Cortona and Syrah under the Tuscan sun

Cortona and the Val di Chiana belong to an internal Tuscany, which preserves the authentic face of a secluded land. Far from the summer chaos of the coast and the tourism that runs along the Florence-Siena route, Cortona is an oasis in its own right. A small jewel full of archaeological remains, which has always attracted art and history lovers. And wine!

Pliny the Younger is said to have loved a white Cortona wine known as “Etesiaca” and Pope Paul III liked to have wines produced in the Cortona area delivered to his banquets. Soils and a microclimate particularly suited for vine-growing, especially Syrah, have encouraged farmers to invest on this territory in the past and over the years the Cortona DOC (Origin Controlled Denomination) has become an important player on the domestic and international stage.

The international fame of the Val di Chiana grew rapidly with the release of the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun“, which brought many foreigners to Cortona fascinated by the glossy atmospheres of the feature film inspired by Frances Mayes’ bestseller. From the top of its 500 meters, the ancient Etruscan village dominates the rolling hills of a wide valley that descend towards the silver mirror of the lake Trasimeno.

Under the clear blue sky of summer, the bright green of the vineyards, the iridescent foliage of the olive trees, the gold of the wheat and the warm yellow of the sunflowers color the landscape with bright colors. But on a cold day at the end of winter, all this is transformed into a memory: the gray of the bare earth, the fields at rest, the twisted profiles of the olive trees, are lost in the suspended enchantment of a horizontal void. The slender branches of the vines, as if they were Giacometti’s sculptures, draw arabesques on the canvas of the mist. On the horizon, the gaze is lost following the sensual undulations of the hills that fade into the profile of the Mount Amiata.

In this land we’ve selected our favorite organic or biodynamic family owned Syrah wineries and we’ll be glad to introduce them to you. Obviously, under the Tuscan sun…

Please note that the law in Italy does not allow the sale of alcohol to young people under 16 as children under this age will be served non-alcoholic beverages. Let us know in advance any special need or for people with reduced mobility and will do our best to accommodate you. Do not forget to advice us about food intolerance or allergies.