TOURISM IN THE CHIANTI
A simple pages and pictures
ensemble
to show you some of the unknow resources
of the gorgeous Chianti
Saturday 30/05/98, as usually the Wine feast of Montespertoli start
at the end of the May month. Then Montespertoli is not far from Tavarnelle
(about 20 Km) so it is a nice idea to go there to spent a nice evening. I went there with my friend Pablo by car. If you start from Barderino
or Tavarnelle just follow the "Marcialla" and you easily find the way.
We started from Tavarnelle at twenty to ten, the sun was already setted
but at the horizon there still was a strange blue like the sun was still
there. It was a very strange atmosphere, especially when we reach Marcialla
from where you have a very nice panorama and that strange light shining
on the perfect landscape shaped in the dark. High in the sky a piece of moon shined in a sky without clouds.
We hoped in a very clear sky because the following day we wanted to go
to have the first swim of the year at our lake. While absort in these wondering we reach the Santa Maria Novella
Castle. It is a farm, a castle, surrounded by a little wood, between Marcialla
and Fiano. There is also a Camping, the 'Toscana
Colliverdi Camping' , full of camper and roulotte. Here is the picture
of the facade of the castle ... 
The road continue between the nice countryside, vineyards and olive
tree ... Then you see in the distance many lights, like in a Christmas
tree and you know that you are arrived at Montespertoli. There were many
cars already along the road, there are not many places where to park the
car but it is the only transport way to reach the village. We parked on
a side walk and then climbed the hill where the center and the feast are. While approaching at the center we were reached by the scent of
roast meat, pork, sausages etc. and even if we had already eaten we would
have liked to taste again some speciality. On the high part of the village there was an exibition of artigianal
works but we were not interested in that ... sorry ... We went down until the main square, a very big square where there
are the stands with the farms and theyr wine. There was many people there
so that it was not easy to walk. We met three girls and we couldn't go
forward, we just stand in front of one another so that a girl spoke, another
(quite drunk) continued explaining me the best years for wine -18- but
probably it was her age, then the third kissed me and went away. We went down until the funfair but we come back. We stopped our
tired foots at the 'Cantuccio'. I took a very good cake made by a special
cream called here in Italy 'panna cotta' with strawberries and lemon inside.
After having finisched the delicious plate we climb until the main square
and we bougt a bottle of red wine 'Solatio 1', it is just Chianti, not
Chianti Classico, but at the Montespertoli feast you find only Chianti.
If you want the Chianti Classico you have to go to Greve in Chianti. We slowly drank the wine, walking around and around. The amount
of drunk people and broken bottles of wine was increasing hour after hour.
Police and ambulances were ready to intervene. If somebody called in a
loud voice everybody else repeated the sentences. The most called was 'Valerio'
it was already the most called man of last year, it is quite a tradition
to call that name. Some more organized group of people have some drums and guitar
and they play sitted down on a place with less people. Somebody start to
sing, people does't walk very well. Fathers and mothers and children try
to escape the main square that become the kingdom of the drunk. For that
reason stands close at midnight but it is not enough to switch off the
alchool effects. Girls are drunk as guys are, bad words and shoves and people who
walk on your feet is quite common. Somebody fell on the ground happy or
unespressive ... At that point we decided to come back: we wanted to eat something
more but the cakes were finished and there were only 'crostoni', too heavy
for the hour to be able to sleep comfortable. This was the opening day of the Montespertoli
feast.
The following day we have heard about a girl who in the morning has been found
without dresses in the main square having no memories of what had
happened during the night. But may be it is only a village legend.
The castle at the sunset
