I had to make sure my 600th review was a fabulous one, so here goes! This place was peak Italian loveliness. Although the only winery stop on a whirlwind of a small group tour, it hit all the bases to make the experience complete.
The winery is set on beautiful grounds just outside of San Gimignano, which is perfectly picturesque. Through the tour group, we were scheduled for a tasting here at Palagetto. We were greeted with glasses of rosé as they gave us a brief overview of the vineyard and winery. Our expert then took us back to the tasting area, beautifully set tables amongst the barrels and casks of wine. It was lightly lit with natural sunlight coming from the windows on one side and chandeliers providing the glow further in. You would think you were sitting for a 5 course meal. Absolutely elegant. We were a small party of 4, but they had several long tables in some areas for larger parties and events.
They brought out a huge platter of meats, cheeses, crackers, bread, and two types of their estate honey. The woman informed us that there was something on the platter to compliment each of the 4 wines we were set to sample. Each wine she brought she described and answered any questions. She then let us sip, eat, and enjoy. No pressure. No rushing. It was wonderful and I am saying this as someone who was also there with three strangers. Three awesome strangers though. We chatted and got to know each other while we sampled and laughed. We were there over an hour and would have remained for longer if our tour guide had let us. With the schedule, we unfortunately did not have time to walk the beautiful grounds.
The wines were wonderful, but you cannot really go wrong with any wines out there. It was fascinating to learn about the history and the methodologies in the region. I have been to Napa, Sonoma, and a few other places in the States, but they have been making wine for so long here. This is of course in addition to the varietals they grow in the area, including Chianti the pride and staple of the region. One of my favorites we sampled, however, was a white, Ventanni. Very dry, but served nice and cool. The wine was developed by the daughter when she was 20 years old. Very impressive in every way.
Before we left, we bought a few bottles. They had wines, their honey, and also their olive oil, pressed from olives they grow on the property. I purchased a small tin of this year's pressed olive oil and also picked six bottles to ship home to Connecticut. They made it super easy and I thought it was completely reasonable. I did pick the slower method though, so my bottles arrived in around 30 days. Everything was packed with care and all arrived intact. I was so happy the option was available because limiting to one bottle was not going happen. I purchased a few as gifts and a few to save to take me back when I need a break.
If you are in the area, I highly recommend this lovely experience. read more
