Wheat is the symbol of Summer abundance. Watching the golden ears of wheat moving in the wind, soaked in sunshine, is a special and exciting moment, especially for those like us, who love pasta. Vignamaggio decided to use indigenous and ancient grains like the hard grain Senatore Cappelli and soft grain Verna varieties that have […]
HOW TO MAKE YOUR MEDITERRANEAN SPRING WREATH
Today, our gardener Giovanni taught us how to make a Mediterranean wreath using predominantly bay leaves and Spanish broom flowers. This shrub, known as Ginestra odorosa in Italian, is indigenous and grows spontaneously all around the Mediterranean basin. You will recognise it by its sweet, heady fragrance and small yellow flowers. WHAT WE NEED We […]
ELDERFLOWERS
The elderberry bush, or sambuco as it is called in Italy, is an indigenous plant that grows spontaneously all over the country, but it is not very well known. Elderflower syrup is used mostly in central and northern European countries, while in Italy, sambuco is more commonly associated with the distinctive anise flavour of Sambuco […]
SEARCHING FOR HOPS
Hops can be found all over Europe, usually in cooler areas and in fertile soil close to water. While it is most famous for its flower, that gives beer its mildly bitter taste, in many regions of Italy it is valued for its spring shoots. WHERE CAN WE FIND THEM? On the banks of rivers […]
OUR ARTICHOKES
Artichokes fields are one of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Chianti landscape: on terraced land, flanking roads and on the crest of drystone walls, these magnificent verdant plants with their large silver-tinged green leaves, can be seen everywhere in spring. A true delicacy, in Tuscany the artichoke is eaten preserved in oil, as a […]
IN SEARCH OF NETTLES
Nasty fiends for children running around in short socks, but stinging nettles have an unexpected side to them. They are delicious, and the main ingredient in many springtime recipes. WHERE TO FIND THEM? Beside hedges In damp areas close to dwellings In fields close to water WHEN TO PICK THEM? Don’t forget to put on […]
LA PENSIONE DI VIGNAMAGGIO
La Pensione: the classic, traditional Italian hotel’s name – quite the contrary: this Pensione is irreverent and colourful. Soft colours, relaxed lines and linear furnishing characterise the 19 rooms of the hotel in the heart of Panzano in Chianti. THE HOTEL The literary inspiration behind the “La Pensione” project is Boccaccio’s Decameron: a collection […]
FLORENCE WITHIN THE WALLS
All of Casolese’s rooms are decorated in a fresh and understated style, but they all have an element that sets them apart; illustrations by the artist Simone Boni that confer on each room its own unique character. The artist has faithfully transposed a map of Florence onto designer wall-coverings, and we have selected representations of […]
THE 2019 HARVEST
On the 16th of September 2019, Vignamaggio began picking grapes, with 30 people at work on 52 hectares of vines. A day spent in the vineyards during harvest time is quite special: there is chatter to be heard in a variety of languages, a few lively Tuscan expressions filter through the branches, and at precisely […]
THE ANCIENT WHEAT
The anticipation, while dough rises, the velvety sensation of flour running through fingers or the fragrance of freshly baked bread, are images that warm the heart and stimulate the appetite. Flour is the main ingredient in many of our recipes, forms part of our daily lives as well as our past, and evokes familiar memories […]