{"id":15,"date":"2017-10-19T07:23:55","date_gmt":"2017-10-19T07:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bestoftuscany.com\/blog\/?p=15"},"modified":"2017-10-23T16:08:23","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T16:08:23","slug":"36-hours-in-chianti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestoftuscany.com\/blog\/36-hours-in-chianti\/","title":{"rendered":"36 Hours in Chianti"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stretching between Florence and Siena in the heart of\u00a0Tuscany, the Chianti wine region is the romanticized Italy of daydreams: terra-cotta-roofed towns, wine-soaked dinners and vineyards stitching sun-dappled hillsides. But hidden amid Chianti\u2019s winding roads and rolling hills are some surprisingly modern attractions. There\u2019s made-to-measure fashion, new standout architecture, and contemporary art worth a detour. Certainly, there are copious amounts of red wine waiting to be drunk, but don\u2019t expect kitschy straw-wrapped bottles or pizza-parlor reds. Today Chianti vintners are producing excellent, nuanced wines that are worthy of these scenic surroundings.<\/p>\n

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Friday<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

3:30 p.m.<\/span><\/strong>
1. Wine Structure<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

The Antinori clan has been producing wine in the region since the 1300s, but the family company, Marchesi Antinori, is now planting for the future. In the fall of 2012, a new, architecturally stunning winemaking facility called Antinori nel Chianti Classico was inaugurated. And in March, the glass-and-rusted-steel complex opened to the public for tours of its elegant cantina and grounds. The hourlong tour (20 euros, or $26 at $1.31 to the euro; by reservation) begins on an elevated walkway under the cantina\u2019s sloping terra-cotta-tiled ceiling and concludes in a glass-enclosed tasting room. There\u2019s also a small museum of artworks and wine artifacts, including an ancient wooden wine press whose design is linked to Leonardo da Vinci.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 p.m.<\/span><\/strong>
2. Pretty in Panzano<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

A hilltop village may be an unlikely location for stylish fashion, but at the leather-specialty shop Verso x Verso, in the small town of Panzano in Chianti, that\u2019s exactly what you\u2019ll find. Even more surprising is that all the beautiful clothing and accessories on display can be made to order. So would you prefer a rounded or square toe on that handmade pair of caramel-hued oxfords? Or would you like to be fitted for a bespoke jacket \u2014 the double-zippered style in orange goat suede is gorgeous \u2014 by the Florentine-trained designer herself? After placing your order, stroll down the cobblestone alleys of this medieval village and indulge in the sunset views.<\/span><\/p>\n

8 p.m.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
3. Dinner da Dario<\/span><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

Remain in Panzano to partake in the evening\u2019s carnivorous feast at Officina della Bistecca, a restaurant owned by the eighth-generation butcher Dario Cecchini. A convivial atmosphere pervades the long communal tables onto which course after course of meat arrives in different cuts and methods of preparation, from beef tartare to grilled Panzanese steak. Fittingly for a restaurant attached to a butcher shop, even the baked potatoes are accompanied by a jar of delectable, spreadable lardo \u2014 \u201cChianti butter.\u201d But the night\u2019s climax is the bistecca alla Fiorentina, which Dario himself exuberantly announces while proudly pumping a pair of the humongous steaks above his head like a victorious prizefighter in the ring. Dinner, including wine, water and grappa, is \u20ac50; reservations recommended.<\/span><\/p>\n