Today Jenn and I ventured off the reservation again to visit a winery that she had previously attended. The name: Tenuti Torciano. The destination: San Gimignano (Jim-in-ya-no). Getting there was yet another adventure and lesson in Italian traveling. We bought our train ticket in what we thought was the correct direction (turns out it was). But we were running late and the line to purchase the ticket was really long, so we ended up sprinting to the train. We got there just in time...only to realize we hadn't validated our ticket. For all those that don't know (I didn't) you HAVE to get your tickets validated when traveling in Italy, especially if you are a foreigner. If you get caught with an invalidated ticket they officials are liable to charge you FIFTY EURO. So Jennie jumped off the train and ran to validate it - leaving me with her purse and no ticket, and two minutes to spare. I was in a complete panic until she reappeared a few minutes later, panting with our ticket stamped. Whew, crisis averted.
Then the conductor shouted that we the train was to be delayed for 10 minutes. Swell - we giggled at this, and settled in to wait and for the ride. However, the delay proved not only eye-rollingly annoying considering our pre-boarding flutter, but significantly more detrimental to our second train connection. We looked up our connection in Empoli, ran to the platform...and watched our train pull away. Now, our original plan was to take a train to San Barbarino and then walk the 40 minutes to the winery, so we had allowed plenty of time to get to our destination. However, due to the unexpected hour long layover, we were now only going to have 20 mins max to get to the winery. There was no way we could get there on foot, so we decided we were going to have to cab it upon arrival in Barbarino.
But, of course, Barbarino was no man's land. Like straight up boonies. Not a cab insight. We had no choice but to hoof it...and so we set off. Originally, we had imagined an idyllic walk through wine country. This fantasy was ruined by two things: the necessity for hustle and a lack of path and/or sidewalks. We had to resort to walking on the shoulder of the main road, tripping over weeds and brush when forced off the road by vehicles. It was less than romantic, we'll just say.
However, we finally arrived and I can say the effort was worth it. After a few awkward moments, one of the sons ushered us in with the declaration, "I love girls from Washington DC!". They set us up like princesses (which is what they called us all afternoon) at a table for two overlooking the various other groups. They taught us the "correct" way to taste and smell wine, how to hold the glass, proper table deportment (put both hands on the table so you don't look drunk), etc. They walked us through the tasting, illuminating us on the proper foods with what "weight" of wine, where the grapes were grown, percentages, SO MUCH INFO! But they stressed that even for all this talk, there was only one rule and that one rule was that there are no rules!! It's all personal taste.
It was extremely entertaining watching the family at Tenuti Torciano whirl around like some sort of play/italian sitcom. They would come inside, yell at each other, gesticulate wildly, and then compose themselves right before exiting to entertain their tasting groups. Jennie and I had the time of our lives watching the crazy activity while enjoying our vino e food. And the wine...and the food...SO GOOD. The first plate was cheese, salami, bread soaked in olive oil, and salad with hands down the BEST balsamico I've ever had. I, along with my mother, am a balsamic connoisseur and this was exquisite. (Unfortunately the price matched the quality - 50 euro! eep - to rich for this girl). This plate was specifically for tasting, matching each glass with each food to feel out the various combinations. We were then given Peirluigi's (our wily and gracious host) Mama's lasagna, which has officially become the best thing I've eaten in Italy thus far. To top it off, they liberally doused it in truffle oil - heaven.
The wines were excellent, and I discovered I quite like chianti. Jenn asked to try the Spumante and they willingly obliged; it was super yummy. They chatted with us and when the realized that we had walked from the train station they were shocked. "Are you crazy??!!" they yelled and then demanded to know why we hadn't called them. We explained that we wanted to walk, but they would have none of it. One of the brothers offered to drive us to the Poggibonsi (sidenote - I decided if Tigger was Italian he would live in Poggibonsi) but Pierluigi said it was too "dangerous" to leave us alone with either of the brothers (haha) so he insisted he take us personally. He also would not let us pay for the tastings AND gave us 3 free bottles of wine. Ridiculous hospitality!
He first had to drop his son off at the "scooter doctor" and then safely deposited us at the Poggibonsi station, even going in to make sure we could get tickets. He bid us adieu, but not before exchanging cards with Jenn, a possible job offering looming (social media marketing). The train ride home was relatively uneventful, if slightly stressful at points when we didn't recognize where we were. We arrived late, around 9 and immediately retired to bed, sated and stuffed. All was well in Italia (minus the need for a few antacids later in the evening).
Buona Sera!
now that sounds like quite a wine tasting.... jealous.
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