After lunch we headed to Badia Coltibuona, an old converted monestary. This place is now a wine cellar and bed & breakfast. A few brothers own it and split the operations of running the B&B, cooking school, restaurant, and the vineyard. The grounds are gorgeous, complete with lavender, hydrangeas, rosemary, grapes, a swimming pool, and an organic garden used in both the restaurant and cooking school. The rooms in the B&B are the old cells of the monks. In what used to be the burial crypt for the brothers, are now some of the wine barrels. They also have a private collection of Chianti Riserva dating back to 1937. There are only a few bottles from the years 1937 to 1947 because of Nazi and American occupation during the war. Apparently, lots of soldiers took the liberty of drinking these bottles. We were also told that just last week, someone stole one of the 1937’s right off the shelf when they were on the guided tour. They are thinking about constructing cages to protect these bottles. Very bold, indeed!
We took the scenic way back to Montepulciano on the Chiantigiano, the old merchant road, winding through the hills, vineyards, and sunflower fields. **Sigh**
from the walls of Castello di Brolio
Wine tasting at Castello di Meleto
gardens of Badia di Coltibuona
Badia di Coltibuona
2 comments:
Why does Ruth always look like she is up to something in the pictures...She looks like she just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar....
And were you talking about yourself in reference to the missing bottle from '37...
Loralei: Mom is sitting her with me in Rome and she thinks she looks perfectly angelic in that photo. I just laughed! I knew someone would think I was the wine thief. . .and no comment ;-)
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