Mills, terracotta and wine

Hiking along the terracotta road in Chianti

Hiking through vineyards, fields and small woods we will descend along a path that gently slopes towards the Pesa river in order to admire two old mills, important witnesses of the history of Chianti. Water mills represented a real technological revolution in the Middle Ages, even more significant if we consider the simplicity of the mechanism at its base: a wheel that rotates outside a structure made of stone and wood and uses water as its driving force. The prototype of modern hydraulic energy system.

The spread of mills allowed a turning point in the agricultural production system, and therefore to the local economic development. The measure of how much this system proved to be effective is given by the number of water mills still present in the Chianti territory, even though many of them still to be rediscovered and enhance.

Going up along the creek we will have the opportunity to get in touch with another ancient Chianti tradition, the art of terracotta. Also in this case, the origin is medieval: the processing of clay for the production of amphorae, jars, bricks and many other objects dates back to the 11th century. And in 1419, for the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Filippo Brunelleschi also chose terracotta, for its strength and lightness.

After admiring how the clay is processed, the loop hike that we will complete will allow us to visit an historical winery to enjoy together a moment of relaxation tasting the wines of the area: Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Vinsanto, combined with tasty local dishes.li.

PS: if in addition to observing, you feel like trying your own hand at making a terracotta item, check out this experience.