Europe 2010

Scott and Erica Lindstrom-Dake

Thumbprint Villa, Montaione - Le Cascine

          June 12-19, 2010  A Very Very Cool Trip         
24+ Showed up for this one...all self-starters again!
This was the one in Tuscany, Italy!!!!!
Seven days in a Tuscan Villa with our own private Chef - Robert
 

We just finished a trip to a Tuscan Villa with our vintner Scott Lindstrom (winemaker), of Thumbprint Wine Cellars, home in Sonoma valley at Healdsburg, CA.  The best wine I had in Italy was only a runner-up to Scott's big reds.  Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and his blends are excellent.  Seven days at a sprawling Villa in Tuscany with our own private chef.  The hard part of this week would prove to be to journey out on the Italian country roads in search of the family or small vineyard and winery.  We would taste the available Super Tuscans, Brunellos and Brunello Risservas , Chianti Classicos and the local Merlot/Cabernet/Sangiovese blends....then bring the favored selections back to the villa and share our discoveries for the day, swirling and sipping deep into the savory mode.  Of course we had many stories to tell that went with all of the exploration.  We ate the foods our chef would prepare for us (totally Italian in substance and character).  What a rough life only to find the next day would take us to a new journey in search of a village to walk and wine to find.  Now we did this for six long days and evenings having to eat on the road...actually it was on the side of the road in some quaint little "ristoranti" overlooking the valley or some vineyard.  By now I am sure you feel our pain.  As you are able and motivated to see the slideshows, click on each to watch a Flash slide-show of the many places we saw.