Back to Panzano!

Nina in Chianti is back in Panzano

My #CiantiClassico craving has been satisfied

The time has come - my #SehnsuchtChiantiClassico has come to an end! Because at the moment I'm writing these lines, I'm sitting in my favorite spot in Panzano in Chianti, my feet on the little stone wall, my laptop on my lap. The vineyards are a lush green, my café smells of lavender and the bees are buzzing eagerly. 

Yes, I have put an end to my longing wait and made my way to Tuscany. Now I'm finally back here in my beloved Panzano! And what can I say: it's soooooooo nice for me to be back here, to meet my friends and to see that everyone is doing well, that life goes on. I've met a lot of people and spoken to a lot of people in the last few days - and I want to tell you a bit about that today.

Finally back "at home" in Panzano!

As you all know, the borders to Italy were reopened on June 15 and 16, 2020. In other words, you can now enter and leave Italy from Austria or Germany again. The only exception: Lombardy, which is still subject to a travel warning. There was no stopping me and I made my way to Panzano with my husband. We left Salzburg in the pouring rain and it was still bucketing down at the Brenner Pass. But when I spotted the Italian border sign through the veil of rain, there was no stopping my emotions. What a feeling to be able to cross the border again, to be allowed to rejoin my friends. 

🇮🇹 Italia 🇮🇹

It was finally allowed to cross the border to Italy again in mid-June

Just this much: I also sent this photo to my friends in Panzano - along the lines of "I'm on my way!" And what can I say: so much joy, so much happiness and so many tears of joy - but as you know, those are the most beautiful... It's just as well that my husband was at the wheel. When we arrived in Panzano at lunchtime, we drove straight to the Enoteca Baldi on the piazza in Panzano for lunch. It was like coming home: So many people greeted us! So many people were happy with us that we were back! And how happy we were to be back!

Finally "at home" again: on the piazza in Panzano in Chianti

The corona rules in Italy

All greetings and meetings will of course take place in compliance with all hygiene rules, with the appropriate distance - one meter must be maintained between people who do not live in the same household - and with a mask. Masks are still compulsory in Italy in stores, pharmacies, when entering and leaving restaurants and in all public facilities and means of transport. The rules are comparable to the regulations that applied in Germany and Austria until recently.

Mady by Nina in Chianti

Mouth and nose protection from the Vino al Vino carrier bags of recent years

Everything the connoisseur's heart desires

In all the restaurants, the tables have been moved apart to create more space and distance and this actually works very well. But as is usual in Panzano at this time of year anyway, life very often takes place outside in the fresh air, which makes it much easier to observe the distancing rules. Some restaurants are open as normal, some have limited opening hours and a few offer their dishes as take-away. But even that can be nice: Enjoying the sunset on your own terrace with excellent food from the ristorante. If you want to eat out, I would recommend calling a day or two in advance and reserving a table. That way you can be sure that the restaurant you want is open and that you have a seat.

Fantastic conditions for a vacation in Tuscany

Of course, the tourist situation is a little paradoxical at the moment: for guests, it is a dream in Chianti and throughout Tuscany. There are almost no tourists around. It's a bit like the relaxed atmosphere in February, where you only come across a few guests. The difference is that it is warm now, everything is green and in bloom and you can go swimming in the pools of the agriturismo - and usually quite undisturbed. And it is precisely these plus points for tourists that are of course an absolute disaster for all those who live from tourism in Tuscany.

My friends, my winemakers

Of course, I have also spent the last few days visiting my friends and wineries and chatting with them: Marco Ricasoli at Rocca di Montegrossi, Michael Schmelzer at Monte Bernardi, Vicky Schmitt-Vitali at Le Fonti and Alessia Riccieri from the Gagliole winery at La Valetta. We talked to them about how they are doing at the moment and what they expect from the coming months. They all agree on one thing: from a purely meteorological point of view, it has been an exceptionally beautiful spring, the likes of which we haven't seen for years. This meant that all the work in the vineyard could be carried out without any problems - but of course with some delay. So the hope remains that "at least" the 2020 vintage will be an excellent one. In any case, a vintage that we will all remember.

A visit to the new Gagliole winery with Alessia Riccieri

There is also news to report from Enoteca Baldi. The next generation took over the helm last year: Eleonora, Mimmo's eldest daughter, and her partner Gianmaria now run the wine shop and look after the guests in service. Mimmo himself and his second daughter Kika wield the cooking spoons and conjure up real delicacies in the small cucina, which are best enjoyed at a shady table directly on the piazza. An added bonus: thanks to Gianmaria's passion for wine, the wine list has grown considerably. Eleonora and Gianmaria also had a new addition in January. However, due to Corona, Gianmaria's mother was only able to see the baby for the first time in June.

The Enoteca Baldi on the piazza in Panzano in Chianti

Others, on the other hand, sometimes wished for a little more "distance" from the family: Elisa from the Rocca di Montegrossi winery, for example, spent six weeks with her two children in an apartment that they were not allowed to leave. So it's hardly surprising that every Friday that Elisa was "allowed" to work in the office at the winery was like a little vacation. In one way or another, the coronavirus quarantine was a difficult time for families and for Italy as a whole. A painful time that will probably leave its scars. A time that now seems to have been overcome for the time being. 

Nevertheless - or perhaps precisely because of this - I can only warmly recommend that everyone spend their vacation here in Chianti, in the heart of Tuscany, right now. Of course, always keep your distance and keep a sense of proportion. Avoiding crowds of people is not too difficult here at the moment. The number of infections in Tuscany and especially in Chianti has been and remains low. At the moment, you have the chance to experience this region in a way that won't happen again soon. And if Corona has taught me anything, it's that you should seize and enjoy every moment!

Vacation in Chianti - here at Il Palagio di Panzano