Under The Tuscan Sun
Wine, a wedding, a wander and copious amounts of eating.
One of the many benefits of marrying an Italian with three siblings is the amount of instances and occasions calling for your presence in Italia. Most recently, Michelle, Gabri’s youngest sister whom I absolutely adore, got married in Tuscany. To say it was a beautiful wedding is an understatement. Michelle and Fabio, her Argentinian love, chose a borgo, Laticastelli, as the backdrop and location for all three events — the aperitivo welcome, the pool party and the wedding itself. Laticastelli is located in Rapolano Terme, among the tappa (stops) along the route of the Giro di Italia. It’s near Siena but not quite on the beaten Tuscan path, making it all the more charming. We stayed on the grounds of the borgo along with a sizable group of family and friends which lent to the formation of new friendships and a feeling of being at home amongst the gorgeous, grape-adorned green hills.
Among my favorite things in Toscana is the accent, elegant and entertaining all at once. They swap out “C” for “H” which turns, for instance, “Coca-Cola con la cannuccia” (Coca-Cola with a straw) into “Hoha-Hola hon la hanucia”. Years ago, I didn’t quite comprehend what was happening, believing it was some sort of speech impediment a surprising number of the region’s inhabitants were suffering from. Later I’d come to realize it was simply the region’s take on Italian. And after a while, I’ve come to quite like it; so much so that after two weeks in Tuscany, I found myself adopting it accidentally. I can only imagine how ridiculous I must have sounded with my already American-laced Italian delivered with a special Tuscan flare but I didn’t see any disdain in their faces when I asked if something was, for instance, deliHato (delicato). Italians are graciously, unlike some other nationalities (lookin’ at you Frenchies), welcoming of attempts at Italian of any level. This willingness to withstand my butchering of the language for a number of years was a huge help in my acquiring it. It also contributes to the evidence that Italians do it better, even tolerance.
My other favorite things in Toscana are the more obvious offerings like the wine, the views and you guessed it, the food. Eating was the main event of most days. In town, Il Quadrifoglio served up the perfect welcome to Toscana with a giant plate of Pici al Pomodoro for the kiddos and dishes like Pici al Pesto di Salvia (sage), Gnocchi al Ragu and Gnudi (ravioli’s insides) with a heap of truffle on top for the grown ups. Pici, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is the incredibly thick and delectable pasta typical of the region. We ate at a few other spots in town or on the way but Il Quadrigoflio claimed the top spot for me. Modi, also in town and a bit austere, offered Entrecôte that delighted but the pizza the kids ordered was more like that of an American cafeteria than an Italian restaurant. Bivacco was a not-so-beautiful spot near Laticastelli but the bistecca fiorentina was all you could hope for and the pasta con porcini e tartufo was as mouthwatering as any. And the price was right.
For a wander, near to Laticastelli is a little town called Asciano with a historic center you can see in two minutes, but tucked in along the main drag is La Mencia with an unexpected garden in back, adorable for lunch. The bruschetta ai funghi was a big hit with my eldest who ordered two additional rounds. I couldn't fathom shoveling in any more pici but friends ordered a handful of helpings with porcini which looked about as good as it gets.
Eating aside, the wedding and surrounding events were the highlights of this trip to Tuscany. Kudos to Michelle for planning a spectacular wedding weekend all while in the weeds of a medical residency (you see, she’s quite a catch - a bright and beautiful Italian doctor, fun and full of charm). So when everything turned out almost as imagined, despite a bit of rain, I was so pleased as she is most deserving. The threat of rain loomed over most days but in the end, there was only a light drizzle before the welcome aperitivo. The pool party unfolded on the most spectacular of days.
Pre-wedding yoga came with views of sheep gathered cloud-like on the hills and plenty of laughter as Gabri and my dad demonstrated their rigidity in the way only stick figures of great height can.
The bigger rain that came on the wedding day happened after the beautiful outdoor ceremony, the explosive hora and only once dinner was served. In the end, the rain served to send home those who’d have departed in the earlier hours anyways and it provided the perfect interlude to tuck the littles in and say goodnight. The rest of us relocated to the wine cave where things transformed into a sort of underground Berlin club vibe where we danced into the wee hours. I quite enjoy an opportunity to party among adults but I will say, my kids are party-pronto and a lot of fun. They made their presence known at each event and were big hits among attendees. Nala in particular entertained with her unique form of baby twerking and boy, does the girl love an Aperol Spritz! No, I did not allow here to order any but her tiny finger found its way into so many glasses containing the cocktail that I found her walking in zig-zags and had to warn the bartenders about her.
Once the wedding had wrapped and we all rolled out of bed in varied zombie states to pack out bags, we made our way, Nonnis in tow, to Agriturismo Montalbino located in the Chianti Valley. Agriturismo Montalbino was a lovely place to stay with kids. It makes no effort to abide by American standards but I felt at home among its rustic grounds upon which you’ll find a good restaurant serving a great breakfast, playgrounds, animals, a pool, hiking trails, archery and make your own pizza night. And the vistas of the Tuscan country side were unbeatable. Earlier trips to Tuscany have brought me to towns like Montepulciano, Pienza and Siena. These wondrous Tuscan charms each instantly won my heart and while I long to revisit them, I was happy to explore these lesser known spots.
We spent a week venturing to vineyards and quaint medieval towns harboring fantastic wine and “world’s best gelato”. San Gimignano is a beautiful medieval town on a hill where banners and flags punctuate stone and towers and the streets are lined with stores selling delectable concoctions of tartufo-filled jars, chic linen shoes and beautiful ceramic plates. There’s a torture museum and competing gelaterias claiming to be the best in the world. The hill town is home to 12th century churches, 13th century walls and spectacular views. We wandered, stopped for obligatory family pics and stumbled upon a monstrous line for gelato. We thought it was just a marketing ploy in the moment but later heard this particular spot had actually won the coveted award. Had I believed its claim had any merit, I might have indulged. Instead, Gabri weaseled his way in front of the entire line, in the way only Gabri can, to snag some for the kids. The flabbergasted crazy nanny we had for around 48 hours before inviting her to leave (another story, another time) yelled to me from a distance, “he’s cutting the whole line!” as if I hadn’t noticed, and I shot a look back at her that carried a thousand daggers and a gag order. Nanny in check and kids with world’s best gelato in hands, we watched an old school, impromptu puppet show that captivated Dani before heading back to the abode.
On another slow-paced day, we headed to Certaldo, a sweet little slice of Tuscany that takes, at most, an hour to see. If you have any curiosities about onion gelato, you can satisfy them there. It’s a small but lovely little borgo with a funicular that carries passengers from down in the town up to the borgo where we found a sweet lady that had been living there for 100 years. You gotta love a little nonna welcome to a quaint Italian town. In an age when little remains authentic, it felt as if she was a nonna for hire with a scripted welcome but alas, she was real and she was perfect.
Castello Sonnino was a lovely spot for a wine tour and tasting. Having spent my 40th birthday in Mendoza (Argentina), touring the Malbec Mecca, I couldn’t help but note how steeped in history Zona Chianti is by comparison. This isn’t a criticism of Mendoza as it is a dreamy place and I plan on returning. It’s simply appreciation for the reality of the history that abounds in Italia, even in its vineyards. You can see it everywhere including in the barrels and massive old style grape crushers. Castello Sonnino offered the beautiful panoramas we’d come to expect of Tuscany and a sweet little garden where we tasted delicious wines and vin santo con cantucci for which the bottomless pits that are our children unabashedly asked for more after they played power rangers, intermittently disturbing our peace.
Villa Pozzo was probably my favorite of tastings. Donato, our animated guide, could have been an actor in another life given the enthusiastic multilingual explanation he gave of the grounds, the proprietors and the wine and olive oil. The Villa hosts what I imagine are beautifully executed weddings when considering the stunning view and attention to detail Donato, the default wedding planner, exhibited. The rosé, Chianti and picante green olive oil left us drunk and happy once again. (For those wondering how to fully enjoy such an afternoon in the presence of multiple littles, I am unashamed to admit I called upon the magic of the iPad.)
Among the better meals I can remember took place at Casa Chianti where, once again, we ordered la bistecca fiorentina (x 2) and various forms of pasta and porcini. The quality and presentation outdid other attempts. It was also among the only adults-only dinners so that may have added to the enjoyment, if not the peace.
Ristorante La Capannina sul Lago looked like a rundown house upon arrival but turned out to be the scene upon which yet another fantastic meal unfolded. Tartine al tartufo, tartare al tartufo, tagliatelle al tartufo….did I have you at tartufo? Dad ordered the rabbit in an on-brand let-me-freak-everyone-out-with-my-zest-for-eating-everything-strange fashion. The kids played with some dirty giant lego-like toys in the garden before inhaling plates of pici al pomodoro. And we all went to sleep happy.
Pounds heavier and with a two week stop in Roma before a month in Ibiza on the horizon, we bid farewell to Tuscany and set off for an out of the way pitstop in Milano for a family affair. Tuscany did not disappoint. It never does. To quote my dad who joined us for this time under the Tuscan sun, “it’s no wonder Tuscany was the cradle of the renaissance.” The surrounding beauty is the kind that leaves you pissed off that we idiot humans are destroying the magnificence we’ve been gifted. I suppose the least we can do now is marvel at it with a good Chianti in hand and some pici and porcini in our bellies. And where that was the mission, in Tuscany, we accomplished.