Bronco Babes in Chianti...Adventures Among the Ruins

The Chianti country adventures continue with our first full day ride.

DAY 3:  Today is a full day ride (5-6 hours) with a picnic lunch along the way.  We ride through the Chianti vineyards of Arceno, where we will have a wine tasting in a superb location with the view of the vines, olives and the amazing cypress allee of Villa Arceno.  Tenuta di Arceno's history stretches back to the time of the Etruscans who dominated central Italy prior to the formation of the Roman Empire.  The estate lies in the hills of the Chianti region- home to Italy's most renowned wines.  Among them are the Super Tuscans, referrred to as such due to their superior quality and position outside of official premium wine designations.  The Tenuta di Arceno estate produces a variety of Super Tuscans including Arcanum I and Arcanum II.  We stop for a visit and maybe an aperitif in the medieval village of San Gusme (11th century) and then we continue to Campi ( and Etruscan settlement, but unfortunately at the moment is is not possible to visit the historical part), the view from the picnic place is 360 degrees.

Today we begin early and ride a different horse and I have Ambrogio, a pretty chestnut Halflinger mix. We ride about an hour until we reach the cypress allee which is as stunning as described on the website.  The allee proceeds down a long dusty road before you approach the entrance to the winery.  All is well until we reach the bottom and see an encampment of RVs and tents and mechanics milling around a bunch of Peugeot test cars - something about testing wheel and steering adjustments.  It is not clear whether these guys saw us coming or thought it would be fun to see what happens, but just as we approach they start a loud roar and revving of engines.  Surprisingly none of the horses are too fazed by the ruckus. Ambrogio is a little freaked out but quickly calms and walks on past the offenders. Stupid Peugeot.

The winery is spectacular and modern and once the horses are tied to trees the tasting begins. We taste from the younger table wine Chianti to the more sophisticated older wines.  The subtle differences and awesomeness of these wines is lost on me and my favorite of the group is the peasant stock table wine.  I do remember thought that all true Chianti wines will have a pink label and there's something significant about the black rooster. 

Once finished we remount and head for San Gusme which is charming walled 11th century village with weathered stone and brick buildings and roads, shuttered windows and brilliant flowers spilling from window boxes. Every turn seems to have a stone archway framing the rolling vista beyond.

After exploring the village we proceed up a narrow, rocky path (road?) passing red tiled roofed homes with gardens and animals perched precariously along the hillside.  Most of these homes have a car parked nearby so apparently it is a road we are on and it is navigated by cars....amazing.  At the summit of the hill we enter a clearing with an old church and watch tower.  This is to be our picnic spot and it indeed has panoramic 360 degree views.  Unfortunately there are no Etruscan ruins for Andrea to see.  We have several more days to continue the search for the elusive Etruscans.  Upon arrival we meet Sadio's friend Lorenzo who helps set up our picnic lunch.  Lorenzo is a charmer and serenades us with a song.  For lunch we have a spread of cold pasta salad, salami three differently aged local pecorino cheeses, fresh melon, biscotti and of course... wine.  One might think that drinking a riding don't mix, but it is definitely a theme in all of the equestrian vacations we've taken.  Takes you mind off the fact that you are on a strange horse, thousands of miles from home and anything could happen.

After lunch Donatella offers me the chance to ride Paulette, the large (17.1 hand) sport-type horse she is riding. Though a little scared I jump at the chance.  Donatella tells me she is good but very strong and requires a good rider. She had double reins which I've never used, this should be interesting.  She is smooth with an enormous stride.  The impulsion on our first trot nearly throws me off.  We get the gist of soft hands and a lot of seat and I am able to keep her behind Donatella and Ambrogio at the walk and trot.  We prepare to canter back up the cypress allee and I tell Donatella there is no way I can keep her behind another horse.  She tells me to go first and we are off.  All I hear in the distance is a faint "slow down".  With much effort I get her back.  Cantering her would take more practice and I'm a little too spooked to do that now with all the other horses around.  We will be content with walking and trotting home.  Whew... a very exhilarating day!

Dinner is a special treat as it is Bobbie's birthday and it is time to cap off her Queen for a Day status.  Her husband arranges for champagne and we begin with champagne, strawberries, prosciutto and cheese.  Dinner is pasta with artichoke, eggplant Parmesan, lettuce with tomatoes, cannelloni beans and wine. For dessert Sadio made Bobbie a special chocolate brownie like cake with candles and we all sing Happy Birthday.
After dinner there's a dance party and we watch Bobbie, Andrea and Kathleen shake their collective groove things to Love Shack. 

Pasta with Artichoke
Pasta (fettuccine or tagliatelle), cooked al-dente
Cleaned and chopped fresh artichokes (soak in lemon water so the do not turn brown)
Saute the artichokes in olive oil with garlic and hot pepper flakes. 
Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Donatellaism of the day:  "Men are like horses...you must ride them between your legs and hands and sometimes with the spur."


DAY 4:    In the morning we ride to the medieval village of Montebenichi and will be back for lunch at the riding center.  In the afternoon we will visit the Castle of Brolio, built in the 11th century and still the residence of the Ricasoli family.  Wine tasting.  The first stones of Brolio Castle date back to the middle ages.  The castle passed into the hands of the Ricasoli family thanks to an exchange of lands in 1141 and the name Ricasoli has been linked to wine since then.  The cellars of Barone Ricasoli are at the foot of Brolio Castle, separated from the main body of the winery and used exclusively for vinification purposes.  Countless grape varieties have been studied and grown in Brolio for centuries.

I am back on Dacot today and we begin by passing a 16th century mill, along the river and past a natural sulphur spring with a plant to capture the natural carbonation of the spring. Interesting but smelly.  In the distance we hear more roar and revving of the Peugeot as they are out doing road testing.  We worry about them racing past us on the narrow winding roads.  Fortunately this does not happen.  We continue through fields and forests, past some abandoned old buildings still beautiful in their decay to another small picturesque village.  Back to the riding center for lunch and then the others head out in the Fiat to find Etruscan ruins.  Instead they climb a mountain road to another town to explore and of course find gelati.  Before dinner I think some of them enjoy the nearby sulphur spa. I stay back for a much needed nap.

Lunch was served on the terrace and consisted of:
Pasta Fagioli (rigatoni, tomato sauce and cannelloni beans with thyme and oregano)
Salami
Lettuce/tomato
Three pecorino cheeses
Wine

Dinner that night is another feast:

Three kinds of fritatta (one with leftover pasta and artichoke, one with potatoes, one with leeks)
Lettuce/tomato
Risotto made with Chianti wine (yum)
Wine

Three more days of riding await.  Starting to miss home and family but this routine is addictive.