Tuscan Holiday at Castello Vicchiomaggio, Italy


viewAt the end of September 2008 we flew from London, Stansted to Pisa in Italy. There we collected our rented car (A Fiat Punto) and drove towards Greve in Chianti until we found our holiday booking at Castello Vicchiomaggio. Web site as below:-

http://www.vicchiomaggio.it/eng/index.html

We were not staying in the main castle but in a recently renovated building called La Canonica. This is view of the main castle from our bedroom window.


                pam1
This is the view over the valley from the path leading to our room. It was not particularly warm when we arrived about 3:00pm and the clouds came over and it got colder. So this is Italy!

canonicaThis is the view of our apartment - our window is just above and to the right of the words La Canonica. It is attached to the old church of Santa Maria. According to several antique and well-preserved parchments, Vicchiomaggio Castle, once named Vicchio dei Longobardi (Village of the Longobards), dates back to about 1400.

On the top of a hill, dominating the whole Greve Valley, it is just 18 and 38 km from Siena and Florence respectively. Over the centuries this has demonstrated to be an extremely strategic position.

In fact, during the Middle Ages, Vicchiomaggio Castle was crucial for the defence of Florence during its feuds with the city of Siena.

Later on, it became an exclusive Manor House of the Renaissance period when it reached its peak and when its original name was integrated by the word Maggio (May) to recall various maggiolate (May songs) of Calendimaggio (May day).

During its long and glorious history, Vicchiomaggio Castle has hosted various famous artists, including Leonardo da Vinci and Francesco Redi. Leonardo stayed at the castle while he was painting his masterpiece, Monna Lisa, and he also drew a charming and impressive picture that is still preserved among his personal documents. Francesco Redi, a member of the Accademia della Crusca (Florentine Literary Academy), wrote his famous poem “Bacco in Toscana” (Bacco in Tuscany) while staying at Vicchiomaggio in 1865.

valley
                  This is the view over the valley from Castello Vicchiomaggio.
pool

                Pam in the pool balanced over the valley edge!




Pam3

feast





                                                                                                                                                             Monday night Banquet!!!
                    The courtyard of Vicchimaggio

view1    vines           
        Left - The view of the fortified hilltop town of  Montefioralle and (above) a closer view of some of the vines in the numerous vinyards surrounding the town.





house           street            no12    

                                            Various views around the streets of  Montefioralle - very narrow - no room for motor vehicles and house number 12 (Our house number)

view3          church        
                                               We stopped at  Castellina in Chianti - left, a view from the town, right - the church.


 view4    view6  
                    The scenery in Tuscany around Castellina and Panzano where we stopped for a lovely meal in a small terraced courtyard in the sun but shaded by vines.

view7        villa
          Getting towards sunset from Vicchimaggio.                                                                                               Another smaller villa as part of the available accommodation at Castello Vicchiomaggio.

square
Two views of the town square at  Greve in Chianti. In the piazza there is a monument to the discoverer of New York harbor, Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485-1528), who was born nearby. The statue can just be seen through the left hand arch.                                                 

arches                            Alan shopping in the piazza in Greve. 
                                                                                                          

vichio   

wine



 Castello Vicchiomaggio produces some wonderful wines including this Ripa del More 2004. We enjoyed it so much that we purchased un few bottles when we returned home.









label

The everyday Chiantis are also excellent and we tried a number of the different wines  that are produced here.








        This is the view of Castello Vicchiomaggio from over the valley.

We had a wonderful holiday despite the suicidal motorists overtaking regardless of traffic coming the other way. We look forward to going back again one day.

In 1964 the Vicchiomaggio was bought by Frederico Matta who originally came from Tonengo near Asti in Piemonte but had moved to London and went into business in the early 1950s importing French and later Italian wines for the restaurant trade. The estate was in a very poor condition but a thorough replanting programme put Vicchiomaggio back among the elite of Chianti estates. Frederico's son, John Matta, has been running the estate with his wife Paola since 1982 and the quality of Vicchiomaggio wines has continued to improve. John Matta was named Italian Winemaker of the Year in both 2002 and 2005 at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Vicchiomaggio is consistently classified amongst Italy’s top estates and in 2002 John Matta was awarded The Tasca d’Almerita Trophy for “Best Italian Producer of the Year”. This was followed by the IWSC 2005 accolade for “Italian Wine Producer of the Year” with the 2003 La Prima Chianti Classico Riserva winning the “Carpineto Trophy For the Best Sangiovese” in the same competition.