We got back to the hotel from Siena around 5:30 or so, and the girls wanted to use the indoor pool. The pool is outside, down the steps, and back in another door. It’s a cool old room, but the pool is quite small. When we got there, a guy was doing laps. Given the size of the pool, it is the equivalent of using a small track to run endless loops to reach a marathon.
We gave the girls a stern talking to about not interfering with his “laps,” but I accurately predicted that he would lose interest pretty quickly. Apparently he left after five-ten minutes. Kids accounted for, Carol and I wandered around Radda in Chianti. It’s a small town, and not every shop is open, but we found a couple of neat shops, including one with handcrafted tables and decorations done in a certain style that is very beautiful.
(Outside of Rome, the shopkeepers don’t implore potential customers to come in and browse. In Rome, that’s a modestly annoying custom.)
The last place we stopped was a store selling organic wine grown just three kms away. The small shop was empty, so we wandered around for a few moments when the guy came running in an apologizing. Turns out the owner of the vineyard also runs the store, so we had a tasting. I bought a bottle of the 2003 Caparsino Chianti Classico riserva. I had a plan – one that ultimately worked very well.
One funny moment was when I asked the owner (Paolo Cianferoni) what makes his wine organic. “The government” was his answer. It was a short, sweet answer that is true. I was hoping for a brief lesson in organic wine making, but he so directly answered the question I chuckled and was thrown for a loop.
When we got back to the hotel, we asked Daniel for two glasses and a corkscrew. They have a nice patio overlooking the valley, and we were going to relax there. I saw one of the guys from breakfast this morning, so I invited him to join us for a drink. So Daniel got a third glass. His name is Gary Lelli and he and his wife, Nancy, live in Doylestown. She joined us and we chatted away like old friends, enjoying the wine.
My only mistake was not getting some cheese and bread to go with it, but we were all good. Eventually the couple they were traveling with (Bob is Nancy’s brother). It turns out Bob’s wife (Diane) is a high end travel agent, so she was checking out some villas nearby to recommend. Not a bad way to do research.
At breakfast, I had told Gary we were going to Terrabianca. Turns out they went as well, and got an impromptu tour and tasting. Bob and Carol were talking, it turns out his last name is Colaizzi. We have neighbors on swim team with the same last name. Small world – they are cousins with our neighbor Roger.
We sat for a long time, drinking, talking, and watching the bright red moon rise over the Tuscan countryside. The girls finished swimming around 7:30, and we headed downstairs to dinner at 8pm.
Bruno greeted us, and we enjoyed a bottle of 1999 Casanova di Neri Brunello with the meal that was the best of the trip in my estimation. Our four new friends took our recommendation and at La Perla di Palazzo as well.
I had the ravioli (best pasta of the trip so far) and the boar’s stew – which was delicious. Carol enjoyed the ravioli on my recommendation, with lamb chops for her second course. The girls enjoyed the pappadelle (sp?), and Julia also had lamp chops. We all had salads too.
Before the other two couples got up to leave, I bought Gary a shot of grappa, which Bruno delivered. Bob’s family is Abruzzo, which is also Bruno’s hometown, so they chatted a bit.
The desserts were amazing – Torie loved the chocolate souffle, while the other two had raspberry souffles. After the girls went up to bed, Bruno joined us for a complimentary shot of grappa, so we talked some more.
All in all, a memorable night.
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