Last December I talked to Marla about including Tuscany as part of an itinerary for our 2018 anniversary trip. She really wasn’t thrilled at all. She said “we’ve covered Tuscany pretty well already so why don’t you come up with something new!” I’ve cycled around Tuscany a few times in the past and I really wanted to show her some of the great places I visited. Let me tell you,… it took some real selling! I told her about a castle hotel where she could relax, read a book, drink some great wine, and experience fine cuisine,…ALL in one place! She said let’s give it a try. After staying in Menton France we drove to Castello La Leccia about 2 miles south of Castellina in Chianti.

I was very happy to arrive at the hotel after driving for almost 7 hours!  Getting out of Genoa due to the earlier tragic bridge collapse  was unbelievable. They had not created options for the detour so everyone drove in frustrating circles. The hotel reception was very friendly and helped us feel immediately at home! After showing us our beautiful room she said ,“Don’t forget our five o’clock wine tour and tasting with the owner.”  I’ll go anywhere for wine!

Let me give you a little tour of the castle and the grounds. The Castle dates to at least the 11th century and held a strategic position between rivals Sienna and Florence. Present owner, Francesco Daddi’s Great Grandfather, Giuliano Daddi, purchased the entire property in 1920.

This is the view of the main building with terraces for dining and magnificent views of the Tuscan countryside. 

There are only 12 rooms making you often feel like you are the only guest,…albeit a very pampered one!

An ancient chapel is on the property.

A view of the English style garden with Sienna far in the distance. Castello La Leccia is only 28 miles south of Florence and 17 miles from Sienna.

A quiet garden and a perfect location for an afternoon tea or a glass of the estate’s fine wines.

The pool.

Francesco gave us a tour of the winery and explained his philosophy of wine making. The vineyard is sustainably farmed without synthetic herbicides or pesticides and the wine is 100% Sangiovese.  He is amazingly passionate about his wines and rightly so!

After the winery tour we went inside the tasting room to sample the wines. I absolutely loved the “Chianti Classico Gran Selezione”, their special best of the house offering, the Chianti Classico Riserva, and a very good Syrah.

Francesco’s vintage “Moto Guzzi” sits on a lighted platform and is displayed like a rare sculpture.

We arrived on the terrace for dinner on our first night. The sun was just setting and glowed in the western sky.

Ah,….a beautiful Chianti Classico Riserva, named after Francesco’s Great Grandfather!”

Dinner offered a few hard to decide choices. Each tasted wonderful! “Delizioso!”

We loved having breakfast outside in the garden each morning!

 

After a few cups of cappuccino we had difficulty leaving the table and the sublime views of the Tuscan hills!

 

Marla is ready for some serious relaxation!

A Tuscan dream!

An old olive oil jar.

Marla writes in her travel diary.

So beautiful!

Dreamscape.

After dining the next two nights at restaurants in Castellini in Chianti we happily decided to have our final dinner at the the castle. We began with a delicious Aperol Spritz and a wonderful sunset. 

Tonight we are having the Syrah.

Marla’s starter.

A deceptively simple fresh ravioli!

A tasty “cacio e pepe.”

A little sampling of our fabulous final dinner. The chef and his team were amazing tonight!

Castello La Leccia and the Tuscan countryside weave a magical spell that is difficult to express in words. It must be experienced with all your senses. Castello La Leccia is one of the most pleasurable places I have stayed in Italy and I highly recommend it for the total Tuscan sybarite experience!

Moliere once said,…Great is the fortune of he who possesses a good bottle, a good book, a good friend.”

 Please join me next week as we explore fabulous Sienna and Castellina in Chianti.

Photos: Dick Gentry