Il Poggio - The Farm

One shouldn’t forget that Il Poggio is a working farm; its main produce is wine – hardly surprising considering the fame and International renown of the local Chianti label -  the quality of which is known throughout Italy and the world. Both the red and white wine is produced with a classic mixture of Tuscan Chianti grapes: San Giovese 90%, Cannaiolo 5%, Malvasia 2.5%,Trebbiano 2.5%. – although the proportions may vary from year to year.

Around 15,000 bottles of wine are produced at the farm itself - most of which is consumed locally! However, amongst Il Poggio’s produce are one or two surprises; for example its excellent barley and saffron (below left is some saffron the flowers having been picked now need to be plucked).

Depending on the season one can also partake of a wide range of vegetables which, as with everything from Il Poggio, is produced without the use of artificial fertiliser or pesticides. If you get a chance ask to try the local pecorrini (a goats cheese) – it has an unforgettable flavour – but you need to be persistent as the locals are somewhat partial to it themselves.

...and the Olive Oil!

Originating in Asia Minor many thousands of years ago and spread by its wandering inhabitants via Iran, Syria and ancient Palestine - the olive very soon found its way to Italy and their it flourished.  Now of course, olives can be found in countries as diverse as Japan and South America, but the best still come from Tuscany as Mrs. Beeton observed out almost 150 years ago in her famous book on household management. 

'...whilst the olives from Provence are excellent and those from Spain are a little larger...those from Lucca are esteemed the best..'

Olive oil has been accredited with being an anti-carcinogen and for being of great benefit to the joints, bones and heart. Certainly, it is high in poly-unsaturated fat and therefore helpful in lowering cholesterol and does have a large number of antioxidants as well as a great fatty acid ratio - but, in a country blessed by longetivity  it is popular for its taste rather than anything else.

Whilst it is used in virtually every Italian dish; it is particularly good dribbled over some freshly toasted Tuscan bread, with a little garlic, or if mixed with crushed basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and pinto nuts into a sauce for pasta. Another idea is simply to mix olive oil with some lemon zest and using it as a salad dressing. 

Il Poggio produces only a few thousand litres of olive oil each year.  The Olives are hand-picked in the Autumn by the villagers, and the harvest is taken to a local cooperatively-owned mill where it is cleaned, milled, pressed and separated into the fine, pure virgin olive oil that Il Poggio is famous for.