|
Badia a Coltibuono
Article Posted: Thursday August 30th
Article last updated on: Thursday August 30th
by Tony le Ray-Cook
An hour's drive from either Florence or Sienna, one finds one of the most prestigious and splendid wine estates in ltaly, Badia a Coltibuono. Siting as it does, high on a Tuscan hill in in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine district. This wonderful position gives it a commanding viewover two thousand acres of vast woods and forests, olive groves, vineyards and ancient farmhouses. The Abbey itself is a magnificent building with all its walls from the eleventh, fifteenth and eighteenth century structures intact and in a good state of repair.
It is the private country home of Lorenza di Medici and her husband, Piero Stucchi Prinetti and their four children, andan elegant commercial centre. It is here that all the celebrated wines of Badia a Coltibuono plus the oliveoil, vinegar and honey that bear the same name are produced.
Nearly one thousand years ago the Vallombrosian monks created this beautiful wine estate at Badia a Coltibuono .
In 1846 the Florentine banker Guido Guintini, bought the stunning Romanesque building and surrounding farm. Guido was a forbearer of the Stucchi Prinetti family, he restructured the ancient building so that we can witness the beautiful architecture today as it has been seen for centuries. The house and its environment give one a wonderful feeling of tranquility. It is not surprising the Badia a Coltibuono means 'abbey of the good harvest'. If you are visiting it is worth finding time roam aroundthe 16th century cloister and Italian renaissance garden.
The beautiful estate of 800 hectares much ofwhich is forest, has 50 hectares of vineyards in Monti in Chianti. Here the richcalcareous soil is well drained and an ideal micro-climate gives a wide range of suitable sites for the traditional vines to grow. It was only fairly recently that 'new' varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were planted at Coltibuono to supplement the conventional Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malavasia, Trebbiano and Ciliegiolo grapes grown in the area.
The Stucchi Prinetti have been running Coltibuono for one hundred and fifty years. Today's head of the family and the mover and shaker behind the innovations on the estate is Piero Stucchi Prinetti. It is very much a family business. His son Roberto is the oenologist and manager,his daughter Emanuela does the marketing and public relations, and his wife Lorenza de' Medici runs the famous cookery school which she founded. Lorenza's appetite wetting gastronomic books are published around the world in several languages. The family home is a beautiful ancient monastery which is also the base for the wine company.
Coltibuono's vineyards extend for about fifty hectares in the vicinity of the medieval village of Monti. The forrest consists of over eight hundred hectares of firs, chestnuts, and oaks. Coltibuono laudable aims include the cultivation of the vineyard to maintain an ancient tradition that is enriched and renewed through experimentation, thus blending the old and the new technology. These are achieved by the replanting of the best-quality clones at a higher density, the grassing over of the rows to prevent erosion, and the revival of organic manuring. After picking, every batch of grapes is fermented separately in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature. This is followed by a time in casks of Slavonian oak for the Chianti Classico and in barriques of French oak for the exclusive Sangiovese and Selia dei. All the wines are bottledin Badia's fine old cellar. Coltibuono is in the front rank of ltalian and international oenological production.
Extra virgin olive oil is undoubtedly one of Coltibuono's most outstanding products. Twenty-three years ago Piero Stucchi Prinetti, realized thepotential of the olive oil and became the first producer to bottle it in an original slender container with a square base. The twenty hectares of specialized olive groves was almost completely replanted after the great freeze of 1985 which nearly wiped out the entire production of Tuscan Olive oil. To make the Extra Virgin Olive Oil the olives are picked by hand, crushed in old stone mills, and cold-pressed to obtain a high-quality oil, with an unmistakable and strong, slightly spicy flavour.
Other quality food products include the 'indispensable' Vin Santa of Tuscany, wine vinegars aged in casks, strongly scented balsamic vinegar, and sumptuous varieties of acacia, chestnut, heather, and manna honey.
It is possible to stay at Badia a Coltibuonoin the private guest roomslocated on the upper floor of the building along the fifteenth century corridor with its heavy wooden beamed ceiling and sixteenth centuryfresco elegantly furnished rooms. Not surprisinglythey are complete withmodern necessities including central heating plusbathrooms and there is a swimming pool below the terraced gardens. The Stucchi Prinetti family welcome visitors to the cellars and will arrange tasting of the wines. It is also possibleby appointment, to use the seventeenth century dining room for private parties. Not surprisingly the menus feature classical Tuscan dishes. Concerts and cooking classes can also be arranged in the dining room and kitchen.
Lorenza de' Medici acts as hostess and instructor for week long cooking classes for small groups. These are annual classes. Lorenza's personal style is as well known as are her cookery books, which are read world wide. The dishes and menus of Lorenza are elegant in their simplicity and the ease with which they can be prepared. It is her idea is to involve the participants in the life and style of elegant Tuscany during their stay. The guests are taken on daily excursions to see more of the cultural life of the region.
If you wish to visit Badia a Coltibuono the estate is open every dayexcept Thursdays and Sundays,between 2.30 and 4.00 pm during the months of May June, July, September and October. Guided tours start every 30 minutes. No appointments are required. There is an eponymous restauranton the estateset in the beautiful gardens, here it is possible to indulge one's gastronomic imagination.
The restaurant reflectsthe cuisine of the Stucchi Prinetti family. Paolo Stucchi Prinetti is host in the dining room and chef Maurizlo Fenino prepares country Tuscan food from recipes refined with a touch of originality by Lorenza de' Medici. Dishes are based on simple, seasonal ingredlents whose flavours are accentuated by fresh herbs and greens. Fresh pasta is made daily and regional meat specialties include rabbit, lamb and the splendid Chianina beef of Tuscany. Local goat and sheep's milk cheese make their contibution to the cheese board and all the puddings are homemade. The wine list includes the a selection of vintages of Coltibuono as well as a selection of ltaly's finest wines. Other place to eat or stay include Hotels Castello di Spaltenna in Gaiole in Chianti and Relais Vignale at Radda in Chianti.
|
