As promised, today involved wine and lots of it, but first a little more on the history of Siena…
Everywhere you turn in this city, you will bump into a column with a figure of the she-wolf with Remus and Romulus. It became the symbol of the city after the sons of Remus, Sienus and Aschius, fled Rome to Siena, taking the statue of the she-wolf with them.
Common too are their portals or gates into the medieval, walled city. This one is the Porta Romana, said to be the most impressive of the gates, which we walk past each day to enter or exit Siena. There are 6 more gates to be found, all signposted and within walking distance – you can basically do Siena in a day!
Finally, we caught a drumming procession, marching around the streets, close to the Piazza del Campo, towards the Duomo. Minding our own business and eating yet more ice cream, we could hear the thunderous rumbles of a marching band and had to check it out!
This procession was preparing for the Corteo Storico Procession, which enters the Piazza del Campo prior to the Palio race. The group wear costumes of the Middle Ages, an in age in which Siena was a free city. These garments are faithful reconstructions of 15th century ceremonial garb and are vibrant in their colour and attention to detail. This procession belonged to the Contrada del Nicchio (Seashell) and any local from this particular parish could also be seen representing their area with the flag wrapped proudly around their shoulders. When we asked an Italian official inside the Piazza del Campo who the drummers were, she replied “my Contrada, Contrada del Nicchio, the best one!!” It is clear that fierce patriotism and a strong sense of belonging runs through the heart of the Sienese people.
OK, enough of the history lesson, now let’s talk wine! Taking a short taxi out into the hills, we arrived here, Azienda Agricola La Lastra. I knew we were on to a winner when the first thing I saw was a tiny, ginger kitten bouncing down the stairs of the Agriturismo and meowed. They are lucky I didn’t catnap the gorgeous little thing, a souvenir for Nigel perhaps!?
Renato, the owner, grower and producer of his vineyard and wine, was to be our host and we had heard such fantastic reviews of him via Get Your Guide, the website we booked this tour on. The package is called ‘Siena: Educational Wine Tour and Tasting’ and cost us €119 for a 3 hour experience.
Starting in San Gimignano in 1994 with his wife Nadia, her brother Christian and other friends, they opened their first vineyard, specialising in white wine. Then, in 2000, the came to the outskirts of Siena to begin a larger venture in producing wine and olive oil. To any novice, this vineyard looks vast, but Renato explained that his mere 9 acres made his vineyard micro-sized.
All the grapes we could see, were of the Sangiovese variety. All Chianti wine must be made with at least 70% of this grape, and we were told that one vine could produce 1kg of grapes, amounting to a single bottle of wine. There are strict rules on the growing of such grapes, including the amount per square mile, and even the distance in which each vine is planted. Of course, the area in which the Chianti-style wines hail from is highly regulated and there are many subregions within it. In Siena, they call it the Colli Senesi.
Renato and his team decided to produce wine that was organic and he explained in great detail the techniques he can or cannot use, such as spraying crops for insects or not being able to irrigate or water the land. He goes to great lengths to ensure his vines are healthy and fruitful whilst having as little impact on the habitat and land around them. It was no surprise that he spoke with such passion and enthusiasm about his work but having studied agriculture at university, Renato also knew the science behind his craftsmanship.
After visiting the vineyard and wine cellar to understand the processes of making a wine, it was time to try them! The tasting room itself was beautifully laid out and so inviting. I should say, we were in a small group with 3 other couples, one from Germany, the others America.
The wine, paired with the delicious food was incredible. We were amazed by how much the wines changed over time as there sat there oxygenating and how mellow each one became. No doubt the reds excited us more, but the white wine we tasted, a Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, was so good we bought a bottle. Not stopping there, we also purchased two bottles of their Rovaio from 2016, made with 34% Sangiovese, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot. To finish, we were given Nadia’s mother’s chocolate cake; a true secret Nonna’s recipe!
Returning to Siena, we had on final evening to enjoy, before heading to Rome in the morning. Our last meal was to be at La Proscuitteria, a restaurant that always seemed packed, where people could enjoy fine wine and incredible platters of meat, cheese and tartare. Inspired from earlier, we started with a glass of Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, the white we enjoyed so much. When the food came, it was only right we then moved on to red so we indulged ourselves in an expensive but oh-so-worth-it glass of Brunello Di Montalcino. The pictures speak for themselves and one can imagine we felt very content on our way back to the hotel.
Travelling Coltman’s 