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Tuscany winery tour

Colline Lucchesi wines
The Denominazione di Origine Controllata “Colline Lucchesi” white and red wines also boast an ancient history and a tradition of quality; their protection was one of the first to be guaranteed by a presidential decree daated 1968 and, with some subsequent modifications, the regulations governing the production of wines were brought into force by the ministerial decree of 8 July 1997.
The area of production extends from the municipalities of Lucca, Capannori and Porcari and it includes various areas and entire communities sucha as Castagnori, Forci, Pieve Santo Stefano, Mutigliano, Cappella, the area west of the Morianese, San Pancrazio, Matraia, Valgiano, San Colombano, Segromigno in Monte, Camigliano, Tofori, San Pietro a marcigliano, San Gennaro and Gragnano.
The Collin e Lucchesi red and white wines enjoy a particularly excellent climate and habitat, a variety of composition and an enological tradition that is based on the history and culture of the great Lucchese families. A significant example of this civilisation is the large fresco in the Buonvisi villa at Forci depicting the “Triumph of Bacchus” with the villa itself in the background, recognisable by the large portico facin g the valley.
But already in 1382 a contemporary of Dante’s, Antonio di Pace degli Orsi, described it as being a “tasty wine” and added: “the more I drink it, the more I want to drink it”.

Don’t forget the appointment with event “Vini della costa Toscana” on 8th and 9th may.

Informations on: www.grandicru.it

Tuscan landscapes

The olive and the hills
The Tuscan landscape, and the hills around Lucca In particular, is identified to a large extent by the presence of the olive tree.
Thousands of the years olde, these dignified trees with their generous foliage of silvery leaves that flutter in the slightest breeze, provide a pleasant contrast with the briallant greens of the mown terraces in the springtime, or with the dry, yellowish grass in the summer.
The characteristic contortions and irregularities given by yearly pruning the “topponature” and cleaning, give their grey trunks unpredictable shapes and forms.
The various operations that are regularly carried out, change, imperceptibly renew and perpetuate the value of human intervetion and at times the tree is given a form and appearance that is statuesque.
The olive has always been a symbol of peace and the fertility of the earth; it is an axample of the deep bond between man and the natural world, it is a sign of vitality and renewal. Its cultivation represents on of the major resources of the tuscan country and, together with the typical terraced slopes, it is a characteristic of the entire hill area.
It is said that the Greeks brought the olive to these slopes with their scant coverage of “humus”, but its wide diffusion is mainly linked to the hillside’s considerable transformation at the hands of Lucchese merchants. Investiments and the spread of cultivations continued until the beginning of the 20th century, but there has been a recovery in recent years and, as mentioned above, new interests.

Italian treasures

Ristorante Antico Caffè delle Mura

Forgotten treasures of Lucca
Some Grapevine readers may have seen the recent exhibition in Lucca, “Lucca abbandonata, Lucca ritrovata” feauturing stunning black and white photographs of over 60 significant buildings in and around Lucca which have fallen into disuse and are lying empty.
Now the exhibition organisers wanted to draw attention to the wealth of history contained in these buildings and their potential to play a role in the life of the city again.
Some of the buildings are well-known the Mercato del Carmine, the ex Manifattura Tabacchi, most less so. A few have already been restored the churches of the Suffragio and San Girolamo, both now used for concerts, the former Banca d’Italia in Via Mordini, now converted into apartments, and the Villa Niemack, as featured in our March issue. In other cases restoration in under way the Caffè delle Mura, for example. But for the most part these building lie wating for a new life, many in a serious state of deterioration.
The catalogue will be of interest to anyone who loves Lucca and its buildings, or who has ever wondered about the history of a particular abandoned building. 250 pages in a manageable paperback, crammed with fashinating photographs and a short history in Italian of each building. Some of the photographs can also be seen on www.flickr.com/luccabbandonata.
The promoters of the exhibition and the catalogue, CasaPound Italia and Associazione Culturale epsilon are to be congratuled on drawing this heritage to the attention of a wider audience, as indeed is the city of Lucca for its support. let’s hope their initiative succeeds in saving some of these treasures.
The catalogue is on sale at Lorenzini newsagents, Via Fillungo; Il Collezionista bookshop, Piazza San Giusto.

Things do to in Tuscany

Villa Minutoli

Villa Minutoli at Massaciuccoli
The building, which was perhaps the centre of the original building, belonged to the Spada family, but at the beginning of the 19th century, was inherited with all the surrounding properties, by count Carlo Minutoli, who increased them considerably thanks to the cultivation of rice. The immense farm was divided up subsequently; the part in the hills was divided into lots and were bought by italians and people from abroad. During the second half of the 1700s, the villa housed the first archaeological finds from the excavations of the baths.

Tuscan towns

Miglianello

Miglianello
Miglianello is a little village immersed in the terraces of olive groves that cover the entire hillside.
The particular layout of the buildingis due to the fact that originally it was an Olivetan Monastery.
In the 18th century, the building was bought by the Papanti family. The complex has maintained the ancient characteristics of the original building; all that is left of the monastery is the olive mill and storerooms.
Inside there is a hall and two rooms with walls papered with prints of a wide variety of bird species: a “History of birds” of 1768 dedicated to grand duke Pietro Leopoldo, and of great interest to natural sciences scholars. Beside the villa there is a gothic-style church which may have been private chapel, built during the last century.