Horse Riding in Chianti

admin — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:47:39 +0000

If you are planning on holidaying within Chianti or the wider region of Tuscany then the chances are that you are going for the famous red wine, the food tours and the glorious scenery. With so much of the beautiful surroundings you are certainly going to need a week (or maybe more) to soak it all in.

As tempting as it may be to sit outside on the balcony of your apartment or your timeshare villa, sipping at the wine and sampling the local cuisine, you’ll surely be missing out if you don’t get out amongst it all. Aside from the planned walks and bus tours of the region there has never been a better way of doing this than taking to horseback.

Part of the magic about the Tuscan setting is the feeling that you are present in a relatively untouched middle ages setting; this is complemented perfectly by using the transport of choice during the time, the horse. Making your way through an historic Tuscan village with the sound of your horse’s shoes striking on the cobbles is only but the start of this enchanting experience. The rest of your ride will see you trotting through vineyards and past olive groves, stopping to take in the views and rich atmosphere.

Of course on your tour there is always going to be a little time for some wine tasting. In all honesty it would be cruel to bring you all that way without the chance for you to learn more about what goes into making a fine wine and teach your pallet a thing or two.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not experienced on horseback or never ridden a horse before. If you are willing to learn many of the organised tours across the region include expert tuition and time to orientate you with horse riding and get you acquainted with your horse first. What’s more, some of the better tours will be limited to small groups so you can get much more one-on-one time with your guide and get the best experience possible.

However you choose to spend your time within this fabled region of Tuscany you won’t miss out, but for seasoned horse riders or those looking for something a little bit new, horse riding in Chianti must really be considered. Whether you’re planning a day trip away from Florence or a whole week trekking you’ll surely find something which best fits your plans.

About the Author:
C J Hobbs is not exactly what you’d call a natural born horse rider, but it is something he really advocates. He is a seasoned travel writer contributing articles to various respected travel blogs such as Travel & Leisure Group.

History of Chianti

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:05:26 +0000

The glorious region of Tuscany, Italy has been a long sought after destination for holiday makers and timeshare owners. Chianti, located roughly within the centre of Tuscany is one of the biggest regions of wine production, producing around eight million cases a year. Within these impressive wine production figures we have whites, Rosso Reds and Vin Santo.
Chianti’s wine history dates back to the 13th century or possibly earlier where the original white wine Chianti was first produced. In the hills between Siena and Florence was the centre of production where the three villages in the area moved to change their name’s to reflect the fame of the wine produced there. From here Lega del Chianti (League of Chianti) was formed and was maintained until much later in the 20th century the area expanded to include the outlying areas.
Of course as much of the wine growing area in Chianti has changed so as the wine itself, originally a white wine, Chianti’s grape composition has evolved over time and through breeding and different growth techniques is now a red. During the middle ages, before the region’s real rise to wine growing popularity, Chianti was more of a pale, medium white which failed to take hold on the export markets or really find its own niche on Italian tables.
Around the 14th century Chianti production changed dramatically, creating a more successful fermentation process and slightly sparkling or “fizzy character” as well as developing into a darker red coloured wine, which after the initial unpalatable qualities, grew into a wine that was more recognisable to the one sold today. It still took some time to gain the popularity as a noteworthy export wine, with the real developments taking place within the 20th century.
The fame of the wine, as with much of Italy’s fine exports did not come without a price. The Chianti name was synonymous with quality, and Baron Bettino Ricasoli, (soon to be) Prime Minister of Italy, devised a “Chianti Recipe” in order to ensure this very quality in future products. This was not to say that no one tried altering the formula or make their own Chianti, but law passed in 1967 dictated that under the (newly named) “Ricasoli formula”, only those wines which adhered to the recipe could be sold as Chianti.
Over time some wine producers would deviate from the recipe and produce wine with different grape combinations, but the regulations could only see these wins called vino da tavola (VDT), a basic table wine, long removed from the Chianti tradition. But gradually the popularity of this type of VDT or “super Tuscans” as they were soon became known, rose and even surpassed the “authentic” Chianti. Sensing a potential problem the Italian authorities moved to relaxing the regulations on Chianti, giving incentive for wine production to return to the area and re-establish it as a modern wine producer.

About the Author
C Green is a writer and SEO executive working for the Travel and Leisure group, specialists in buying timeshares, with 19 years of experience and recognised by TATOC and the RDO.

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Horse Riding in Chianti

History of Chianti