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La Dolce Vita's Chianti Classico by Bike Tour
Tour Duration : 7 Days  Day 1:
ANCIENT ABBEYS We begin with a short but challenging warm-up ride that takes us to a Chianti Classico landmark: the Castello di Volpaia, a medieval borgo on a steep hilltop whose ancient buildings are now almost fully occupied by the wine-making accoutrements of the esteemed Volpaia wine estate. Here we’ll get a tour and our first taste of Chianti Classico and its "Super Tuscan" rival. For dinner we visit another medieval landmark: the Badia a Coltibuono, a former 11th century abbey where the monks produced some of Chianti’s earliest wines, and where Lorenza di Medici now runs her famous cooking school. Here begins our introduction to Tuscan cuisine, which includes such specialities as tomato soup (pappa pomodoro), rustic bread salad with tomatoes and basil (panzanella), and wild boar (cinghiale). [12 miles] Day 2: CHIANTI'S IRON BARON & BLACK ROOSTER Lush woods, mountain-ridge vistas, silvery olive groves, wispy poplars, rolling acres of Sangiovese vineyards, and quaint villages from the ancient Chianti League are what’s in store on today’s bike ride, which stops for lunch in the wine town of Gaiole in Chianti. Our afternoon tastings take us nearby to the legendary Castello di Brolio. It was within this castle’s soaring crenellated walls that Chianti was first created by the "Iron Baron" Ricasoli, whose ghost is still rumored to haunt the grounds. We’ll also visit the Cacchiano wine estate, another branch of the Ricasoli family, located in a magnificent villa across the valley for an al fresco tasting of their splendid Chianti. Afterwards, we’ll stroll to Radda in Chianti, once the capital of the Chianti League, and hear how the black rooster came to be Chianti Classico’s symbol. Dinner is at the cozy Le Vigne restaurant, located smack in the middle of a vineyard. [25 miles] Day 3: THE ART OF SIENA Today we’ll take a break from our biking in order to spend the day in Siena. We’ll start with a tour of Siena’s serpentine streets and splendid Piazza del Campo, then visit the Palazzo Pubblico or City Hall, which houses several masterpieces of Italian Gothic fresco painting by Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. We’ll also visit Siena’s massive black-and-white striped cathedral, home to artworks by Michelangelo, Donatello, and Pinturicchio. After lunch and time to shop, we’ll reconvene for a wine tasting at the Enoteca Italiana, Italy’s national wine collection/wine bar, located in an imposing Medici fortress. Here, for a change of pace, we’ll sample wines from Piedmont in the north of Italy, including the obscure Rucche’, a lively Dolcetto d’Acqui and an opulent Nebbiolo d’Alba. Day 4: FROM CHIANTI TO SAN GIMIGNANO Today we pass from the Chianti Classico region into the zone of Vernaccia of San Gimignano. As we bike across a valley and over ridges with magnificent views, we’ll encounter the historic town of Castellina in Chianti, a fortified medieval city with a well-preserved historical center. As we continue biking to San Gimignano, we’ll stop at a Pecorino cheese factory, where we’ll learn about Tuscany’s delicious sheep cheese and pick out selections for our picnic at Pietrafitta, an estate that has been producing Vernaccia ever since Dante’s time. After we settle into our hotel and admire its wonderful view of San Gimignano, we’ll pay a visit to Pietraserena, and sample their impressive wines, which include a stellar Merlot. Dinner is family-style in the medieval borgo of San Donato, where the home cooking might feature such items as handmade pasta with porcini mushrooms, pasta fagioli, a thick bean and pasta soup, and grilled meat skewers. It will no doubt end with a Tuscan staple: almond cookies (cantucci) dipped in sweet Vin Santo wine. [37 miles] Day 5: THE WINE ROADS OF VERNACCIA Our loop ride takes us through woods full of porcini and truffles, over austere bald hills, and on ancient roads that once hosted pilgrims on their journey to Rome. Today these roads are at the heart of the DOCG zone of Vernaccia, a white wine acclaimed ever since the 1200s. In 1643 Michelangelo Buonarotti the Younger wrote that it "kisses, licks, bites, slaps and stings." We’ll test out that theory out after our ride, when we go to a tasting at Il Paradiso, wine-makers since the 15th century. We’ll then spend time in the city of towers, San Gimignano, see its magnificent Italian Gothic frescos, and climb the tallest tower for an unbeatable view of the Tuscan countryside. [25 miles]
BOCCACCIO'S BIRTHPLACE This morning’s ride loops through classic Tuscan landscapes with cypress trees, vineyards, and olive groves on our way to Certaldo, the birthplace of Decameron author Boccaccio. We’ll visit the impressive Palazzo Pubblico of this towering hilltown, then bike back to San Gimignano for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll sample of variety of Vernaccia whites and Chianti Senese, stopping at Cesani, a relative newcomer to the area who makes award-winning wines. Our farewell dinner is at Dorando, whose owners have meticulously researched the food of Etruscan, Medieval, and Renaissance times. Their updates include bici pasta laced with mint and walnuts, tagliatelle with pumpkin and truffles, rabbit with spices, and a refreshing homemade lemon sorbet. Day 7: BUON VIAGGIO! A shuttle to Florence and assistance with your travel plans.
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