a beautiful spring day, blue skies, a drive through Tuscany towards the sea, good company, laughter, excellent wines and food, and the opportunity to learn about a new wine region. Now I know exactly why I have long found the wines of the Bolgheri region to be a favorite!

Contacts: Tenuta Le Colonne Via Vecchia Aurelia 418, 57022 Donoratico LI +39 0565775246 email: enoteca@tenutalecolonne.it

Fattoria Casa di Terra Località Le Ferrugini, 162/A 57022 Bolgheri LI. +39 0565749810. email: info@fattoriacasaditerra.com

The Tuscan Wanderer. +39 3664162266. email: thetuscanwander@gmail.com.

Le Colonne

Rasiglia, An Enchanted Village in Umbria

A bit off the tourist trail in Umbria, in the hills surrounding the commune of Foligno, sits a magical place – the small hamlet of Rasiglia. This Medieval village is unique in that spring-fed streams run through town creating rushing waterways, pools, and waterfalls. The streams cascade downhill through the village, eventually joining the river Menotre at the base of the hill.

The streams in Rasiglia flow downhill from springs above the village. The largest spring is the Capovena at the top of the hill..

Because of those streams, which seem to outnumber the 50 or so permanent residents, Rasiglia is also known as Il Borgo dei Ruscelli (the Village of Streams). A visit to this village was top of my to-see list during a recent stay in Umbria. Only about a 30 min drive from my base in Bevagna, it made for a perfect day trip.

The streams flow through town, sometimes tumbling down the rocks and other times pausing to fill small basins.

Remants of the fortress that once stood at the top of Rasiglia

With origins in the 12th century, Rasiglia was once a fortified town. Now, little remains of the original fortress although remnants of a tower can be seen at the top of the village.

Most important to the town’s history, the streams that flow from the springs above the village provided the power used to run its mills and also provided the water needed for the weaving and dyeing of wool, an important industry in the region.

Today, visitors can wander through the historic town enjoying the beauty and sound of its many streams along with the pretty houses and flower filled spaces tucked in amid the flowing waters. There are also cafes and lunch spots, offering a charming spot for a mid-day pause.

Not to be missed are the historic grain mill and the weaving museum. Both give fascinating glimpses into Rasiglia’s history.

While Umbria has many beautiful, and much more famous, towns it was Rasiglia that most delighted me, transporting me for one day to a fairytale world where streams run through an ancient hamlet.

When The Giro d’Italia Comes To Town

The city of Lucca went a little bit crazy (in a good way) this week when the Giro d’Italia came to town. The color pink, representing the Maglia Rosa, the Pink Jersey worn by the leader, appeared overhead in street banners, in window displays, balloons, and even in pastry shops. The pink of the jersey reflects the color of the pages in the sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the founder of the race in 1909.

The biggest crowd gathered at the beginning of the route. Thanks to J. Nichols for this photo.

The Giro d’Italia is Italy’s Grand Tour bike racing event, with teams from many nations participating.  The Giro has multiple stages, taking the riders from sea level to mountain top over a challenging 3-week course. The rider wearing the Maglia Rosa can change with each stage, always worn by the leader at that point in the competition. 

The route varies from year to year. This year’s race began in Durrës, Albania and ends in Rome on June 1st, a total distance of 3,443 km (2139 miles). The rider who crosses into Rome wearing the pink jersey is the winner. This year’s stage 10, one of two time trial stages, began in Lucca, a very big event for the city.

The route took riders along Lucca’s wall as part of the time trial event.

An exhibit on the history of the Giro d’Italia, with photos of past winners and Italian racing superstars, was set up under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. It included an interesting display of old bicycles. My favorite was the bike with a coffee bar attached!

On the day of the race, souvenir stands sold race-themed merchandize, car and pedestrian traffic was rerouted, and Piazza Napoleon became the center of activity and the starting point for the event. 

The route took riders from the piazza up onto Lucca’s wall, about ¾ of the way around, and then onto Pisa, a distance of 28.6 km (17.8 miles). 

Because this was a time trial, the riders took off one at a time rather than in a large group.  Each was preceded by a motorcycle escort and followed by a car bearing the rider’s name and colors.  Fans lined the route, tracking the riders, cheering and waving the flags of various countries as each rider flew passed.

At the end of Stage 10, Dutch rider Daan Hoole had the fastest time to Pisa while Mexican rider Isaac del Toro had the overall lead and the Maglia Rosa. This was the final time trial of the Giro, now the riders move on across Italy and eventually to Rome. Who will be wearing the pink jersey at the end?

The Torre Guinigi all decked out in an Italian flag to celebrate the Giro d’Italia coming to Lucca.

The Colors of May

The month of May is the perfect time to be in Tuscany. April’s rains are mostly gone. The skies vary from clear, deep blue to blue studded with white clouds. Temperatures are mild and a bit breezy. Mornings and evenings are cool but the afternoons are warm but not yet hot. We are still having some rain, but the showers are brief and not nearly as chilling as the April storms.

Other than a few lamentations about allergy season, everyone is out and about in Lucca enjoying the beautiful, mild days. It’s a joy to sit outside in a cafe or restaurant or to sit and watch happy children ride the carousel. 

Best of all, the last few weeks have seen an explosion of color in Lucca. The roses are especially gorgeous, with large rows of them blooming in parks and public spaces. 

Flowers fill containers in piazzas, spill from window boxes, bloom in private gardens, and decorate balconies. Stands of star jasmine arch along doorways and walls or climb above terraces, filling the streets with the wonderful scent of jasmine.

 The wildflowers are my favorite. I love the ones that have found homes in the crevices of old stones. The delicate flowers blooming all along the walls of the fosso (the canal that runs along one of Lucca’s streets) are delightful. 

Wildflowers along the fosso

May days are perfect for long walks and discovering Lucca’s hidden corners, especially the ones filled with flowers.

Prato’s Museo del Tessuto (Textile Museum)

Tuscany is not all rolling hills, art, vineyards, olive groves, and Medieval streetscapes.  A different Tuscany presents itself in the city of Prato. While Prato does have a historic center worth exploring, it is better known as the center of a thiving textile and fashion industry. 

Displays in the Textile Museum recount the history of cloth making and the fashion industry in Prato, including the role of Chinese immigrants.

The creation of textiles in Prato goes back to the 12th century, but it was the industrial revolution of the late 1800’s which fostered the growth of the industry.  Another boom period came with the end of World War II when Prato became one of Europe’s largest districts for textile and clothing manufacturing. Prato’s role in textiles and fashion continues today, in large part supported by the Chinese immigrants who began arriving in the early 1990’s. 

The history of textiles in Prato is celebrated in a small but fascinating and well-curated museum, The Museo del Tessuto. Established 50 years ago, the museum is now housed in a historic building – the former Compolmi textile factory. The factory was opened in 1863 by Vicenzo and Leopoldo Compolmi in a building that formerly housed a mill (and before that a convent). One of the fascinating aspects of the museum is seeing the former factory’s collection of machinery used in the manufacturing process along with implements used during different periods of manufacturing. 

Displays throughout the museum explain the evolution of fashion and style as well as materials used during different time periods. There are displays on types of fabrics, materials used to spin thread, and agents for coloring fabric. Many of the educational displays are hands on, giving visitors the ability to feel how different raw materials are to the touch. I owe these displays a big thank you for most of the info contained in this post.

Recently, I had a chance to visit the museum and see two special exhibits.  One, Silk Treasures, showcases fabric, small remnants, larger pieces, and intact garments, from the 15th – 18th centuries. Many were originally designed for Europe’s wealthy class and later recycled into garments worn by the clergy. The fabrics are woven with gold and silver threads as well as intense blues and reds, forming intricate and beautiful patterns. That they have survived for centuries seems like a miracle. The Silk Treasures exhibit will be on display until December 21, 2025.

The second special exhibit is quite different.  It is a contemporary and futuristic display of clothing crafted from velvet fabrics.  Entitled Velvet Mi Amor, it was created by father and daughter designers Stefano and Corinna Chiassai.

The Velvet Mi Amor exhibit has an eye-catching group of patterns, colors, and textures.

The exhibit, which runs through June 8th, includes 24 otherworldly figures clothed in a diverse range of velvets – prints, patterns, inlays, and laser cuts all have a place.  The oversize pants, jackets, shoes and hats, all in velvet, pull you in to take a closer look. You may even find some hidden messages in the patterns.   

Prato is easily reached by train in about 30 minutes from Florence or 60 minutes from Lucca.  The museum, including its well-stocked gift shop, is definitely worth a visit. And Prato, which hosts Italy’s second largest Chinese population, is just the place for a post-museum Chinese food lunch.

The gift shop at Museo del Tessuto