Montalcino, Italy
A week in Tuscany certainly is not enough. A month or two would be optimal. But we tried to make the most of our week in a lovely villa outside of Buonconvento, just a few miles north of Montalcino’s outskirts and famous Sangiovese vineyards. From the villa’s pool area we faced south toward the vastness of 4,300-acre Castiglion del Bosco, one of the area’s oldest estate vineyards and the site of an exciting development project partially underwritten by the design conglomerate of the late Salvatore Ferragamo (and headed by Ferragamo heir Massimo).
A few headlines …
Resort watch: Massimo Ferragamo and American real estate developer Corky Severson are finally doing it — combining a world renowned destination for wine worshippers with a strictly upscale resort property. The Castiglion del Bosco project is progressing briskly toward a 2008 unveiling. There will be a central resort and spa, plus members’ only villas (21 are planned) and a Troon Golf 18-hole private course designed by PGA legend Tom Weiskopf. That’s not all. Plans call for a culinary academy, a sommelier institute and an equestrian facility.
We were given a private tour of the nearby Castiglion del Bosco wine production facility, La Cantinia Nuova, completed just three years ago after new ownership took charge. It is a Taj Mahal containing offices, fermentation, aging and bottling rooms, in addition to a beautifully appointed but casual dining room with state-of-the-art kitchen. The resident chef, Sampath, a former Sri Lankan national soccer team member, was happy to show us around. Fortunately for us, he also did the cooking at our villa several miles away.
A few gems for consideration when planning a visit to Tuscany:
1. Established chef and musician Seamus O’Kelly (below, with me and his lovely new wife Patrizia) will host you in his home and serve a delicious lunch prepared with local ingredients and paired with premium wine from his cellar. O’Kelly does not serve Irish fare. He is a South African in his third decade in Tuscany, recently having sold his restaurant near Siena. (He also owns a property near Lausanne, Switzerland, that is one of the world’s prolific Iris farms). Seamus is an entertaining character and master conversationalist. We are looking forward to seeing him this fall when he travels to the U.S. to host several private dinner events for longtime clients.
2. Casanova di Neri outside of Montalcino. Producer of premium Brunello di Montalcino and Wine Spectator’s 2006 wine of the year, a 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuovo (97 points). By appointment.
3. Ristorante di Poggio Antico. On the grounds of renowned estate vineyards. Casual setting. Friendly service. Try medallions of grilled wild boar with Poggio Antico’s 2001 Brunello ($88).
Avoid: The overhyped Il Canto, an upscale French dining destination in Siena’s Hotel Certosa di Maggiano. At about $136/person less wine, it was a marathon three-hour tasting menu featuring several truly bizarre (dare we say, funky) courses such as a sort of creme brulee of garlic. Service was tedious and the staff was not thrilled by the presence of my 10-year-old daughter. (Everywhere else we dined, children were welcome and accommodated).