Tasting Wine & Olive Oil

From San Gimignano we visited Fattoria Monteoriolo near Greve where we strolled in the olive grove and gardens before being invited into their home that has been a part of their family for a few hundred years.  

The reception hall is painted in fresco on all the walls with a look of marble and tile.  We then were escorted into the villa’s personal chapel.  The alter is made from real marble but the rest of the room is painted in faux marble.  It’s a very personal and private place to worship.

Our olive oil tasting took place in the patio garden surround by lovely shade trees.  The table was set with a place setting serving homemade bread covered with their olive oil and served with bruschetta, cheese, olives and tomatoes and a pour of refreshing rose’ wine.  All ten of us were so impressed with the quality of the oil that we bought out, or so it seemed, this years fresh pressed oil which won’t even be ready until November.

For lunch we had a Chianti wine tasting with the meal served at Fattoria di Luciano. Their wine library goes back to at least 1967.  The bottle were covered with mold in order to protect the labels so that if, and when, a bottle is opened they will be able to tell what they are drinking.  They did have one bottle from 1873 but they have no idea what is in it or if its any good.

Lunch was started with meatball & liver pate’, then roast pork and a brownie for dessert.  Each course was served with a Chianti from a Classico to a blend to the Reserve.