Exploring Montespertoli

 

 Exploring Montespertoli

The second day of ‘exploring’ Montespertoli saw us visit several places that weren’t what they seemed. We were to be taken to an alternative meat farm, hmmm...? And what did this matter to a bunch of wine journalists and what is alternative meat anyway?

We ended up at the alternative meat farm and found someone training a horse, making him run around on a rope in circles. We all got of the bus and were taken to a shed containing a large cool-room that contained frozen venison. I’m sure it would have been interesting had we been butchers but all it did was leave us feeling cold. We also visited a station for mountain rangers where we were given a talk on the surrounding area and some literature - the only problem was that most of the group being foreigners spoke and read English but both were provided in Italian only.

A typical ruin in the countryside, this one is set amongts olive groves

We had been invited by a winery for a barbecue but being on a big coach and the road to the winery being very hilly and full of rubble, the coach couldn’t make it up the hill. There were various discussions on how we could get up the hill – we could have walked. There was also talk of getting a small school bus but it would have taken too long to organise. Finally after about an hour the barbecue was brought down to the bottom of the hill and we had celebrations there on the side of the road. We never got to see the winery but the owners fed us very well.

However, not everything went wrong, we did go to a wonderful place called Castello di Montegufoni  where we spent the afternoon looking around. We learnt that the castle can be rented for holidays – all or part, it contains many, many apartments – and is in an easily accessible area of Chianti. At last it seemed we were getting somewhere, things were looking up. 

Famous last words.

That night we were invited to dinner at a holiday villa which holds events all year round. Once again it was up a hill and the large coach couldn’t make it so this time we were put on one of the smaller local buses used for taking young children – and I mean very young, to school. It was amusing to see grown up men on the small seats. The bus had been orgnised after the lunchtime debacle of the barbecue. The food was enjoyable and the unplanned entertainment hysterical. The ‘major’ turned up with two local beauties, one on each arm, who were quickly named the majorettes. A good time was had by all, especially one German gentleman in particular who had slightly more to drink than he should have.

A house being restored for possible use as an agriturismo

When it was time to go and we had all settled back in the bus, we all felt very relaxed and happy to be going home to our beds. The German gentleman (a very loose term for this person) had to be helped onto the bus and poured onto the back seat as he was so drunk. We all thought he was asleep as we chatted until suddenly he got up and started attacking Gilda, the guide, for no reason.  He started slapping and punching her, fortunately his aim was off as he was so drunk but it was a big shock to Gilda (who has since given up translating at Vinitaly and now works for Zenato Wines). Everybody started screaming and several men tried to pull him off the guide as all hell broke loose. For a tall skinny man he had tremendous strength and he was finally subdued by three men who managed to sit on him until we finally got back to town and the place where he was staying. I never saw him again and I can only surmise that he was taken away in the night and never invited back.

The trip was finally getting interesting!

Next post: Heading to Umbria