TUSCANY IN SPRING: A PHOTOGUIDE

Ochre, terracotta and any existing shade of burnt sienna are the colours that come to mind when thinking of the famous rolling hills. However, for a few months each year, the Tuscan landscape doesn't look like something coming out of a pottery workshop, but like Ireland in summer. Minus the rain. And the Guinness.

All green for a lunch with Raffaella in Montalcino

No better time for hiking Val d'Orcia than spring

Iris thieves during a spring below Sant'Angelo in Colle

Wanderers having a hiking break under Montalcino's oldest oak tree

TUSCANY IN SPRING
It won't last though. Unless Tuscany's warm season is unusally wet like the incredibly rainy summer 2014, the landscape will look like this by the end of spring.

A glass of Vermentino wine in front of the the ocre colored Tuscan hills in July

THE TALE (and some pics) OF THE PERFECT TUSCAN CHRISTMAS LUNCH

I'm writing a book (which has been published in the meantime). Hence I raise the word count by cutting down on aperitifs (not an easy feat in my Tuscan village ), and I keep the storyline going by dodging invitations to Sunday lunch. But when I know that the table will look like this... and the food like this it's hard to resist... Hence we drove to the Chianti and followed the crowd through the woods to jump into the midst of the clatter, chatter and laughter of a Tuscan Christmas gathering, which was cleverly interrupted by countryside walks to make sure there was room for more, until - inevitably - the moment arrived, when all the plates were licked and the last bottle of Chianti was emptied and it was time to go home (you said you drive, right?). INGREDIENTS FOR A TUSCAN GATHERING Lunch was organized by Emiko Davies and Giulia from Juls' Kitchen , who with the help of their respective partn...

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WINE AND ARCHITECTURE: PETRA WINERY BY MARIO BOTTA

Southern Tuscany is home to a handful of wineries, which are often described as wine cathedrals. The Petra vineyard near Suvereto (by architect Mario Botta) is an interesting example of this new approach in winery architecture. At Petra the world-class architect went beyond designing an impressive wine cellar, but also included the outlay of the vineyards in his aim to form a contemporary agricultural landscape. Main building of the Petra Winery in Suvereto If it is true that the way to good wine starts in the he vineyard, it is also true that only the quality of the cork, the design of the label, and the beauty of the bottle shape will bring the consumer's experience to full circle. Taking this thought further it's obvious that the birthplace of a good or even fantastic wine, is yes the vine and its grapes, but also the winery building in particular and the whole estate in general. If you know any of Botta's works, you'll recog...

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INCONTRI FESTIVAL: 30 years of world-class music in Val d'Orcia

Incontri in Terra di Siena festival at Locanda dell'Amorosa (photo Paul Flanagan) Stellar locations and classical music executed by with world-class musicians is the hallmark of the Incontri in Terra di Siena festival. Cellist Antonio Lysy, grandson of writer Iris Origo, organized the first concert in the Val d'Orcia 30 years ago and since then the festival has become one of the backbones of Tuscany's classical music season. This summer Incontri celebrates its round birthday wit h an impressive line-up of musicians flying in from all over the world. Flutist Emmanuel Pahud, pianists Leif Ove Andsnes, Lucille Chung, Alessio Bax (the festival's artistic director who appears on the Oscar-winning soundtrack of 'Call Me By Your Name'), tenor Ian Bostridge, violist Lawrence Power and many more reunite in some of the most stunning venues of southern Tuscany. The concerts are accompanied by a dedicated program called 'Oltre La Musica' which include...

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MAPPING TUSCANY

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