If you wish to take me seriously fine, and if you can’t, just accept my invitation and ‘travel’ with me in the realms of this life entering the doors of this ‘ magical ‘ old  pharmacy . Entering the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is like walking into a foreigner’s vision of Italy: fresco ceilings, bronzed angels, stirrings of a violin concerto and rows of soaps and elixirs stacked neatly in glass cases.

This artisanal perfumery, which has produced fragrances since 1400 and opened to the public in 1612, sells a seductive mix of handmade fragrance, cosmetics and herbal remedies, old perfume bottles and old scents  whose  intact secret formulae have been kept secret through centuries.

In 1200 located next to Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. Founded by Dominican friars shortly after 1221. the year of their arrival in Florence, the pharmacy used medicinal herbs grown in the monastic gardens to take medications, balms and pomades fro the monk’s infirmary.

In 1600 when the news of the quality of the products produced by the pharmacy reached the outside world, it was decided to open to the public. Thus in 1612, Father Angiolo Marchissi was appointed head of the title of His Royal Highness’ Foundry (Fonderia di sua Altezza Reale). In 1700 thanks to the excellence of the formulae developed by the apothecary fathers, during the 18th century the fame of the pharmacy spread across national borders to reach such distant lands as Russia, the Indies and even China.

In 1800 following the confiscation of the church’s assets by the Italian government, in 1866 the company became a state owned enterprise. Later however it was ceded to Cesare Augusto Stefani, the nephew of the last monastic director, whose family acquired the name, the goodwill and the assets of the company and has since run the business for over four generations. With Eugenio Alphandery at the helm, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella both perpetuates and renews the ancient traditions of herbal care.

Using only natural raw materials of the highest quality and continuing to follow the ancient procedures originated by the Founding Fathers, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella focuses exclusively on the herbalist’s art, basing all its preparation on traditional herbs and oils of natural origin. The vast majority of the medical herbs used in its products are grown locally on the hills around Florence. Furthermore, none of it products are tested on animals.

Each  product tells a story. For example the precious Aqua della Regina perfume was originally created for Caterina de’ Medici, the queen of France,who made it popular throughout France,while the perfume produced by Giovanni Paolo Feminis, who moved Cologne in Germany in 1725, was named Eau De Cologne in honor of the city in which its producer lived.

What is even more interesting, while I stroll with my camera exploring ceilings with renaissance painted figures that have seen many important people passing by and Neogothic style cabinets  carrying displaying bottles of Liquore Mediceo,  Alkermes, Elisisr di China, Aceto dei Sette Ladri (smelling salts) and Aqua di Santa Maria  Novella (for controlling hysterics). This latter product was produced using a local herb recognized for its calming properties. in the sales room are filled with

The perfumes include a whole series of Eau de Colognes, essences and triple extracts ranging from the sweetest Iris, Rose and Gardenia scents to the more astringent Verbena and Vetiver oils or the delightful Aqua di Sicilia. The essences are also used in the production of  soaps which are left to mature in specially ventilated storage facilities as well as a range of  face and body creams which include an Almond paste , great for parched hands Polvere per bianchire le carni (an exfoliating powder), a cleansing milk and a tonic. The Officina produces also reconstructing shampoos and conditioners.

On my way to last room the Old Apothecary, now a herbalist shop I ask the sails person an old woman with a very bored look in her face what was exactly I was smelling around those walls, she answers me adding irony  in her face ” 500 years of aromas” I then realize without her kind help that they are Santa Maria Novella’s Pot Pourri- one of the company’s distinguishing products-is a mix of herbs and flowers from the Florentine hills, left to macerate in Impruneta terracotta Jars (orci). Once the real and proper heart of the company’s production facilities.

Next to it the Green Roomused until 1700 for serving the pharmacy ‘s specialty: a mixture of Alkermes, China Impruneta and chocolate syrup an extremely fashionably drink at the time. The museum is stored in the Old Laboratories and Storerooms of Officina Profumo di Santa Maria Novella‘s. Created with the aim of giving a new lease of life to the machinery as well as the precious glassware,antique ceramics and historic copper and bronze utensils which the company has gelously guarded throughout the troubled events of the centuries.

I decide to sit down, my hands full of  different overlapped creams, Eau de Colognes and  perfumes I stop a minute to reflect…All traditions have a history and few are the ones who have been able to keep them secretly intact and  religiously confirmed by the written word like the Officina . The original texts are luckily offered to us the visitors who have the chance of examine at our easy the details of what was kept once in the Sacristy together with a treasure chest and new specialist volumes.

Finally the aromatic garden is a perfect place for a peaceful reflection, an oasis which seems to have remained untouched for centuries. The aim of the museum is not only to inform those who normally use Officina di Santa Maria Novella products of the way in which they are prepared, but also to anyone wishing to view the magnificent history and superb craft of this pharmacy. Projected towards the future, but nevertheless conscious of the past.

Joelle’s Tips:

The pharmacy:

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA FLORENCE
Via della Scala, 16
011.39.055/216276

The products:

My favourite unissex : Aqua di Cologna Melograno Room essence :Carnation

Now luckily all exclusive Oficina Profumo di Santa Maria Novella products and other traditional European brands are imported and available for purchase on line and at their elegant showrooms in United States thanks to American company Lafco.

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA NEW YORK
285 Lafayette Street
+1 212.925.0001

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA LOS ANGELES
8411 Melrose Place
+ 1 323.651.3754

Salvatore Ferragamo may be turning 80 this year, but the Florentine fashion house shows no signs of slowing down just yet. Having made its name with leather goods (notably shoes and bags), luxury luggage and sunglasses, winning celebrity fans such as Claudia Schiffer and Nicole Kidman along the way.

It was the first Italian fashion house to diversify into travel and lifestyle. When the brand expanded to encompass boutique hotels, rural resorts, wineries and restaurants, it kicked off a trend that has quickly gained currency throughout the fashion world.

This forward-looking spirit is nothing new. Drawn to Florence by the city’s long tradition of craftsmanship, founder Salvatore Ferragamo made fashion history by inventing the wedge heel in 1937, and went on to pioneer sandals and ergonomically correct footwear.

He was the first celebrity shoemaker, making shoes for the likes of Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. He went so far as to claim he could judge a person’s character by touching their feet.

But the Ferragamo family has always had aspirations beyond footwear. And although justifiably proud of the brand and proud of the brand’s recent globalization, retaining its “Made in Italy” status is clearly non-negotiable.

Unlike Gucci, which was also founded in Florence, the Ferragamo brand thrives as a locally based, family-owned enterprise; the company is still ensconced in an ancient palace off the River Arno. Along with its shoe museum, its boutique hotels can be found all over the city. Above all else, this is an essentially Florentine brand — if it didn’t hail from the city, it would surely have to decamp there.

Florentine style is characterized by distinguersi, a desire to be singled out for one’s subtlety not flamboyance. Florentines are rarely fashion victims, and their stylishness transcends social status, wealth, taste, even beauty. More than any other house, the Ferragamo look embodies this ethos: craftsmanship above cool brands status, effortless chic and an understated urban elegance combined with a passion for rural living.

Dressed head to toe in Ferragamo, Salvatore’s eldest son Ferruccio, pours scorn on the idea that, sartorially speaking, Florence lags behind Milan: “Florentines dress more elegantly than other Italians.” he says. “The Italian fashion industry was born here, with the first haute couture shows in 1950s.”

Now at the helm of the company, Ferruccio attributes the firm ‘s success to his mother, who despite being “a simple housewife, assigned the six of us to roles in different sectors.” He has adopted a similar approach. His son James acts as accessories designer, while James’s twin brother, Salvatore Jr. runs Il Borro, the family’s Tuscan wine estate and rural resort.

However, falling back on the family business is anything but an easy option. Only three family members from the third generation are allowed to work for the firm at any one time, and jobs are offered with the caveats that “they’ve proven themselves elsewhere and there’s a suitable vacancy,” explains Salvatore. As he points out with alacrity, the competition between his 25 cousins is considerable. The family founded the Il Borro estate on similarly meritocratic principles.

Tucked away in the hills near Arezzo, it was originally a medieval village left in ruins after World War II. Salvatore says his father “had a vision of turning it into a rural resort and wine estate for trailblazing Super Toscans, rather than the traditional Chianti Classico.”

With its Geranium-clad cottages and geometric gardens, the resorts borders on perfection, but Salvatore insists on its authenticity. “It’s a wine estate resort and restored medieval village, not Disneyland,” he says.

Even so, it is featured in fashion shoots, even if the Ferragamo name is notably absent from the wine bottles here. As with the family’s hotels, this is a deliberate effort to keep the integrity of the original brand intact.

It’s perhaps not surprising that there’s no Ferragamo fashion outlet on the estate. Instead, several activities and craft workshops have been set up for a goldsmith, a carpenter, a ceramist, a glass maker and, of course a cobbler — a reminder of Ferragamo’s shoe-making heritage.

And it’s here that you’ll find the very essence of the Ferragamo lifestyle. A typical day might start with a family football match against a Florentine team, followed by a lunch of Spaghetti alla Menta (spaghetti tossed in buttery mint) at the estate inn, washed down with Il Borro wine.

Rather like an Italian Ralph Lauren, the Ferragamo family offers romanticized idyll of rural life…

Except with slightly chicer footwear!

Joelle’s Tips:

Source: Lisa Gerard Sharp – Bthere Magazine August 2008/ Photo Credit: Salavatore Ferragamo Museum all rights reserved

The store flagship: Salavatore Ferragamo: 4-14 r Via Tornabuoni

The Exhibition Creativity in Color: Ferragamo Museum Piazza Trinita 5r. Florence. Tel +39 055 33 60 475 Watch the virtual tour

The hotels and apartments lie on both sides of River Arno. Most are clustered around Ponte Vecchio. Some of these boltholes are designed for people watching, others for privacy

• Palazzo Capponi: 1, Lungarno Guicciardini, a grand frescoed pile

• Continentale: 6 r Vicolo dell’ Oro is a hip hotel with a retro feel, black and white photography and views over the famous bridge

• Gallery Hotel Art: 5,Vicolo dell’Ortowas Florence first design hotel,and still appeals to the fashion ser

• Lungarno Suites: 14 Lungarno Accianoli are luxurious serviced apartments set in Palazzi on the river. For more details, visit lungarnohotels tel +39 05527264000

The private tour: Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, not to be missed by all means! 5r Piazza Santa Trinita. Exhibits here include shoes made for Hollywood stars and the mistresses of Hitler and Mussolini.

Fans of Interiors: Lungarno Details 4,Lungarno Acciaiuoli the family’s Florentine design store. The objects can be found in the various hotels.

The Michelin Starred Canteen: Borgo San Yacopo 62 Borgo San Yacopo tel +39 055 281661 is the family’s Michelin-starred ‘canteen’ overlooking Ponte Vecchio

Tuscan Countryside:

• Villa Delle Rose 2,Via Brancolano, Tavarnuzze. tel +39 055 27264000 in Chianti.
• Il Borro + 39 055 977053 near Arezzo, which offers wine tasting, golf, riding, hunting and hot-air ballooning.
• Osteria del Borro , a rural inn where you can take gastronomic courses

Throughout the centuries it has been a tradition for Italian nobility to be patrons to great artists. Villa Mangiacane stays true to this tradition, sponsoring on-site artists from Zimbabwe and abroad, and numerous art exhibition openings.

The best time for a walk is in the early evening, prior to sunset. Colors reach a degree of saturation which is ideal for photo-shoots or for just admiring the splendid collection of art and sculptures integrated in the composition of centennial trees, water basins, small lemon trees in terracotta vases, and iron benches in a quiet retreat, not to mention the vast, almost infinite renaissance perspective of olive groves upon San Casciano’s hills.

Most of the profits go to deserving African charities and the remaining profits are reinvested to support the Shona Art Sculptors in Zimbabwe and to promote their work by enabling them to gain international recognition and exposure.

As you pace amongst the myriad masterpieces in the ‘Giardino della Scultura‘ with its backdrop of nature, your eye travels in time as it moves across a spectrum the includes Lithuanian cubism and Zimbabwean Shona Sculptures.

The Villa Mangiacane Estate stretches over 300 hectares with very versatile locations for any photographic or film shoot. This Renaissance haven is an efficient location that offers a high variety of  “ready to use” settings with great props: opulent chairs, artworks, textures and materials indoors as well as the Tuscan forest, vineyards, olive groves and the famous sculpture garden outdoors.

I realize that not only myself and Cosmopolitan magazine, but also Award winning Norwegian photographer Petter Hegre — who studied at the Brooks Institute of Photography in California and worked for Richard Avedon before returning to Europe — that have enjoyed the inspiration of the magical garden at the Villa. Hegre, who published six books and whose work has been exhibited internationally, is known for being the pioneer of a new photographic genre called ‘The New Nude’, challenging ingrained views on the female nude.

Just as the Renaissance sculptors believed that a masterpiece lay dormant in every stone, and that artist simply awakens it- Villa Mangiacane itself has awakened to embrace a new era…

By the way if you happen to be in the neighborhood check out the Giardino because a container full of new art work in on its way at this time, to live by the Olive trees through eternity…

Giotto

Dour and medieval from the outside, Florence is so steeped in the fabulous Renaissance that it’s easy to mistake that she’s actually rather a stylish little kitten. So go on get art and about.

Exquisitely walkable, Florence is divided nicely down the middle by the Arno River, the north side of which is home to most of the main monuments and museums; The tourist-swamped Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi and Centro Storico (World Heritage UNESCO) at dead center. Santa Maria Novella and label-land Via Tornabuoni to the west, the Duomo and San Marco to the north, and Santa Croce due east. The south side of the Arno, Oltrarno is the city Rive Gauche, packed with artisan shops and atmosphere.

Here are some tips in case you decide suddenly to visit; by the way, you’ll need to know only two Italian phrases: Ciao Belloccia/Belloccio (Hello Gorgeous) and Vien Via, andiamo (come on, let’s go)

The Restaurants

Enoteca Pinchiorri: Serious occasion dining, calls for 3 Michelin stars, a 150,000 – bottle cellar, over 200 wines by the glass, abundant crystal and pale pink linen and tasting menu that starts st 225 Euros. Via Ghibbellina, 87 r Santa Croce +39055242757

BSJ: Designed by Mr. Bonan (a darling of Ferragamo’s) the chic-temporary whites and dark woods, pictures window over the Arno, and tiny, two table terrace (perfect for moon spooning) make for a relaxed sophisticated eve. Lungarno Hotels-Borgo San Yacopo. 62r Oltrarno/ +39 055 281661

Trattoria 4 Leoni: Teal and tiles and orange tablecloths inside, but snag a parasol table on the delightful piazza terrace and hoover the classical local treats, divertimento. Via de Vellutini,1r (piazza della Passera) Oltrarno /+ 39 055 218562

Coffee, Cake & Chocolate

Rivoire: My favorite, this peach tablecloth and woven chair haven of artisan cacao and scandalous pastries serves probably the finest hot chocolate (cioccolata con panna ) in the world. Via Vacchereccia, 4r/ Piazza della Signoria /+39055 214 412

Dolci e dolcezze: Assuming no responsibility for your figure after visiting. Disgracefully decadent, ultra-dense, fudgy chocolate cake, made with fine Swiss and Belgian ingredients and creamy Maremma butter, the best in town. Stay away at all cost! Piazza Beccaria, 8r/ Sant’ Ambrogio +39 055 234 5458

Ice-cream

Forget the fluorescent dollopy rubbish you see all over town, the fresh, additive-free, handmade ice-creams you will find at the emporium below, are the finest in the city.

Badiani: Take the best Vanilla ice cream you’ve ever tasted multiply it by eight, and you have patented ‘Buonvalenti’ flavor. The taxi you need to taste it is well worth it…Viale dei Mille, 208 / +39 055578 682

Sites, Museums & Activities

Florence has no museum pass system. This pathetic state of affairs can be seriously deleterious to your enjoyment unless you are organized. Two words, book ahead — you’ll reduce your queueing time considerably. Have your passport or driver’s license if you wish to hire an audio guide or better yet, hire a personal one! This city is literally one huge, glorious, easily walkable treasure chest. Here are the favorite, big, small, famed and lesser so. Have yourself your very own Renaissance but do not try to do everything at once. After all it took more that 60 years for an artist to accomplish one single door.

The Uffizzi: Despite being poorly laid out and presented, with its perilously ‘organized’ entry queueing system, it’s nonetheless completely unmissable. Piazzale degli Uffizzi ,6/+39055 294883

Accademia: The David is one of those unique life moments, and while Michelangelo was the classic ADD artist, even his unfinished work amazes — the prisoners emerging from their blocks of stone are haunting. The plaster gals in the Bartolini Gallery are destined to be forever wallflowers. Via Ricasoli, 58 /+39055238609

Santa Croce: Giotto’s divine 14th Century Bardi Chapel frescoes, the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, the soothing serenity of the Pazzi Chapel, and the Museo dell’Opera accessible from inside the complex in the Leather School. Piazza Santa Croce /+ 39 055 246 61 05

Bardini and Boboli Gardens: The Bardini‘s manicured tiers provide prime peeps of the city and the ticket price include the entrance to the adjoining Boboli Gardens, the Pitti Palace costume museum and glitzy Medici treasury. Enter Bardini at Via dei Bardi /+39 055 265 1816

Shops I Like

Borsalino: 150 years of making hats and still way ahead of its time for flawless panamas and smoking motorbike helmets. Via Porta Rossa, 40r Centro / +39 055 283 354.

Loretta Caponi: “Aristoctratic embroidery” Not bad right? The softest silk and cashmere classic lingerie, bed, bath, trousseau and even baptismal gowns. Piazza Antinori, 4r Centro + 39 055 213 668

The Mall: The outlet for Gucci, Pucci, Valentino, Armani, Hogan and other made in Italy brands Via Europa 8, Leccio/Reggello /+39 0558657775

Simone Abbarchi: Made to order, custom-measured men’s shirts using Italian silks, Irish linens and Egyptian cotton from 100 Euros. Borgo San Frediano, 143r/ +39 055 210 552

The perfect Travel Guide: Luxe City Guides/ Florence from which I have been inspired and my precious source for this post.

Divertitevi! (have fun!)

I have a few hours before my last dinner at the Villa. I decide to pack.  I organize my catalogs, books, BlackBerry, computers, wine and olive oil gifts, licorice sticks, Aqua di Cologna, pretty notebooks and cards. I decide to isolate myself and meditate as I always do every time a trip is over.

It’s always questioning a new way I will approach everything I have seen, the people — always so interesting — that I have met, and the way I will assimilate it in order to be able to write, respecting as well as I can the truth of my insights and the reality inside the lives of the local people and their culture.

The Naduska spa is just beyond the Giardino della Scultura among the Tuscan landscape of vineyards and olive trees. Only such a spectacular environment could offer the perfect sanctuary for the relaxation I need at this moment. A little rejuvenation won’t hurt.

As I go down the stairs of a little doorway, almost inaccessible due to the heavy leafy plants around it, I hear a calming noise of running water. Wow!!!! What am I seeing? What an amazing, long pool. Maybe only two meters wide, just perfect for a Nymphea to swim by herself.

I slowly immerse my hand to get a warm sensation of perfectly heated temperature but suddenly the water color changes from gray to purple, the color of spiritual transformation, then to aquamarine, the color of hope and relaxation…to a Burnt Sienna color of visualization and positive energy… This pool, inspired by the roman baths, changes color every few minutes.

I get changed into a tiny Brazilian bathing suit, swim for a while, then step into the Jacuzzi. In the relaxation area, there are all kind of herbal teas, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle magazines from Paris, London, and Milan. Surrounded by suggestive lighting and mosaics, I feel in a kind of underground temple.

There is some kind of magic in the atmosphere, maybe extreme relaxing solitude. Without realizing it, I have gently closed my eyes, abandoning myself to the sound of the running water through a composition of Tuscan stones and Fior di Pesco Carnicio blocks of marble from Carrara in subtle peach color. Very rare my friends!

I decide to indulge myself with a relaxing massage with the Officina dei Tornabuoni Princess Viki aroma therapeutic oil. You won’t believe the active ingredients it contains! Want to hear it? Bisabolol, Sweet Almond oil, Avocado oil, Rice bran oil, Olive oil, Calendula, Shea butter, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Chamomile extract.

The treatment room is darkly lit, not far from the gym and the old cellars. Its ceiling has very, very old bricks all around Gelsomino (jasmine) scented candles and two massage beds where I am immediately asked in a soft Italian voice to lay down and forget where I am… How can I?

The warm oil on my skin fills every pore and the pure non-greasy blend of food-quality cold-pressed oils of Sweet Almond, Avocado, Rice bran, Olive, and Calendula, along with nourishing Shea butter and soothing Chamomile made me absolutely forget where I was for one hour.

These natural therapeutic products are locally produced using mostly plants and herbs from the Tuscan countryside. The holistic, total approach to beauty and well-being enables my mind and my body that soothing inspiration that I needed.

Last step, the Turkish-style sauna. All Italian marble mosaics from Bisazza, color changes alternating with each other according to the different intensitys of the vapors. I brought my camera, it’s in the pocket of my robe.. I will never be able to capture what I am seeing; there is too much steam. Et voila, it’s done!

I am now ready to leave dear Naduska — named, by the way, after the owner’s fiancee; I will meditate and also ask for a spa named after me from my new and next love relationship. (I’ve always thought you get inspiration on your travels!!) Oh… and in order to reinforce this through the law of attraction technique, I am taking with me from the Naduska Spa, the Oficina de Tornabuoni Love – Aromatherapy Shower Gel Collection: L – relaxing, O – Sensuality, V – Revitalizing, E – Harmony. And then just watch!

Arriverderci Villa Mangiacane. Thank you for having me and please check out my roundabouts in the Florentine Lifestyle edition newsletter. I will certainly mention you!

Joelle

Joelle’s Tips:

The Spa:

Naduska Spa – Villa Mangiacane- Via Faltignano 4,
San Casciano 50026 Firenze Italia
for reservations :
Tel No. +39 055 8290123
Fax No. +39 055 8290358
E-mail : info@mangiacane.it

Holistic therapeutic and beauty products from Tuscany :

I rush into the Villa’s Giardino Aromatico (herb garden restaurant) where I have a delicious breakfast made of local tarts and a fresh fruit punch. I am very excited. I have never done this in my life!

The Mangiacane estate overlooks Florence, just 10 kilometers away, and spans 306 hectares. It is situated between San Casciano Val di Pesa and Greve in Chianti, at an altitude of 250/300 meters.

I am wearing my Havaianas from Brazil and a very light dress.  From afar I hear voices of men speaking in Arabic with a Moroccan accent. They are workers from the vineyards. I can see they are meticulously picking off the dry grape leaves.

Paolo Barzagli, who is a typically handsome Italian man but with fair hair and blue eyes, is the director of Villa Mangiacane. He supervised all of the reconstruction with its complicated details (including a permit that took more than 7 years for altering the position of a window!). He talks to the workers firmly in Italian, but with the kindness of a true Renaissance man.

Offering to accompany me on the walk, he explains to my New York mind that the diversity of soils and exposures to the east and northeast in San Casciano, and to the south in Greve generate different microclimates and guarantee the production of wines with great complexity and personality.

He notices the intrigued look in my eyes and goes further, inviting me to a special dinner where all the Mangiacane wines, Grappas and rose wines will be experienced and tasted in the old cellar by candlelight.

But first I should know more about their production. I hardly listen to him.  The strong light, the grapes and the Tuscan sky distract me, and my camera is far too busy for me to retain all the information. We proceed deeper into the beautiful forest near the hilltop between the towns of Greve, Radda and Castellina, which form a triangle in the very heart of Chianti.

Greve, Paolo explains, is named after the river that runs through it; it is the chief town of the Chianti Classico wine zone and home to Chianti‘s largest wine fair, held every September. He asks me if I’ll be in Florence during that period. We are both tired after the long walk. Maybe the helicopter would have been a better choice.

We enter the new cellar that was extensively modernized in 2001. It’s impressive and extremely technological. I still have those images of men crushing the harvested grapes with their bare feet in large wood barrels (to music no less!)…but that era is long over.

Paolo proudly tells me that Villa Mangiacane produces 80,000 bottles a year, mainly Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. wines, but it also produces I.G.T wines (typical geographical indication). I am already imagining Tanja and Pierre upstairs in the Villa preparing everything for tonight’s dinner in the magnificent candlelight setting of the old cellar.

Paolo says they will expect me at eight o’clock and he will join us a little later upon returning from Florence. After this spectacular day, I’ll relax for a while in the luxurious sauna at the Naduska Spa, get dressed and be fresh and ready to experience the enchanting Tuscan wine tasting evening.

I am sleepy, a little dizzy… but I insist in enumerating my winners:

• Riserva: Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. Variety:  Sangiovese 85%, Canaiolo 10%, Colorino 5% Production area: San Casciano Val di Pesa, Greve in Chianti, harvest method: hand-picked,  Fermentation tanks: stainless steel vats, Fermentation : 27° C with temperature control, length of fermentaton 7-8 days, aging 12 months in French
• Aleah: I.G.T. Toscana. Variety: 100% Merlot , San Casciano, Val di Pesa, 5000 plants/ha, hand picked, stainless vats, 26° C with temperature control, length of fermentation 10 days, bottle aging period 18 months in French oak barriques (80% new), natural purification.
• Villa Mangiacane: Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. Variety:  85% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, Production area: San Casciano, Val di Pesa, Greve in Chianti 5500 plants/ha in the old vineyard, hand picked, 27° C temperature control 7-8 days fermentation aging: 12 months in French oak barriques (10% new) natural purification.

Grappas, Champagne, Aqua San Pellegrino and Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva in freshly baked bread with rosemary were served all night during tastings. A wonderful zucchini salad was prepared by chef Boucuse.

Petter Hegre‘s muse being harvested with the wine in a black and white picture and present in one of the wine labels stared at me all evening almost as a kind of a ghost. Too bad she couldn’t appreciate the intensity of the “ruby-ness” of of the young Shamiso rose against the light of a warm Tuscan sunset over the San Casciano hills. And now, off to sleep…

Joelle’s Tips:

Wine Tastings at Villa Mangiacane and Helicopter tours :

Arrive in style at local wine farms by helicopter for an exhilarating wine tour with a twist. Your helicopter ride will start from the doorsteps of Villa Mangiacane and your pilot will escort you Tuscany’s best known wine estates.  Villa Mangiacane will inform you on the top estates to visit and will arrange private transfers and arrange bookings at these estates. info@ villamangiacane.it

Gift ideas:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 0.500 lt Eu 12.00 per bt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 0.250 lt Eu 9.00 per bt

GIFT box of 3 bottles (Chianti Classico, Riserva, Aleah) Eu 70.00

Contact info:

Martina Marini

Wine Sales Department

Villa Mangiacane

Via Faltignano, 4

50026 San Casciano VP – Florence

Tel.: +39 055 829 0123 – Fax.: +39 055 829 0358

Email: martina@mangiacane.it

Skype: martinamangiacane

Link.: www.mangiacane.com

After so many years I have now arrived here, and as a story teller myself, I am craving to hear it s story and write it for you. And in case you are a Renaissance dreamer, a connoisseur of high art, a celebrator of life, a lover of simple pleasures, a passion seeker or an incurable romantic sit back, and enjoy the ride!

This is the story of the ancient and powerful Machiavelli family, how they courted power and distilled it into their home, Villa Mangiacane.

Nestled in the heart of the famed wine-making region of Chianti Classico, (between Siena and Florence) the villa keeps its watchful eye over the haunting Arno Valley, framing within its arches the nearby Dome of the Cathedral and  Giotto’s Bell Tower and holds within what is considered a tempestuous marriage of art and vine.

The 15th century villa set on this incomparable setting is imbued with history and culture. And for those who seek the opportunity to live within the character of an informal luxurious private home as an authentic Tuscan villa living where luxury, art and history blend together seamlessly, this is the right place to be!

Its name (which in Italian means “the dog that eats” or, “eat the dog”), refers to the imposing stone dog sculptures atop its gate’s pillars that were used to guard the villa. Set amongst 600 acres of lush vineyards, olive groves and forest, the magnificent 15th century villa bears the unmistakable mark of the Renaissance master Michelangelo.

The Villa was built by Cardinal Francesco Maria Macchiavelli (the uncle of Nicolo Machiavelli) thanks to the substantial commissions given him by Pope Urban VIII, and was sold by the Machiavelli’s in 1645 to the aristocratic family of Marchesi Mazzei (who kept it until the mid-20th century). Villa Mangiacane‘s fortune rose and fell over the course of the century.

The owner, Glynn Cohen, a successful entrepreneur from South Africa bought Villa Mangiacane in 2000 when it was practically in ruins, and he has brought it back to its former splendor with the help of the grand Florentine restoration expert, Gianclaudio Papasoglu Tacca and Cape Town based interior designer Ralph Krall.

On our arrival, a very pretty blonde young lady from South Africa, Tanja, welcomes us with a large smile while opening the door of a small and elegant room used for receiving guests.

We are kindly offered inviting fresh lemonade and handed a Capodimonte bowl filled with large green apples while the villa’s director Juan Miguel silently photocopies our passports in a small hidden back office.

Tanja sits with us on the comfortable vintage burgundy velvet upholstered couches, giving us information about the region’s activities such as wine tasting, culinary courses with chef Massimo Bocus, a drive to Florence and Forte dei Marmi for the day (I spent my childhood Summers there), bike rides through the olive groves or just an opportunity to chill-out by the magnificent pool and garden surrounded by beautiful sculptures from Zimbabwean artists.

We are shown our room. Out of the spectacular  28 guest accommodations all different from each other, mine is the spacious but cozy suite number 25. It’s located in the annexed old loggia surrounding the vineyards and close to the main pool. It has a small private garden, with a modern indoor jacuzzi.

The outdoor jacuzzi looks more like a small antique bath when illuminated at night. Close by, waiting for me to sit, is a red cushioned Italian style reclining chair under a “Wi-Fi’ed ” pine tree. I can already see that it will be exactly what I need to find inspiration when writing on my blog about this small piece of paradise.

Mr. Cohen’s presence can be found all around the Villa especially in pictures of his family and friends, neatly organized in heavy photo albums and charming silver frames over a piano in one of the living rooms of the Villa which overlook the breathtaking view of Florence from the loggia. Parties are thrown here all the time, all excuses are good enough to celebrate the launch of a new wine named after his daughter, a wedding ceremony like the Rochild’s last year, or simply drinking around a table on the occasion of friend’s a birthday.

When asked about his dream come true, he answered that his idea has been to produce fine modern wines in a setting that could offer “old world” hospitality to its guests and friends. “The exceptional Tuscan landscape combining human artistry with nature’s beauty.”

I wonder if Michelangelo already knew!

Joelle’s Tips:

The Villa : Villa Mangiacane

Via Faltignano 4, San Casciano 50026 Firenze Italia
Tel No. +39 055 8290123 / Fax No. +39 055 8290358
E-mail : info@mangiacane.it

Activities at Villa Mangiacane:

Wine Tasting

Cooking Lessons with Chef Massimo Bocus:

Classes will be held with Chef Massimo Bocus, a young, engaging and passionate culinary professional using Italian cuisine with an international twist. You will also learn specialty dishes that vary with the seasons and include: handcrafted Caserecce (pasta with broccoli), toasted pine nuts and black truffle, red tuna and porcini mushrooms sautéed on Tuscan bread, soup or Irish beef loin filled with foie grass served with a Tuscan Vin Santo reduction. Cooking lessons are held every week daily in the morning starting at around 11 am, followed by a cooking class that lasts about 3 hours and followed by lunch with the executive chef.

Cost is Euro 170 per person including lunch. Alternatively it can be booked as a part of the “Flavors of Chianti” book package. Classes are hosted all year except when closed between (10 January and 10 March approximately). E-mail : info@mangiacane.it

OH AND YOU LOVED THIS RECIPE!
Here is the Fresh Zucchini salad recipe:

Ingredients:

5 medium sized zucchinis (must be light green in color and preferably flowering)
4 tablespoons of Pine nuts (toasted)
2 sprigs of fresh marjoram
Rocket Parmesan shavings to garnish

2 table spoons of fresh lemon juice
4 table spoons of grape seed oil
Maldon salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method:

Finely slice the zucchinis and place in a bowl. Add pine nuts and marjoram (stalk removed). Season with Maldon salt and ground white pepper. Dress with grape seed oil and mix. Allow the salad to “rest” for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and mix again.

To serve:

Place rocket leaves on plate and place salad on top and garnish with freshly shaved parmesan. Best enjoyed with a glass of Villa Mangiacane Shimiso Rose.

Buon Appetito!

The world renowned Chianti wine growing region was designated in 1716 describing the region near the villages of Gaiole, Castellina and Radda in Chianti. The so-called Lega del Chianti and later Provincia del Chianti was completely re-drawn 1932. Today it is divided in seven sub-areas: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rafina.

At the Florence airport, next to a chic Salvatore Ferragamo outdoor, owner Angelo ‘s driver of Naples-based Turco Global Service was waiting for us with the keys of the magnificent Maserati Grand Turismo rented for the brief stay in the region. We thanked the charming driver with dark glasses (I imagined Persol) and quickly jumped into the car. It’s a sunny and warm day. On the A11 highway South towards Rome we exit at the Firenze Certosa exit.

Following precise instructions, after about half hour we pass through the minute town of Tavarnuzze until we find on the right a crossroad with a little bridge just after a restaurant called ‘Scopeti ‘ and after about a three kilometer drive, we arrive in a small village called S. Andrea in Percussina. This is exactly where we are supposed to be.

On our right, we see the sign for the restaurant “Tavernetta Machiavelli” — the old house of the intriguing philosopher. We turn right once more, at our right we see from afar a big terracotta villa reigning over a large vineyard.

A sign: “Fattoria Mangiacane” and two statues of Nepolitano Mastinos on the gate posts. I am holding my breath tensely. We have arrived at the impressive Mangiacane estate. Watch!

Joelle’s Tips:

The Luxury Car rentals: Turco Global Service:

Office Divisions: Capri/Sorrento/ Costa Smeralda/ Bologna
Tel. +39 081 19575148 – Fax +39 081 5746110
napoli@turcoglobalservice.it

The Restaurant: One of the oldest Historic sites of Italy! Alberghetto Tavernetta Macchiavelli Via Scopeti 64- Sant’Andrea in Percussina -50026 – San Casciano Val di Pesa, Florence

Tel:+39 055 828471 / Fax:+39 055 828471