Tuscan wine and food

It is impossible a job to make Fiorentina’s draw at Pacos in the Europa league of any interest to you so I thought I would tell you about Tuscan wine especially as I watched the game in the company of Master of Wine Andrea Rinaldi.

Andrea insisted we tried the Castellare wine. it is less known that those two heavy hitters the Antinori and Frescabaldi good as they are. It had a taste that was both mellow and earthy, rich and juicy. Indeed so good was it and so bad the football that I took little persuading to have a second bottle Chianti is not up there with Brunello, Barolo and Amarone as the greatest Italian wine, under deservedly so but you would accuse me of bias as a Florentine. The other well known but more popular wine of the region is The Montepulciano not to be confused with the one of the same name from Abruzzo. I asked Andrea to recommend a white and he pronounced the Montecarlo from Lucca to be zesty and good value.

To tell a good Chianti it should have a black cock and number as I am afraid quote a lot of pig swill is passed as Chianti, so do be careful and it’s worth paying that little bit extra for that stamp. A chianti is best enjoyed with one of our Florentine steaks. I had the pleasure of enjoying both and the company of Daphne Colthard last year at our famous Enoteca restaurant. The prices are not for the fainthearted, € 70 for a main dish and – as Daphne said – and she was not joking, it’s the only restaurant she knows where the sous sommelier starts by taking you though the choice of water. I am afraid in such a restaurant you eat in the company of rich tourists and bankers and most Florentines can mark your card with local trattoria like Cobreo .

I hope your readers are not too disappointed that there is so little on Fiorentina’s draw at Pacos. The reality is we have already qualified for the next stage and its more important to conserve our troops for the key match against Hellas Verona, the Southampton of the serie A ,on Monday.