A QUAINT VILLA ON A HILLTOP IN TUSCANY
“Where the hell are you going?”
“Don’t worry… its scarier looking than oooops, 2nd gear…”
“Yeah… you better watch it buddy…“O…O…E…E…” watch that curve!”
“Chill babe… I've been up and down this road a hundred times [on Google].”
“Yeah… in your dreams…“O…O…E…E… Down Shift…Down Shift!”
So started our first nighttime ascent up the veerrryyy steeeeepppp and loooonnnng and wiiiinnnding road to Il Pianaccio, but first a word about the trip from Verona
Long, Dark, Fast, and Winding, [OK 5 words] not to mention the wet roads from the rain. Apparently a real gully washer and one I'm glad that we miraculously missed or going up the veeeerrryyy. [Ok-] road to Il Pianaccio a lot more treacherous.
First there was the most interesting entrance into Montale from Autostrada A11, orchestrated by non other than the Google Map hating Dragon Lady. Can you say a serious lot of girare-u’s??? and don’t even mention Vialle Giusseppe Garibaldi to her for fear of incurring her wrath.
She swears “Giardelli…Gibralter...or Giralda” [as she has taken to calling him] DOES NOT EXIST. Google Directions not withstanding, Chucky’s “daylight” recollections of the route are useless in the dark, they must have passed , gone round and round and round the same 3 rotundas more times than they can remember, until Chucky finally spots a familiar [yeah… right] landmark and the sign for… you guessed it… G. Garibaldi [in very small print] in the center of the first circle.
She swears “Giardelli…Gibralter...or Giralda” [as she has taken to calling him] DOES NOT EXIST. Google Directions not withstanding, Chucky’s “daylight” recollections of the route are useless in the dark, they must have passed , gone round and round and round the same 3 rotundas more times than they can remember, until Chucky finally spots a familiar [yeah… right] landmark and the sign for… you guessed it… G. Garibaldi [in very small print] in the center of the first circle.
“Now I know where we are… sorta,” he declares as he pulls up to a local and asks:
“Signore, per favore… questa strada e Vialle Martiri della Liberta, e la direcione a Fratelli Masini?”
“Si, Si Si prendere sempre dritto, a la secundo semaforo, gira destra?”
“Got It!... Grazie Mille, - We go to the 2nd Semaforo [traffic light] and turn right.... Ahhh yes… I know this street… I've been her many times…”
“I'll bet you have… NOT… Damn…. Your giving me whip lash with this stalling out… get it in 1st gear, not 3rd!!!”
Chucky is having a little difficulty in finding 1st gear periodically [Curse you Henry Ford and your off center 5 speed diesel shifter in this roller skate of a car] resulting in an irate whiplashed Dragon Lady.
Maneuvering the narrow lane of Fratelli Masini which becomes Via XX Settembre which becomes via Maone e Casselo, which finally leads to the loooonnnng and wiiiiindng… [yeaah – Ok] – Road up the hill and the opening dialogue.
And boy was it loooonnggg and steeeeppp and OK… OK…. And very dark, and very wet, and very gravelly road “O…O…E…E…” making traction in the roller skate Ford Focus, a true joy. At the turn into the last alley up to the Agriturismo, Chucky down shits to 3rd again instead of 1st promptly stalling out on a particularly steep stretch but recovers and blows past the narrow and steep entrance to Il Pianaccio. He lets the car glide backwards preparing for a run at the VEEEEERRRRY, really, Veeeerrryyyy steeeeppppp entrance, where 2nd gear doesn’t get it and… stalls out…. “O…O…E…E…”. now he's pissed. Gliding back and revving the engine, he shoves it in 1st and launches up the entrance and blows past the parking ramp having to back up and find… you guessed it… another steep and narrow… gravel ramp down. Finding a parking spot under the terrace, he backs in without too much issue, shuts the roller skate down and “wheeewwwww, I'm certainly glad that’s over.”
Since we had called ahead to alert the Giannuzzi’s that we would be there for dinner and it was already 9:30pm, we left the stuff in the car, grabbed the camera case and some water, and climbed the dark stairs to the top, where, after trying to take a picture of the Drop Dead Gorgeous View from the terrace, Dragon Chic does another almost slip and fall, and we stumble into the lovely Agriturismo Il Pianaccio to be greeted by Signore Benito Giannuzzi the proprietor himself, who knows exactly who we are and directs us to a waiting table, with a giant bottle of their very own Sangiovese wine.We slump into our chairs for a most delightful meal, actually too much food. They really do the whole thing here; Antipasto, a large plate of bruschetta with fresh picked pomodoro, crostinis with ham and cream cheese, Crostini with boars liver pate, fried zucchini, croquettes of “Something”, more bread, then comes the Prima Piato of Ravioli ala spinachi, then the secondo Piato of tagliatelle with Wild Boar Ragu, followed by an entree of Mixed Grill of Short Rib, Corniglio [Rabbit – but she didn’t know it] and sliced pork. Then came Tiramisu for desert along with some Vino Santo followed by a delightful Grappa and fresh brewed Café. Waaaayyyy too much food, but outstanding. These people CAN COOK!!!
After meeting our friend Alessio’s mother, Sylvana who is the Chef and REAL BOSS here, and younger brother Cristiano who served dinner and who also handles the family winery and Olive presses, we get our key, drag the bagaglio up the dark, steep, stairs to the terrace, then up the house stairs to the first room on the left, with an even more Drop Dead Gorgeous View of Monatale below, Agliana in the distance beneath the hills surrounding Firenze, with Prato to the left and Santomato & Pistoia to the right. 
The room is spacious, and delightfully decorated with a large armoire, and an equally spacious private bath with the cutest glass enclosed corner shower and wonderful ancient custom carved marble sink on a wrought iron stand and antique [Really] brass faucets and treatments. The vanity mirror light is a bit too soft but Hey… waaayyy too “Que Cute”.
After a refreshing shower, and with the wireless down for the night, we get a chance to pen this NOWAT and promptly crash as we have an early day tomorrow.
More to come as the Dragon Lady mounts her first Bicycle in ages to circle the Noble Walled City of Lucca.
Ciao 4 Now
Uncle Chuck & The whiplashed, but oh so happy to be here, Dragon Lady
Enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread
The drive exhausted me...I think I need a glass of wine too!
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