On our way to Poggio-Alloro, we heard a little about Chianti wine (Chianti being a district, and the wine is produced from Sangiovese grapes) and also about the family who owned the winery we were to visit. It is a very interesting story of three brothers who migrated to the region from the Marche region (east of Tuscany) in 1955 to work as share croppers. They worked hard and made many sacrifices and in 1975 purchased 25 acres. In the 1990s they introduced organic farming (which they had used in their home region) and expanded the farm to what it is today, a family concern.
We were met at the Fattoria by one of the walkers, who took us through the wine cellars, explaining the process of wine making to us. The Chianti wines have long been thought of as just reds, but she explained that they also have whites, which we would be tasting at lunch. The air was heavy with the aroma of grapes breaking down into sugars that would become alcohol.
We then moved over to the vines, which marched in rows down into the valley. The grape harvest had finished just weeks before and the vines were ready for pruning. At the beginning of many of the rows were rose bushes or artichokes. These are checked for infestation and if any activity is seen, the vines are treated with all natural products as the farm is organic.
From there, we went to a large barn-like structure. Before going inside, she explained that the Chianina cattle we would see are thought of as being near extinction. They maintain a herd of 50 at the farm and keep them in a closed breeding program. The meat of these cattle is much sought after, being low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein. We were asked to stay to the right as the cows were very protective of their calves.
The olive trees were next on our visit. They press their own olives at the farm, producing first cold pressed olive oil, second pressed olive oil, and finally a poor quality oil from the final press (which they laughingly call motor oil). The farm also produces crops such as corn, garden vegetables and many fruits. They also grow a crocus from which they harvest - by hand - the sought after golden yellow saffron, and keep their own bee hives, from which they produce honey.
At the gates of the complex that houses the restaurant, and the shop that sells their produce, we learned that the name of the farm (Poggio-Alloro) is made up of the name for the area (Poggio) and the Bay tree (Alloro) that also grows in the area.
The dining tables for our group was set up on the patio, which overlooked a stunning view of San Gimignano, at the top of a Mountain about 5 km's away. We had what they call 'a light lunch', which consisted of bruschetta, pasta (with Bolognese sauce), fresh green salad, pecorino cheese, prosciutto, and salami. As soon as we cleared our plates, waiters were there to fill them again! There were bottles of the farm's olive oil on the table and we used this liberally.
Most of what we ate was grown on the farm, and the recipes used to produce the dishes, family recipes. Each course came with wines produced by and bottled on the farm. The first was a delicious, crisp white - Vernaccia San Gimignano. That was followed by a Chianti Red, and then a Merlot. We made a sweet end to the meal with a Vin Santo and cantuccini cookies, which we dipped into the liquor.
After lunch, we had time to browse the shop, to buy products or order for shipment home. I would have loved to buy some of the first wine we had tasted but at €23 a bottle, not including duty, and a minimum of 6 bottles per order, I decided it was a bit too expensive for me. I settled for a small bottle to take back to Florence, for Lindy and me to enjoy, along with a small pot of honey. Total spent, €6
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