The Contini Bonacossi family is one of the Italian families. They've enjoyed generations of success, everyone knows who they are and they're widely respected for their work--winemaking. We were lucky enough to stay at their winery last May for one of the loveliest weekends of our lives. When we arrived, Count Ugo, the patriarch of the family, showed us around his villas, whisking us past antiques and beneath gorgeous chandeliers. He led us up to the beautiful bedrooms ("Some are haunted," his children told us), so we could drop off our bags, and then we headed right back downstairs to, you guessed it, taste wine.
We could only stay for a weekend, but I would love to return for the cooking school that the family offers. Classes are taught by their charming personal chef who teaches you the secrets of preparing authentic Tuscan foods with produce, meats and cheeses that you buy together at local markets. During the week course, students visit Florence, meet local producers, tour the vineyards and olive oil press, and have a pizza party, where they make their own pizzas in a wood-burning oven. During off hours, guests can wander through the gardens, look at the family's art collection or take a dip in the pool. The Contini Bonacossi family is warm and welcoming, and a week spent cooking with them would be a real taste of Tuscany.
Price: $2,300 per person for one week stay.
[Photo: rambleonsylvie]
Related Stories:
· A Tuscan Fairytale [Bene Magazine]
· Hotels in Italy [HotelChatter]
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