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.
Montecalvi is an organic farm. We are all quite aware of the principles of organic farming, and in our own small way, we try to eliminate chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides from our diet and our environment. For many of us, it is important that our wine is also organic. But not […]
We have a large garden that provides us with fresh vegetables all year round. One of the virtues of Tuscany is its food-local, fresh, simple and flavorful, and we are happy to share with you some recipes we prepare with vegetables from our garden. BLACK CABBAGE This beautiful cabbage is now in season and is […]
We have planted a large vegetable garden, which provides us with fresh vegetables all year round. One of the best aspects of Tuscany, is its food–local, fresh, simple and full of flavor, and we are happy to share the recipes we cook for Tuscan lunches prepared with ingredients from our garden. ZUCCHINIS This wonderful summer […]
Q. How did a man from the Wirral area of northern England end up in Chianti? A. I came to Chianti more than 20 years ago to learn about the other side of the wine world. I was a wine seller in the United Kingdom, but I wanted to try grape harvesting. I loved Italian […]
Vermentino is a fresh, aromatic grape variety that thrives on the Ligurian coast. Its origin may date back to 13th-century Corsica, but nowadays it is found widespread on the northwestern strip of Italy, where, depending on the area, it is also known as Roero, Favorita or Pigato. Interestingly, it is one of the few white […]
There is a vacation mood in Chianti, and as we adjust to this new way of life while keeping our distance, Tuscany continues to offer many things to do and places to visit. We start from Piazza Matteotti, in the center of Greve in Chianti, where most of the stores and establishments are concentrated and […]
Renaissance is a word that encompasses so many aspects of Italian life. It means, as we know, “rebirth” and describes the renewal and revival of classical antiquity that marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, and was developed in Florence itself around 1350. Montecalvi underwent its own renaissance starting in 2017 when the […]
Tuscany is famous for its traditional, fresh, simple and flavorful cuisine. We have planted a large vegetable garden, which provides us with fresh vegetables all year round, but with a noticeable boom in the spring. We are pleased to share with you recipes for various Tuscan dishes that we prepare with ingredients from our garden. […]
D. Why Italy? R. Karen’s father is Italian (of Abruzzese descent) while Jim’s grandfather was Italian (of Udine descent) and over the years we spent an inordinate amount of time in Italy. When we decided to buy a vineyard in the northern hemisphere, Italy was the natural choice for us-in fact, our three children insisted […]
WINTER RECIPE TO WARM THE SOUL At the center of almost every menu in Tuscany is a classic ragout. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation and change significantly from table to table. As in everything, however, it is the quality of the ingredients that makes the difference, especially when it comes to meat. […]
