Tuscan Countryside - Volterra & San Gimignano and lunch at Fattoria San Donato Farm & Winery

I have recently returned from a few weeks in Europe and had the opportunity to sail on Celebrity Cruise Lines newest ship, the Silhouette. The first port of call was Laspezia, Italy, with several options of destinations to choose from, including; Florence, Pisa and my travel choice of San Gimignano and Volterra. I have always wanted to see the Tuscan countryside and the medieval towns of San Gimignano. After a two hour drive through the rolling hills and beautiful surrounding valleys we arrived in Volterra and visited this medieval and ancient city, its beautiful town square Piazza dei Priori, Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, with ruins of the Roman Theatre dating back to the 1st century BC. and the Estrucan walls.

We then travelled through the countryside towards San Gimignano with a stop for lunch at Fattoria San Donato Farm & Winery. A very charming, organic estate which produces several wines, olive oil, cheese, harvest farro and chickpeas. The lunch included simple but delicious food with fresh ingredient, including salads, cured meat and cheese, pasta and fresh fruit. We were offered some of their wines, a white wine, Italian native grape Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2010, for red wine their Chianti Colli Senesi 2008 and finally with biscotti, Vin Santo San Donato.
The white grape Vernaccia produces a dry wine with crisp acidity and ripe, leafy, citrus fruit.  This Vernaccia was my favourite of the three wine, aromas and flavours of tree fruit like pear and peaches with crisp acidity and dry.
The Fattoria San Donato Chianti Colli Senesi 2008, sour cherry and earthy on the nose, light fruit and dusty tannins which was served at room temperature and a bit too warm. A very young wine which still needs time in the bottle to age.
And finally, Vin Santo San Donato to dip your biscotti into, a very nice sweet wine with lots of honey and bright acidity.
A very enjoyable time spent at Fattoria San Donato, with great hospitality where everyone on the tour had a good time and enjoyed a great lunch.

We then drove to the small walled medieval hill town of San Gimignano, where you can see the village towers from miles around. The towers of San Gimignano are actually the backdrop on the wine label of Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva. San Gimignano served as the setting for many of the scenes for the movie Tea with Mussolini. Again another beautiful old town with great looking churches and town squares and need a say, great gelato.

Many thanks to our tour guide, Jonathon Hunter of Tuscany Kangaroos. You can reach Jonathon at info@lenzi.pisa.it or www.lenzi.pisa.it