T O S C A N A ... parte due

Caparzo Winery has vineyards throughout Tuscany. I was searching for the one where they filmed the wedding scene in the movie "Letters to Juliet".  This took me on a journey down many dirt roads off the beaten path. Some people might get frustrated when they get lost or are unable to find their destination, but me, I was overjoyed by the experience. I welcomed the adventure that was to come and I was immediately thrown into it when I came across this book in the middle of nowhere....

Knowing my fascination with Shakespeare and especially the play I wrote a thesis on, Romeo & Juliet, how perfect that I should find "Juliet, Naked" under a gorgeous tree in the middle of Tuscany. But where did it come from? Obviously in good condition, and weighted with a rock, it was as if it were sitting there just waiting for me. When you travel through Tuscany, a bottle of red wine should always be in your car awaiting situations such as this. I read as much as I could and purchased the book when I got home to finish it. "Juliet," in this case is an album. It's a story of love, loneliness, & music, and that story struck a remarkable similarity to the novel I am currently writing. So why did I find it?  It was part of my journey leading me back to writing. There was also many humorous moments during my time under this tree reading a book by the NY Time's  best selling author Nick Hornby. My husband and I shared laughs, we looked at the sky & the vineyards surrounding us, in other words, we made memories that would last a lifetime. And to think, we pulled over and stopped here just to look at the view. We had no idea what we were getting into!
But Caparzo was yet to be found, so we traveled on.... and on.... and on..... until we came to this gate....
Finally!! I found my destination, but was happiness to follow? The gate appeared to be locked, and so it was.
The disappointment on my face must have been huge because my husband immediately came and put his arms around me. We traveled all this way... I wasn't giving up. I couldn't. Just then, a gentleman appeared out of nowhere and waved at us to stay. He went inside and reappeared with a lady by his side. She had a set of keys with her, opened the gate and with a huge smile invited us inside. Another thing I learned on this journey, determination & faith go a long way.

The lady who spoke in a very thick Italian accent was very sweet. She offered us tastings of all their most popular and best wines, all free of charge. She seemed to appreciate my love of the film and told us of the many locations in which they shot at. There were posters hung everywhere with scenes from the movie, all of them advertising their Brunello that was featured in the film. We, of course, took a few bottles of that with us. My favorite wine here was the La Casa. The Vigna La Casa is aged for a total of 36 months, the first 12 in French barriques, the last 24 in French Oak barrels. The long process makes this vino a tad more pricey than others, but oh so worth every penny! And then there is the Borgo Scopeto, an intense Chianti made from sangiovese grapes that come from the most important vineyards of the village. I left Caparzo with a free wine bag filled with my favorites and the feeling that the Italian winemakers love to share their passion with those who truly admire it.


Inside the estate of Caparzo vineyards, there are hanging flower baskets, wildflowers, and whispering trees that sing with the wind. My time here was magical, just like something out of the movie itself. Ok, ok, call me the hopeless romantic, all my friends do, but the words echoed in my head ever since I heard them ...
"What and If are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side by side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life." I wasn't about to leave here with any sense of "what" "if"



There was plenty more wine tasting to be done in the hilltop towns of Montalcino & Montepulciano. But first we were fortunate enough to witness some of the farm life in Italy which included chickens, donkeys, and cats! Lots of cats!! Chicken roam free around the land of Tuscany and an interesting side note is that you don't see them on many menus either!

My playful friend, Chianti (left) was wondering around these streets in Montepulciano (right) The buildings are all really tall here and the streets narrow. People do live here in flats above the many cafes and shops below.

The hillside city of Montepulciano from afar resembles that of a fortress. We even did a wine tasting in an actual fort that sits at the highest point of this well protected town.  Bottles of wine lay like this (right) in every window and the glasses are always full.



I have to say my favorite part of these hilltop adventures was the sunsets. I'm not often at a loss for words, but these pictures of natural beauty leave me speechless...

 
As we bid adieu to the vineyards of Tuscany,
I am reminded of this quote from Hornby's book...

"All you need to know is that something profound and life changing took place"