November is still a great time to visit Italian wine country—while one harvest (grape) is wrapping up, another (olive) is shifting into high gear. Crisp autumnal weather coupled with area restaurants offering rich seasonal menus are just some of the reasons to retreat to the vineyard-covered countryside in coming weeks. While there are many superb wine resorts and hotels in Italy, here are five (including one in Sicily to consider for spring) offering that something extra—in addition to all the superb wine.
THE FERRAGAMO CONNECTION
A stay at Il Borro Relais & Chateaux is like being in a village whose mayor has impeccable taste in interior decor, art and food. That’s because the driving force behind Il Borro, located 52 kilometers from Florence, has long been Ferruccio Ferragamo, chairman of the global fashion brand that bears his father’s name. (Another family tastemaker, Ferruccio’s son Salvatore, is CEO of Il Borro.) The estate, once owned by Italy’s royal Savoy family, stretches for 700 hectares of beautiful Tuscan countryside and offers different lodging options—villa suites in the medieval village; villas, including an historic property once owned by an Italian duke; and farmhouses (these are in addition to the Relais & Chateaux offerings). Ferragamo had the vineyards replanted in 1996; today the winery produces reds, a white, rosés–even grappa and Vin Santo. There’s plenty to do at Il Borro, which has its own art museum (Galleria Vino e Arte), boutique and artisan shops, plus opportunities for horseback riding, Ferrari test drives, truffle hunting and cooking classes. Il Borro has special holiday packages for Christmas and New Year’s. For those staying at Villa Il Borro this includes private dinners (and lunch on Christmas Day) prepared by the resort’s chef.
A RESTORED WINE VILLAGE
Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, a restored village 64 kilometers southwest of Florence, has had a long and eventful history with deep roots in the Middle Ages and connections to Tuscany’s most powerful families. There are plenty of lodging choices in this perfect Tuscan setting—the five-star Hotel Il Castelfalfi and four-star La Tabaccaia, as well as apartments and villas to rent. If you want to make your stay here more permanent, and it’s very easy to see why you would, there are villas you can buy, including both completed homes and properties to be restored. Castelfalfi produces six wine labels, among them a Chianti and Chianti Riserva DOCG, from vineyards growing Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes along with other varieties. The 1100-hectare estate also produces olive oil from the more than 10,000 olive trees on the grounds. A special treat is dining at La Rocca di Castelfalfi in the restored medieval castle formerly owned by the Medici family. Castelfalfi also offers the largest golf course in the area.
CONTEMPORARY ART AND WINE
Art lovers should consider a visit to the Castello di Ama, described by Wine Spectator as “one of Chianti Classico’s best estates,” not only for the highly regarded wine, but also for the site-specific contemporary pieces by such leading artists as Michelangelo Pistoletto, Anish Kapoor and Hiroshi Sugimoto that can be found throughout the property. Lorenza Sebasti and winemaker Marco Pallanti are the masterminds behind the art project and winery, which is located in its own borgo, or hamlet, called the Località Ama about 27 kilometers north of Siena. Ama offers the opportunity for an unusually intimate stay in the heart of wine country—there are only five suites in the 18th-century Villa Ricucci, located steps away from the winery, and the family chef whips up lunch and dinner at Il Restoro, a restaurant in the nearby Villa Pianigiani. For more information: info@castellodiama.com
LAVISH LODGING IN THE TUSCAN HILLS
Since the 12th century Castello Del Nero has had only three owners, including the noble Del Nero clan from whom the property gets its name. Then came the Torrigiani family, owners of vast tracts of land in Tuscany, and more recently American businessman Robert Trotta, who after an extensive renovation of the historic estate (he worked with the Italian Fine Arts Commission), opened it as a luxury hotel in 2006. About 33 kilometers from Florence in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, the Castello has 50 rooms and suites (the frescoed Marchesa Anna suite is a knockout), a sybaritic spa with many treatment offerings and a Michelin-starred restaurant, La Torre. The 12th-century wine cellars, where tastings are held, are noted for their extensive collection of fine wines from all over the world, with many top labels from Tuscany. Castello Del Nero has a limited production of two red wines, Pieve Del Nero and Il Levriero, which are not sold in shops, but are available in the restaurant and for purchase at the hotel.
A SEASIDE WINE RESORT
Capofaro Malvasia & Resort Relais & Châteaux on the Aeolian island of Salina (off the coast of Sicily) has an especially dramatic setting with splendid views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the islands of Panarea and Stromboli in the distance. Owned by the aristocratic Tasca family, renowned for their Tasca d’Almerita estates throughout Sicily, this property nurtures vineyards that produce the grapes for Malvasia wines (dry and sweet). The resort’s cuisine takes its inspiration from Sicily’s monsù class of chefs, hired by the nobility for their prowess with French cooking methods in the 1800s, and the islands’ rustic food traditions. In addition to wine tastings and cooking classes, you can arrange for a boating trip to other islands in the archipelago while staying at Capofaro. (The resort is open from mid-April to early October.)
