We were supposed to be in Tuscany for Easter, but Italy had not yet opened to tourists. Fortunately, Erin and Pat know the owners of Villa Nobile and were able to re-book for early July. It turns out that we were the first guests they have had since the covid pandemic began. One of the first places it hit hard outside of China was Italy. This was most certainly a healthcare crisis and a global emergency. To get things back on track and save lives, drastic measures had to be taken. As is typically the case, these measures have different impacts on different sectors of the population. Many people in Italy depend on tourism for their livelihoods. This was the case with our driver in Tuscany, a man named David. In his own words, David said he has a passion for his job. He likes meeting new people and helping them enjoy his homeland; sharing his knowledge of his country’s rich history and culture with people from other lands. He says, with sincerity, that he especially likes working with people from the U.S. and credits the soldiers of WWII, many of whom lost their lives, with getting the Nazis out of Italy. This feeling seems to be real and shared by many that we spoke to in the country. There is some optimism in the travel industry in Italy that a return to better times is just around the corner. We hope so! David said the last two years have been really tough. He is eager to get back to work.
He is not the only one. Eileen, the manager of the Villa, the grounds keeper, and the housekeeper, all seemed pleased to have visitors again. They welcomed us and we appreciated all they did to make our stay in their Tuscan villa beside the town of Montepulciano so pleasant. The pool was refreshing, the house spacious and comfortable, the food wherever we went was tasty, the wineries were beautiful and the people were so happy to see us. They all shared similar thoughts; that Tuscany without the tourists is not the same. Villa Nobile was the perfect place to share time with family and use as a base to explore the region. The older grandkids enjoyed a long day hiking the Cinque Terre coast with their parents, and Erin and Pat; while my wife and I played soccer and swam with the younger two back at the villa. Other excursions took people to Florence (which Italians call Firenze), Pisa, and the many churches of Tuscany and Umbria. (The picture above is of San Biagio as the sun crept over the mountains, just below the walled village of Montepulciano. It is just a few minutes walk from Villa Nobile.) Erin’s sister and her husband (his first trip to Italy) rounded out the group of guests at the villa and made the gathering of family complete.
We took recommendations on what wineries to visit from relatives and friends before we left the States, as well as from Eileen. We enjoyed ourselves immensely. We bought bottles from every place we visited to bring back to the villa to share, and we shipped some home, to give as gifts and to save for special occasions. We didn’t always agree on the wines we liked best, but we did agree that Tuscany produces some excellent wines; mostly made from the Sangiovese grape. The microclimates and variety in soils, as well as the variety in winemaking practices, help to bring each vineyard distinct flavors in their wines. Two of my favorites on this trip were Tenuta Torciano, in the San Gimignano region, and Podere Le Ripi, in Montalcino. Every place we visited gave us something different to enjoy.
We thank everyone who helped us on this part of the journey in Italy. I didn’t see it all, but will try to return again. For those that enjoy sunsets, landscapes, and welcoming people, I highly recommend a Tuscan Villa stay. My wife and I were sad to leave, especially since we don’t know exactly when we will see this group again. We must thank especially Erin and Pat for their generosity and for arranging this gathering and including us. For more pictures, click here.