Siena & Chianti Classico, Jan 9-15, 2008

I will be visiting Siena and the Chianti area in January - anyone around? Any pointers? I did visit the Enoteca there about 10 years ago, and plan on going back, but this will be my first time driving through Radda, Castellina, Gaiole, etc.

Paulo,
Not sure what the weather's like there then, but a few suggestions:

Between Radda and Gaiole is Badia a Coltibuono, a very pretty old monastery with a tour worth doing (set up in advance, ideally through a wine merchant and therefore hopefully free) event hough the wine poured is non-high end current releases. Buildings and grounds are beautiful, as is the setting which you should enjoy from lunch at their very good restaurant.

Radda has some pretty views in all directions, esp across to Volpaia. There's a very good place to get salumi, and also a nice small wine shop (I can find the specifics if you want them).

I'd stayed in Gaoile last September. Very pleasant and very nice people, but the views are from the small, mainly ruined tiny towns that were it's ring of defense in the past. So not really a destination.

Sienna is spectacularly pretty in my opinion. If you want to climb a tower (much recommended), climb up the cathedral museum tower for great views, INCLUDING the Campo tower you'd not see if you were viewing from there.

Just a few random suggestions. What I loved most was just driving around, walking a lot and enjoying the views and the life!

As I recall, just before I went to Chianti last year you'd posted beautiful photos from Umbria, so no need to tell you the beautiful places to be found there.

Charles

Thank you so much for your information, Charles. Volpaia and Coltibuono are places I definitely would like to visit. January of 2007 it was about 60 degrees during the day time in Assisi and Perugia, so I doubt it will be too cold in 2008. Years past I remember January being very cold in Umbria, but things are definitely different now. I will be staying in Siena and in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the Chianti Countryside, so I will drive through the little towns. Now i have to be patient and wait till January rolls around!

how much time do you have. if you drive or fly over to the lyon area of france, there is a great marche' that some of us are going to. most of the cote rotie producers are pouring and selling their wines - but there are also condrieu and other area wines. it starts jan 18.

how much time do you have. if you drive or fly over to the lyon area of france, there is a great marche' that some of us are going to. most of the cote rotie producers are pouring and selling their wines - but there are also condrieu and other area wines. it starts jan 18.

That sounds truly wonderful, but I am returning to Philadelphia on the 16th and need to be at a rehearsal on the 17th, unfortunately.