Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian

We’ve recently enjoyed a great evening at the Fattoria di Luiano, in Mercatale (San Casciano). We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and a warm joyful atmosphere, while sitting at a very special table, with a swing at its centre.

All around us, there’s a breathtaking landscape: beautifully combed vineyards, a verdant forest and, on one side triumphantly stands the bell tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria all’Impruneta.

The panorama looks even more beautiful if you admire it while tasting a glass of Luiano Riserva Oro Chianti Classico DOCG wine.

There are many local wines you can try here: Luiano Chianti Classico DOCG, Ottantuno Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione, Rosso Assai Sangiovese di Toscana IGT.

Or a glass of Lui di Luiano Rosso Toscana IGT, whose production is personally managed by Alessandro Palombo together with the oenologist Marco Chellini.

But that’s not all, because thanks to the creativity of Felicia Palombo, here you can enjoy all sorts of innovative and fun tasting experiences.

These are what Luiano calls ‘Wine Entertainment’, that includes the tasty dishes served … on the swing.

You find local dishes and some tasty new additions, prepared by the chef Duccio Pistolesi, whose heart is close to the territory of San Casciano, while his hands have cooked in different countries around the world.

Felicia collaborates with him, while the meat comes from the family-owned butcher shop of Alessandro Tozzetti, in Mercatale.

But how did the idea of ​​the swing above the table come about? Felicia Palombo explains: “For some years now, the swing has become the symbol of this company: making wine is a bit like going on a swing, there are ups and downs, but all in all it’s fun! It started when I placed a swing made by my father Antonio Palombo, near the cellar, under an arch overlooking the vineyards. Then I thought of bringing the swing… right to the table”.

Speaking of the cellar, Alessandro Palombo and his father Antonio retrace the 60-year-long story of the Luiano farm, bought by his grandfather who came from Naples to Tuscany with the passion of producing wine.

“He fell in love with this place, and so did my grandmother Licia – says Alessandro – they bought it without even seeing it, because the owner, although he wanted to sell, had locked himself inside without allowing anyone to come in and see the property”.

“My grandfather – he adds – who fell in love with the place, decided to buy it and one day he went knocking at the door of the old owner, and said “I’ll take it from here if you don’t mind!”. We’re now the third generation of the family running the company”.

To enliven the evening, “Swing Wine Dinner”, music by the Arkè group composed by Lorenzo and Leonardo Gensini, Leonardo and Neri Poggi, vocals Anastasia Castagno; swing dance show by Tuballoswing.

The butcher Alessandro Tozzetti, after lighting the grill, carefully placed on it three Florentine-style beef steaks: Chianina I.G.P., Piemontese, Limousine, that were added to the other mouthwatering dishes.

All strictly served on the swing!

Antonio Taddei

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