In our almanac, we share with you what is happening at Montecalvi, the ups and downs of organic farming, and our endeavours to make wine (and olive oil) that best expresses time and place. We also share our favourite recipes from our vegetable garden, and other miscellany about life in Tuscany.
It is hard to resist a good antiques market and now that the weather is cooling, it’s the perfect moment to begin exploring. We have shortlisted a few of our favourite markets in the region, some of which are more flea than antique but it is always fun browsing the miscellaneous hand tools, picture frames, […]
During the winter months the pace slows down, although there is still much work to be done in the vineyard. Pruning while the vine is in a state of hibernation is an important element of viticulture and winemaking. It creates the skeletal system of the vine according to the chosen training system and allows the […]
The Fava bean season is very short so we want to take advantage of it. Ideal on bruschetta, as a side dish, in salads…but our favorite dish is the Tagliatelle with Fava Beans, Pecorino and Pancetta. It can also be prepared without bacon for a vegetarian dish, but we love it for its tastiness and […]
Easter is celebrated well in Italy and, in years where there is not a pandemic, there is a gathering in the local piazza after mass, followed by a hearty (and long) family lunch. Greve is particularly good at this. The “Colombina” or little dove flies across Piazza Matteotti leaving from the church of Santa Croce, […]
We have a deep knowledge of our vineyards, feeling every contour of the land as we work our way amongst the vines each day. That said, we never accept resting on our laurels and for that reason in order to kick-start the growing season we invited Marco Tessari, guru pruner, to Montecalvi for a week […]
Before the world changed in 2019, we decided to remove an acre of vineyard that had “wet feet” and needed more than a little TLC. In spring 2020, we planted three different Sangiovese clones: the Brunello clone VCR5, #7 of the Chianti Classico 2000 project, and I-VCR-209. These may be just letters and numbers to […]
This beautiful wine region was once known simply as Chianti (which you can see on the map above) and is framed by Florence to the north and Siena to the south in a timeless landscape of hilltop towns, ancient farmhouses, castles, dense forests, cypress trees, olive groves and vineyards. Centuries of winemaking ancestry have left […]
Tony Wood is a wine writer who lives in Umbria and has one of the most informed palates on Tuscan wines. His blog is really worth following: www.tonywooditalianwine.com. He compiled a list of the 13 (we have no idea why 13) best wines he drank in 2022, of all appellations, and ranked our 2016 San […]
We would like to introduce Silvia and Karin, our fabulous team for hosting, all sales and visits (among other things). With a background in tourism (both have worked in other wineries in Tuscany, Silvia still organizes e-bike tours throughout the region, and Karin runs her agriturismo), they speak a plethora of languages-Italian, Dutch, English, French, […]
Speaking of Oliviero’s sausages, this dish is the perfect accompaniment to our Chianti Classico and makes a wonderful weekend lunch. CHESTNUT NOODLES WITH SAUSAGE, LEEK AND SAGE CHESTNUT FLOUR NOODLES WITH SAUSAGE, LEEKS AND SAGE Serves 4 people 160 g of chestnut flour 250 g “00” flour 70 ml of water 2 eggs 250 g […]
