Saturday, September 19, 2026

Southbound 2026 - Rome

DRAFT - SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Rome, Italy. Wednesday/Saturday 16/19-September-2026.

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Introduction.

The final stop on our grand tour: Rome for three nights including a parkrun, as part of our mission to tick off all the Italian parkruns. 

Wednesday 16-September-2026.

A horribly early start with a 5:30 am alarm driven by the taxi sharing logistics. We went with the people bound or morning flights from Pisa. They were able to make a slight detour en-route and drop us at Sienna railway station. The flexibility of the Interrail pass meant we could catch a train just about to leave for Florence and amend our seat reservations on the Florence to Rome leg rather than hang around for hours at Sienna.

By the time we got to the apartment we were tired out so decided to eat locally at Osteria Romana dal 1949 which had reasonable ratings. We went for a set menu with starter, pasta and main. The local Lazio speciality pasta cacio e pepe was supposed to be a tasting portion, but it was more like a full sized dish, too much! I thought I’d go out of my comfort zone and try the oxtail stew for the main. I figured it would be something like rabbit where you have to pick the meat off the bones. In this case the meat was chewy and full of gristly bits and outside my comfort zone. I left the majority of it. I won’t make that mistake again!

Thursday 17-September-2026.

The morning was a fascinating visit to Ostia Antica - the ancient port of Rome during the period of the Roman Empire.

It was so extensive it took hours and hours. We had lunch in the café on-site and then a bit more exploring of the ruins. I spotted a woman with a trowel in her back pocket so guessed correctly that excavations were ongoing.

So it was something something like 4 o’clock before we got back to the apartment for a late afternoon rest.

The evening meal was at Beva Vineria, a restaurant with a wide selection of over 1000 wines, many of which were offered by the glass to accompany your chosen dishes.


The starter was a selection of wild boar salami from the Cinta Senese: an ancient native Italian breed from Tuscany that is black with a single white belt.

Main course?

Friday 18-September-2026.

The morning was a walk up to the Vatican. The Passeggiata del Gelsomino was advertised as a hidden gem. In my view it was neither hidden nor a gem. It was a very short half kilometre walk on a pavement. It did have a lovely view of Saint Peter’s but other than that was very disappointing.

It is a triumph of poorly executed civil engineering. The path has neither camber nor slope and inadequate drainage so when the rains came down, we had to walk through puddles that stretched the entire width of the pathway at several points.

Here the tracks disappear under Vatican City.

We continue to walk around the Vatican City and then away from touristy areas to find ourselves a nice restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we went to see a major retrospective of Kandinsky.  

En route we passed this stunning column. From Wikipedia: 

“The Column of Marcus Aurelius is a Roman victory column located in Piazza Colonna, Rome, Italy. A Doric column adorned with a detailed spiral relief, it was built in honor of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and modeled after Trajan's Column. Dedicated to the emperor and his military campaigns during the Barbarian Wars, the monument stands as a testament to his reign from 161 to 180 AD. The column's frieze, approximately 367 feet (112 meters) long, spirals upward 21 times, depicting the emperor’s campaigns against the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes.”

The majority of the pieces in the exhibition were on loan from the Pompadou Centre in France. We downloaded an audio guide which took us through the 20 most important pieces in the exhibition which took about a hour and a half. Without that we might have been there for hours and hours.

Back for a late afternoon rest and a pinsa* at the local pizza joint.

* Pinsa, also known as pinsa romana, is a flatbread generally marketed as an oval-shaped style of, or healthier alternative to, pizza. The name originated partly as a marketing strategy, coined by a Rome-based baking family as late as 2001. [Wikipedia]

Saturday 19-September-2026.

Roma Pineto 19/09/26 32:02 [39/75]

After a shower we headed off to the main train station for the final leg south to home in Cisternino.

Next stop: The End.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Southbound 2026 - San Vincenti

DRAFT - SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

San Vincenti, Tuscany. Friday/Tuesday 11/15-September-2026.

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Introduction.

Our home for five days and the raison d'etre of this rail trip. A Yoga and Pilates retreat in Tuscany, booked about a year ago. As we had to get there from Penrith and then from there to Cisternino, we decided to travel by train, stopping off at other places on the way. 

Friday 11-September-2026.

Mary had leapt out of bed early to buy lunch ingredients for the local supermarket as we were being picked up by bright and early from Castelnuovo Berardenga by Martyn so we were the first attendees to arrived; others were due to arrive at various points during the day.

Lunch at Borgo San Vincenti: a group of rooms and apartments set in a small village in a remote location. Sarah Newby, one of the instructors, with us in the background. We ate our lunch as the others trickled in from various directions.

Our main hosts and organisers were Martyn and Amram from Healing Together (Instagram @martynblacklockhealing) assisted by Sarah Newby of Beyond Fitness with Sarah and Em from North Star Holistic. Plus I should include our cook, Pat (Cibo A Casa Crisci), who night after night produced the most amazing and very authentic Italian food like nothing you would get in a normal restaurant.

After introductions the assembled company dined together for the first time. The dining area:

Any concerns that it might be an ascetic event were laid to rest by seeing the amount of wine consumed and hilarity that ensued.

Saturday 12-September-2026.

Sunrise from the complex.

08:00 Martyn - Breathwork, Mantra and Opening Circle. Starting the retreat with our first session to welcome us all. Followed by breakfast.

09:00 No parkrun! It is an odd Saturday that doesn’t involve a trip to a nearby park for our regular fix.

10:30 Sarah - Pilates. I had never done Pilates so a couple of weeks ago I got Sarah to give me an introductory session so I had some idea of what to expect. Pretty straightforward, there only so much you can do with the human body, but it was quite hard work as I am not as fit as I have been.

17:00 Em - Slow Flow Yoga. I have done yoga for many years and I can definitely do “slow” so this was a good session to end the first day.

Another boozy supper with more glasses of wine than was strictly necessary!

Sunday 13-September-2026.

08:00 Sarah - Body Wake-Up. This was a very energetic way to start the day. I needed to go back for my second shower of the day.

10:30 Em - Kundalini. Another first. The breath of fire is certainly one way to make yourself giddy thanks to the hyperventilating. I do not sing, ever, so making noises felt weird. Maybe this practice could help unblock my inhibitions regards singing! File under “Interesting”.

14:00 Cooking experience with Pat. Here Mary helps to prepare the tiramisu. 

The finished product. Not to be eaten straightaway, it has to mature overnight in the fridge and would be served the next day.

Next we made gnocchi. Pat made the dough of potato, egg and flour and did most of the rolling and cutting. The assembled team did the forming of the gnocchi using forks and a variety of other implements. Those we did eat that night.

Another fine evening.

Monday 14-September-2026.

08:00 Amram - Tibetan Series. This was a bit too energetic for my liking with everything done 21 times. The first exercise was whirling Dervishes. I’ve got up to about 10 or 12 when my gyro stabiliser went completely berserk and I wobbled all over the place. Note to self: start off slowly! The rest of the exercises were less hazardous.

10:00 Martyn and Amram - Shine. I do not dance (a couple of well structured Scottish dances excepted). So this was uncomfortable for me. It started of well enough but as the session progressed my inhibitions made it very hard for me to loosen up. A practice based around disco dancing just isn't going to fly with me. Sorry, Martyn.

Trip to Siena No 5pm class. A number of the attendees took and afternoon excursion into Sienna. We have been before so sat this one out, relaxing by the pool.

The evening was mre eating and drinking, including yesterday's tiramisu for dessert.

Tuesday 15-September-2026.

08:00 Em - Breathwork and Mantra. We skipped this session because we had to discovered there was a Big Bench nearby and Martin very kindly agreed to drive us over to it before breakfast.

Big Bench #136.

The view from the bench across the Tuscan Hills.

The bench is the grounds of Castello Di Meleto.

This makes our fourth big bench, for previous benches see: Big Benches in Puglia.

Then a return to San Vincenti in time for Sarah’s relaxing stretch.

10:30 Sarah - Relaxing Stretch. It was lovely to do an exercise, mostly lying on your back without lots of energetic jumping about.

16:00 Winery Trip. A number of us walked to a nearby wine producer for a fascinating wine tasting.

Read more: Wine tasting at Tenuta San Vincenti. 

18:00 Martyn and Amram - Shine Session and Closing Circle. One last wind down stretch and a chance to share our experiences.

The last supper and so to bed.

Next stop: Rome.

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Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Wine Tasting at Tenuta San Vincenti

Tenuta San Vincenti, Tuscany, Italy. Tuesday 16-September-2026.

This wine tasting was one of the activities that formed part of the retreat. It was a 25 minute walk up a dusty road from the retreat itself.

This is the view that greeted us as we entered the gates. An empty field, more of that later, and neat rows of vines.

From Tenuta San Vincenti you can see Borgo San Vincenti, the venue for our retreat.

The tasting was led by Martina who gave us some background to the estate:

  • The total area of the vineyards is 6.3 hectares (15.5 acres). 
  • The previous owner was approaching 70 and wanting to retire. So he sold the estate in 2021 to friends who are a couple from Palm Beach, USA. They have invested in improvements to the estate including the tasting room we were in.
  • They decided to renew the vineyard mentioned above. It was planted with old vines of a clone developed for high yield rather than quality. So they grubbed up the vines and the field is lying fallow for a couple of years to let the soil recover. It will then be planted with varieties more suited to the aspirations of the estate.
  • The main Sangiovese vines are also being updated on a rolling basis by replacing individual vines as they die off rather than a wholesale replanting.
  • They also want to invest in vinification equipment. Currently they take the harvest to a nearby estate, Brolio, for pressing and vinification.
  • They are biological and biodynamic. They are aiming for biological certification but there is a three year probation period before they can receive the accreditation and put it on the label.

The tasting was accompanied by nibbles: bruschetta, cold meats and cheeses. Mary’s notes:

  • Appearance
  • Aroma
  • Taste

Gote Rosa 12.5%; Sangiovese 80%, Merlot 20%.

  • Pale orange-pink, very bright
  • Fresh, light, redcurrants?, slight green pepper??
  • Good, fresh acidity, light fruit - redcurrants?

Matured in concrete.

Chianti Classico 2023 ; Sangiovese 85%, Merlot 15%.

  • Mahogany, Slight brown at rim
  • Plums, cedar, sl green
  • Soft, silky texture, plums?, soft tannins

Oak barrels for 6-8 months, then concrete for 2-3 months. Then bottled and released.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2021 ; Sangiovese 90%, Merlot 10%.

  • Darker, deeper colour, more purple
  • Sweet, soft fruit, plums?, some oak
  • More tannins, good texture, some prickle, nice fruit flavour, blackberries?, good length.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2022 ; Sangiovese 90%, Merlot 10%.

  • More mahogany, slight brown at rim
  • Bit less sweet on nose, some oak, deeper, 
  • Fuller flavour, less sharp tannins, dark fruit, good balance and length.

Oak barrels but not toasted, 12 months in barrels, then into concrete for 2-3 months, then bottled and released after 1 year.

Gran Selezione 2021 ; Sangiovese 100%.

  • Dark mahogany, Slight brown at rim
  • Sweet, sl oaky, prunes, v. sl herby / mushroom
  • Yummy, lovely fruit, softish tannins, more complex, blackberries, damsons?

Gran Selezione 2022 ; Sangiovese 100%.

  • Bright, mahogany, slight brown at rim
  • Lovely, complex nose, soft, some oak, some herbaceous 
  • Smooth, silky texture, good tannins, damsons / plums

24 months in barrels.

Esperimento Toscana IGT 2021 ; Merlot 100%.

  • Purple / mahogany
  • Softer nose but still house style
  • For Mary nothing special.

Matured in French oak for 18 months.

They also make their own olive oil. It must have sold well as they were literally on their last bottle.

We were joined part way through by their winemaker, Carlo Dell'Aiuto, who told us more about his approach and some of the biological / biodynamic practices. This was the most fascinating part of the tasting and Carlo’s enthusiasm and passion for the wines was inspiring. He told us about the five grass varieties that he plants between the vines and likened to the four elements:

  • Fire: One variety is a flowering grass that is used to attract bees. We had seen the hives on our way in and assumed it was simply for honey and pollinating vines. However, it appears that the presence of the bees encourages other insects which pray on pests, moths and caterpillars, which otherwise attack the vines. So by encouraging biodiversity mother nature looks after the vines.
  • Earth: Another variety of grass is used for fixing nitrogen in the soil to improve the nutrition that the roots receive.
  • Water: The third variety is a cereal which introduces cellulose which acts to absorb moisture, rather like the little packets of desiccant that you find in packaging. That helps moderate the moisture levels in the vineyard.
  • Air: The fourth grass is used to put roots down into the soil to help open up its structure.
  • Aether (fifth element): The final variety provides shade around the vines to protect the soil from the sun and drying out too much. When it is tall enough the grass is flattened down to provide a protective mat over the soil.

Using this approach he was able to improve some poorer patches within the vineyard without resorting to sulphur and Bordeaux mix.

At the end we went out to admire the vines again.

We, of course, bought a bottle to take back to the ranch to have with that evening’s meal. 

The most enjoyably educational tasting we have had for a very long time!

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Thursday, September 10, 2026

Southbound 2026 - Castelnuovo Berardenga

Castelnuovo Berardenga. Wednesday/Thursday 08/10-September-2026.

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Introduction.

The whole reason for this stop was the wine, Felsina Berardenga, Mary's favourite Chianti which she first bought from the Wine Society back in 2013.

Wednesday 09-September-2026.

An early start. When we arrived at Milan railway station the huge vaulted roof was behind us and we so focussed on the exit we didn't notice it, going outbound you could hardly miss it!

It was a long trip from Milan: Milan to Florence; Florence to Siena; Siena to Castelnuovo Berardenga. There is no train option for the last leg so we were looking at an expensive taxi ride or catching a bus. The local bus company app was not showing anything useful but Google maps assured us that the 170 and the 134R ran the route. 

In the end the bus option came through for us with a last minute panic - we boarded the wrong bus and only discovered literally as the correct bus was leaving. Mary had to jump off and flag the driver down as I staggered behind with the cases! Collapsed in a sweaty heap and we were off.

Arrived at 5pm and put a wash load on. Relaxed until it was done, hung it on the rack then out for supper.

Ate local at Bengodi restaurant where the menu choices were a no-brainer: we both went for steak tartare followed by paparadelle with wild boar ragu. Mary asked for a wine recommendation in a traditional Chianti style and the restauranteur produced a bottle from this local small producer (Lecci e Brocchi) just five km away. Mary was very happy!

So that was nice.

Thursday 09-September-2026.

A wander around town in the morning to see the sights and buy some lunch to eat back at the B'n'B. After lunch it was a half hour walk up for the tasting in the pouring rain.

The church on the Felsina Estate.

Inside the church.

The entrance to the tasting room.

As part of the tour they took us into the old stables where they age some of their wines. These are custom-made oval barrels full of Sangiovese grapes were specially made to fit in the old horse stalls.

Here we are having the maturation barrels explained. They buy some new French oak each year and use them for ten to twelve years.

The “wine library” where they keep stocks of older vintages for special occasions.

They ferment the Chardonnay in barrels. The first barrel has a clear end so you can see how much yeast settles out at the bottom. The device he is holding in his left hand is used to stir up the lees to add more flavour to the finished wine.

The original cellar underneath the church.

The size of the operation becomes apparent when you see the stainless steel fermenting vats!.

Poggio al Sole vineyard - the hillock of sunshine in the distance - so named because it gets the sun all day.

They have excavated new cellars connecting to the old church cellars. In the foreground you can see new barrels still with their cardboard packaging including information on how toasted the insides are (5 to 15 minutes, according to the style they want to achieve).

Oak barrels where the wine is maturing in the new cellar. They paint the middle stripe red because that’s where the drips run down when topping up the wine and looks messy. This way it looks better for purely aesthetic reasons.

The old barrels in the middle are sold off to bars, restaurants and private individuals mostly for use as tables.

This is where they used to kennel the dogs for hunting wild boar, deer and pheasant. They moved the kennels across to the Poggio al Sole because the dogs were too noisy near the house.

Finally, the tasting.

Felsina Berardenga Chardonnay 2024.

Pale golden; oaky, peach kernel; fresh, not too oaky, good acidity, some length. 

Chardonnay is not a typical grape for this area but they planted some as an experiment and (I cynically suspect) to supply the restaurant trade.

Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 2023.

Mahogany, brown at rim; sweet, slight tobacco, plum, orange?; some tannins, soft fruit, fresh, good acidity and length.

Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva 2022.

Darker, deeper colour; not as much on the nose, hay, soft fruit, cedar?; soft tannins, very smooth, chocolate, more complex.

Felsina Berardenga "Rancia" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021.

Darker, deeper colour again; typical Sangiovese nose; good grip, smooth, elegant, soft fruit.

As always fascinating to do a tour and tasting. 

That evening we dined at Restaurant Quei 2. Good but not up to the standard of Bengodi however we did have a very nice Chianti.


On the way home we stopped off at Bar Centrale for an ice cream.

Next stop: San Vincenti.

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