Disorderly Recs for Retail Wine in Florence? Eateries too ....

K

kirk wallace

kirk wallace
Spending 4 nights with old Aunt Flo in March. Skipping Pinchiorri this time -- we hope to focus on Slow Food-listed and similar places to eat, but will have a little apartment, so some retail wine sources would be very helpful, as would recommendations for traditional eateries that have better than usual wine options. Embarrassed to say that, although I drink a lot of Barolo and Barbaresco (and have had many happy barbera experiences), my Tuscan wine experience is pretty damn limited, especially anything in the last 10-15 years. Is there an Eric Texier of Chianti?
 
This is coming to mind since I've got a bottle to the right of me, but I've been intrigued by the wines from Dora Forsoni (Poderi Sanguineto I e II), though more the reds than the white. Might be worth checking out.
 
Places that i really like in Florence include:

Trattoria Sabatino (in via Pisana, Borgo S. Frediano). This place is legndary in Florence but it s extreamly humble, no real wine list, just real food and real Tuscan people.

Il Latini (near SMN station) is also very well respected for exceptional food. It can be quite crowded so a reservation is recommended. Food is amazing and the wine list is much more attended to. You will hit some tourists but it is worth it. www.illatini.com

Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco is very nice as well. It has def. been a part of some slow food things. It has a deep if more internationalized wine list but you can find some gems on it. Its location near the Ponte Vecchio draws a lot of attention to it but it is one of the best in this area. If you continue walking down the street there is also a very nice wine shop (i forget the name though) on the left. This street will also lead you to Sabatino's eventually and there are a couple nice small wine bars/book stores in this little section.

Obviously there are lots of interesting little chianti/tuscan producers doing very interesting things (many are not though). I agree with Thor about the Sanguineto wines and if you do travel to Montepulciano you should visit them as well as an estate i like very much called Le Berne (right down the street). Eat in Montefollonico at La Botte Piena (truly one of the best in all of Tuscany, they have an incredible wine list as well). www.labotteiena.com. I know the owner very well and he and his family are very passionate about wine and typical local food. 13 Gobbi in that same little village is also highly recommended.

Have a nice trip.
 
Ditto that recommendation for Il Latini - fabulous rabbit! Have to admit, I don't remember looking at the wine list - they have these magnums of chianti on the table, for some reason I'm thinking refilled from the stash in the back, that contain the house red - if you choose to drink that, you simply consume as much as you want, they inspect the bottle after, and charge you for your consumption.

I was there for lunch with my hollow-legged friend, Monique. When the waiter inspected our (significantly emptied) bottle at the end of the meal, he smiled and gave us an approving nod.

That's also where I learned to love biscotti dipped in vin santo. What a shame you can't get good biscotti in the states.
 
Another recommendation for Il Latini. They have a second wine list that is upscale from the one they present to the droves of American tourists who go there. I went in and ordered a 1997 Fontodi Flaccianello right off the bat, which surprised them--ended up with the 1998, which is all they had by then. Anyway, we waved the gallons of Chianti off.

They have various older Tuscan bottles in their cellar (which I toured), but also quite a few other fairly high-priced (AKA, French big name) wines.
 
originally posted by Scott Kraft:
Il Latini +1 but I would even more strongly recommend Cibreo - both the ristorante and the trattoria.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all; please keep them coming. I am a fan of Cibreo (ristorante) and never understood the carping about "overpriced for what they are doing". Glad to hear positive 1st hand remarks about Latini, becasue I have often heard it dismissed as touristic beyond redemption, and as a result I have skipped it - but hey, what do I know: I like Pinchiori.
 
originally posted by kirk wallace:
originally posted by Scott Kraft:
Il Latini +1 but I would even more strongly recommend Cibreo - both the ristorante and the trattoria.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all; please keep them coming. I am a fan of Cibreo (ristorante) and never understood the carping about "overpriced for what they are doing". Glad to hear positive 1st hand remarks about Latini, becasue I have often heard it dismissed as touristic beyond redemption, and as a result I have skipped it - but hey, what do I know: I like Pinchiori.
Click to expand...
There are certainly tourists galore there at Il Latini, but somehow they still manage to pull off a Florentine experience--the food and the wait staff are the key. But if you only want to hear Italian spoken, then best probably to avoid...
 
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