Fontesecca Wines, Citta della Pieve

 

To discover and uncover is one of the great delights of travel – as much today as in Marco Polo’s, Captain Cook’s or Vasgo da Gama’s time. Whether the discovery is in unchartered waters or close to where one spends much time, it is always a delight to unearth the unexpected. So, after drinking many bottles of a local biologically produced wine called "Fontesecca" www.fontesecca.it/en/ when we enjoy our countless meals at our favourite family operated restaurant own town in Citta della Pieve,  "Bruno Coppetta" www.en.trattoriabrunocoppetta.com/, we decided it was time to source the grower /producer!

Like with many hidden gems, it turned out to be in a place we drive past regularly, but just slightly off the main road out of vision. Paolo Bolla the owner of Fontesecca wines, has a 4 generational heritage in wine manufacture, and was originally from the Verona area where he learnt his trade in the family business. In search of new unspoilt terrain, he and his family moved to the Umbrian hills in 2004 and began an independent winery that today produces a limited quantity of excellent wines plus extra virgin olive oil, all grown on their land. The delightful part about their production methods is their organic farming approach, a respect for the land, nature & time which seems to be a recurring narrative in this part of the world.  

The wines we have previously tasted are a fabulous red wine called "Pino" (named after Paolo Bolla’s father), which is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and exudes a spicy, slightly floral, full rounded taste with which as Australians, we are familiar. It is absolutely delicious and with a dark ruby red colour, it looks as good as it tastes. The white wine, "Elso" (named after the man who planted the original vines 40years ago) also has a wonderful 3 dimensional layered taste being a mix of local varieties of Trebbiano, Toscano, Grechetto & Malvasia grapes. With a colour of wet straw, we can testify it is a superb wine to enjoy with lunch during the warmer months.  They also produce several other wines and needless to say we purchased the whole range to be sure!

 

The terrain from millennia ago used to be sea and we were told that when ploughing the soil to plant the new vines they found many fossilised shells which is where the symbol on their label is derived. Today these shells are proudly displayed to show the geographical history of the region and Paolo mentioned that these crustaceans add to the saltiness of the soil and contribute to the grape's end taste for the wine production.  

Uncovering local gems like this, we feel are peeling back the historical layers that have shaped this Umbrian region for centuries.

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Citta della Pieve seen from Fontesecca Vineyard
 

 

La Mamounia & being a 'scarfaholic'

I think I am becoming a 'scarfaholic' - do you think there is a word? One of my favourite areas of fashion has always been accessories as I adore the creativity accessories allow, plus I particularly love how they can elevate the ordinary to extraordinary. With regular travel, and sometimes being limited to only a few outfits for several weeks, accessories stop me being bored with my fashion choices. Purchasing a scarf when you travel is usually inexpensive, light weight and if you scour local markets like I love, then you can discover handcrafted versions that express individuality and become a gorgeous travel memory. However, my mantra is they must have a sense of fun and make me smile. So today I was in Zara (not a local market but hey I was passing it!), and bought this fabulously soft animal print scarf that  my very beautiful friend Sophia bought and is wearing in this photo below - I don't have her exuberant youth or award winning smile, but am still delighted with my scarf purchase! On the day I took this photo last week, we all had the most fabulous few hours chatting over several (too many) wines in the spectacular garden of the La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech - our excuse for the extended wine time is we were waiting for La Mamounia guests Bill & Hillary Clinton to join us in the garden for a drink - or perhaps Jude Law who was also staying there - clearly all missed our invitation (their loss), but despite their non appearance we had one of life's incredibly memorable days!! Thanks to Sharon, Bibi, Dianne & Sophia for the extended laughs - one for life's memory bank! 

Tagine Cooking Class at Maison Arabe

As one the of the social activities on our recent conference in Marrakech, we organised a tagine cooking class at Maison Arabe. The cooking school in this riad receives exceptional reviews on web sites across the world and it is totally deserving of such. The design of the physical space one cooks in is well organised and the women who run the school are very professional with just the right amount of humour to ensure the lesson is alot of fun plus highly informative. I enjoy cooking and am reasonably adventurous in my choices, but had never previously cooked a tagine as I thought they seemed tricky. However our class showed they are easy as long as one has access to fresh spices and good ingredients. We also visited the local bakery where we watched a skilful baker baking the breads  brought in by local women - it is traditional that each suburb in any Moroccan city has its own wood fired oven where the woman of the house sends her homemade bread to be baked. We learnt the technique to making a perfect glass of Moroccan mint tea and at the conclusion of the class we enjoyed the fruits of our labor by lunching on the tagine and Moroccan salads together with some very nice Moroccan wines. We laughed heaps, ate well and all in all it was an excellent way to acquire some new kitchen skills in the company of friends.

The entry to the local bakery is non descript to a foreigner but a vital part of the community life 

A FEW FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT & DRINK IN FLORENCE

We were recently running a conference in Florence, and after many visits there over the years we have a few favourite places we visit to eat & drink.  

Life is too short for ordinary food ..... 

Choosing favourite places to eat & drink in any city is a very subjective thing - not just because the writer has particular preferences for food, interior decor & mood of a place, but also because one may have struck a place on a particularly good/bad occasion or chosen particularly well/badly from the menu. So listing the places I enjoy frequenting when we are in Florence means I am putting my neck out, but I am doing it anyway! My preference is always for good honest local food with simple but efficient service, as opposed to silver service - so these places are lovely, but certainly not glamorous. 

A delightful wine bar 
LE VOLPE E L'UVA (the fox & the grape) Piazza dei Rossi 

Whether you are a wine expert or novice you will enjoy sitting at the bar in this atmospheric enotecca which is situated between the Ponte Vecchio and the Pitti Palace. The sommeliers have collected a large variety of mostly Italian wines which are available by the glass, and together with a plate of local cheese and meats it is a perfect spot for a light lunch or dinner. We love that it attracts a local crowd who the friendly staff seem to know, so you don't feel like a tourist even though right in the midst of tourist central.   

Photo from www.levolpeeluva.com

A wonderful Panini Bar

DA'VINATTIERI Via Santa Margherita 4r  Conveniently located under a medieval vault in case of inclement weather, this tiny hole in the wall has exterior stools for seating. It sells very simple, local food - a good selection of panini and a few choices of bean/pasta dishes washed down with local wines by the glass. Fabulous for a short break in a tourist's busy day, but one that will reinvigorate you to continue the impossible task of seeing all that Florence has to offer. (A beautiful traditional leather shop is opposite - he hand crafts superb leather boxes by moulding them over timber blocks, so be sure to check it out also.)

A great bread shop 

CANTINETTA DEI VERRAZZANO Via Dei Tavolini 18/20R Not all Italian bread shops are created equal,  so make sure you go to the best! This one offers a very good cup of coffee, either standing at a beautiful marble bar or seated at tiny tables, many varieties of bread/tarts/cakes in the bread shop, or a small restaurant for a quick meal - but my favourite is the delectable seasonal foccacia served directly from the oven. It is a wonderful pit stop in the middle of the day, or simply a great place to buy fabulous bread for your meal.

Photo from www.verrazzano.com

A lovely restaurant to enjoy an intimate dinner

ORA D'ARIA Via dei Georgofili 11R

Located opposite the old jail, the name colloquially means 'hour of the air' and refers to an inmate's one hour of daily exercise time. In contrast to many of the traditional eating places in Florence, the menu at Ora D'Aria is modern and innovative. We find the environment quiet, and the decor contemporary and stylish - particularly the wonderful view of the open kitchen - it is a place worth luxuriating for awhile. A few weeks ago I read that Ora D'Aria received its first Michelin star, so if you are a foodie, then it is worth visiting for this.

A lovely (if noisy)Trattoria  
RISTORANTE IL LATINI 6r (Palazzo Rucellai) 50123 Firenze tel (+39) 055210916

We like this place even though I am warning you it is noisy, busy and can be quite raucous. The food is Tuscan favourites, served in good portions by happy waiters who like a chat. Rustic traditional food rules the menu and there is a good choice of options. The house wine served in chianti bottles is reasonable and well priced. 

Photo from www.illatini.com

A rustic Tuscan Trattoria
TRATTORIA ANGIOLINO Via Santo Spirito 36/R Recently we were lucky enough to coincide our Florentine visit with a good friend of mine from Sydney, and this is the place we all went for a lovely Tuscan meal of good pasta and vegetables. I know the place is known for its Bistecca Fiorentina, but I love the vegetables or a simple pasta dish, as a huge chunk of meat is rarely my thing. A traditional Tuscan menu and rustic simple tablecloths add to the simplicity of this place. 

Fabulous Gelateria

GROM Via del Campanile (and many other places in Italy as due to a fabulous product their popularity is spreading rapidly). There will be little disagreement with this choice as many people rate this Gelateria very highly. Inspired by the slow food movement, the gelati in this establishment is made with fresh seasonal fruits, no colorings or artificial additives and a host of other high ingredients. Flavours vary with seasons but are always interesting exciting and some of the most wonderfully intense tastes you can have. Queues can be very long but it is absolutely worth waiting for! At the same price as other ordinary establishments, why go anywhere else?  http://www.grom.it/eng/index.php

If you have some other places that you love to visit send me an email - I would love to try some of your recommendations.