Ten Days in Le Miccine/ A Tuscan Iddyl
Review Submitted: June 25, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2009
We have just returned from Le Miccine in the heart of the Chianti region of Tuscany. I am already planning to return for the harvest.
This property cannot be described in words. Le Miccine has old world charm in abundance and all of the modern conveniences associated with premier travel experiences anywhere in the world with the possible exception of the hotel spa. Warning: If you require a hotel spa, go elsewhere. Le Miccine is about something far more special. This is truly an exceptional experience that cannot simply be rubbed into the skin.
The location of the property places it almost equidistant to Florence to the north and Siena to the south in the town of Gaiole and just a short drive to Radda. The owners run a well-managed property with gorgeous flower gardens, a beautifully tended vineyard, swimming pool and private outdoor entertaining areas around the pool, on the patio or among the various terraces that surround the house. The surrounding vineyard produces 18,000 bottles of exceptionally rated chianti classico with an international reputation. The owners gave us a tour of the vineyard and the winemaking operations and a winetasting experience. Le Miccine Riserva is now my first choice from any wine list. Suffice it to say, that opening and pouring a bottle of wine will never be the same experience again.
We spent lovely mornings on the terrace under the Lyndon trees, late afternoons poolside with wine and crostini, and several evenings at home in the cool evening breezes enjoying the bounty of the local Italian farms purchased from the coop in Radda and the specialty stores just ten minutes away.
We also spent several days visiting the picturesque hill towns and castles in the surrounding areas, Volpaia, Lamole, Radda, Greve, and larger towns like San Gimignano. I recommend a local guide for a day or two who can provide a sampling of the history and culture as well as the best places to eat, whether in the vineyards, or in restaurants or cafes. From Le Miccine, all of these communities are less than an hour away. The architecture, the culture, and the beauty of the shops and the locally produced products are exceptional, even moreso when introduced by a local who knows the best proscuitto, the best pasta, and the most welcoming shopkeepers.
Le Miccine is the very essence of what the experience in Tuscany should be: close to history, close to the land, close to the culture, the food, the people. Heaven
Grazi
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