news | David McGuffin Exploring Europe: Tour Operator & Travel Information

Wines of Tuscany: Chianti

by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 4, 2018 | news

Chianti

A few decades ago, Chianti was the most recognizable Italian red wine in the United States. When I was young, I recall visiting Italian restaurants decorated with red-checkered tablecloths and pear-shaped, straw-covered wine bottles holding half-burnt candles. Those straw-covered wine bottles (called a fiasco in Italian) once contained an inexpensive DOC wine from the Chianti region of Tuscany.

Chianti wine is composed mostly of Sangiovese grapes that must be harvested in Tuscany in a region around Florence (See map). For a wine to be a called Chianti, it must be produced in the Chianti region and be made of at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. While many less-expensive Chianti wines are composed of 100% Sangiovese, some winemakers blend the Sangiovese with a mixture (up to 20%) of other grape varieties such as Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah to even out the acidity, tannins and textures of the finished wine. Regardless of the “mix”, it is a rustic wine with high tannins and high acidity. Because of these characteristics, Chianti is not a wine that you would sip while sitting around and chatting with your friends. To really appreciate any Chianti wine, you must drink it with fatty foods such as salami, prosciutto, T-bone steak and such.

In case you forgot, DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin). The DOC designation for wines was introduced in the early 1960s. The regulations for each DOC wine delimit the production area, wine color, permitted grape varieties and proportions, styles of wine, minimum and maximum alcohol levels, as well as permitted or mandated viticultural, vinification and maturation techniques.

You’ll notice on the map there is a region (noted in blue) named Chianti Classico DOCG. This is generally thought of as the oldest, original Chianti region. The Chianti Classico region contains 12 villages in the province of Florence and two regions in the province of Siena. Wine has been produced here since Etruscan times, more than 2000 years ago. In 1716, Gran Duke Cosimo de’ Medici III recognized and named this region Chianti. The black rooster seal was conceived in 1924 as a means to protect and promote this wine region and to prevent wine fraud.

In order for a wine to be classified as Chianti Classico, 80% of the Sangiovese grapes must come from the Chianti Classico DOCG region. Vintners may, if they choose, blend in up to 20% of other grape varieties such as Canaiolo and Colorino, as well as other international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine must be aged at least one year and contain 12% alcohol.

The best Sangiovese grapes from the region are held in reserve to produce Chianti Classico Reserva. Riserva must contain at least 80% Sangiovese from the region and be aged a minimum of 24 months, of which the last three must be in the bottle. The alcohol content must be at least 12.5%.

In 2014, a new category known as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione was introduced. Gran Selezione is made exclusively from a winery’s own Sangiovese grapes that are grown according to stricter regulations. The Gran Selezione designation is granted after the wine passes an authorized laboratory test and is approved by a special tasting committee.

Chianti Rooster Logo

New Chianti Logo

Old Chianti Logo

In February 2013, the Black rooster associated with the Chianti Classico got a facelift. The chest is bigger and rounder, the tail feathers look fluffier, and there is a new angle of the beak. According the Chianti Classico consortium, this new design shows “a greater sense of energy, strength and pride. The new rooster looks prouder and is perhaps a slightly more ‘macho’ rooster than before”.

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The Legend of the Black Rooster of Chianti

In the Middle Ages, Florence and Siena were always at war, fighting for precious land. One day the rulers of each city met and decided to declare a truce. However, there was still the matter of determining the cities’ borders. It was decided that there would be a competition between two knights, one from each city. Each knight would leave his city’s center on horseback at sunrise, when the first rooster crowed, and the official border would be determined at the point where the two knights met.

The Sienese chose a white rooster and fattened him up for weeks before the competition. The Florentines chose a black rooster and put him in a dark box without any food for many days.

On competition day, the light-deprived, hungry black rooster in Florence was set free at midnight – and it immediately crowed. So, off went the Florentine knight on his horse heading south toward Siena. The fat white rooster of Siena crowed at daybreak and the knight from Siena began to head north by horseback. As you can imagine, the Florentine knight traveled much further than the knight from Siena. In fact, the two met 7 miles north of Siena (25 miles south of Florence) near Fonterutoli, in Castellina.

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Tours to Italy

Interested in sampling a local Chianti? Join us on one of our upcoming tours.

Essence of Italy – A 9-day tour with stops in Rome, the Cinque Terre, Pisa, Volterra, Siena and Florence.

Tour dates:

2018: June24-July 2, September 16-24, October 14-22.

2019: April 7-15, May 5-13, June 30-July 8, September 22-30

Best of Italy – A 13-day tour. All the destinations of the Essence of Italy, plus Venice, Lake Como and Milan.

Tour dates:

2018: June24-July 7, September 16-29, October 14-27.

2019: April 7-20, May 5-18, June 30-July 13, September 22-October 5

Tuscany Villa Vacation – Enjoy a relaxing stay in a Tuscan villa with day trips to Volterra, Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca. Begin and end your tour in Florence.

Tour dates:

2019: May 24-June 2, September 13-22

Your Adventure Starts Here!

Wines of Tuscany

by Dawnielle Jacobson | Apr 20, 2018 | news

Wines of Tuscany

Italy is synonymous with its amazing food and wines, and Tuscany is the heart and soul of Italian gastronomy. Nothing compares to savoring fresh pasta and sipping local wine on a piazza as you watch the people go by. Eating (and drinking) well is a priority on my tours, so you’ll get your fair share of fine food sourced locally and prepared by excellent chefs.

We will be featuring a different Tuscan wine in each newsletter for the next few months, from classics like Chianti to the evolving super Tuscans and local vineyards. Let’s begin with an introduction to the region.

Grapes were cultivated by the Etruscans as early as 3,000 years ago. They grew so well that they quickly became a reliable cash crop and were often sold overseas. 80% of Tuscan wines are made with red grapes, and most of those use the Sangiovese grape. These grapes can range in flavor and are high in acid and tannin, which makes them very versatile for winemakers.

Reading the labels

You’ll notice different classification codes on bottles of Italian wine. In 1963, a group of Italian winemakers got together to find a way to raise the quality standards for Italian wines and classify regional wines according to local wine-making traditions. Their goal was to provide a way to gauge the quality of a wine and determine if it was made in a consistent style and quality. There are four wine rankings.

DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Origin). The DOC designation for wines was introduced in the early 1960s. The regulations for each DOC wine delimit the production area, wine color, permitted grape varieties and proportions, styles of wine, minimum and maximum alcohol levels, as well as permitted or mandated viticultural, vinification and maturation techniques.

DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin). The DOCG wine designation was created in 1980 to differentiate the top Italian wines. The regulations are tighter and more restrictive. For example, most DOCG rules reduce the allowable yield of grapes to produce the wine and require longer aging periods. Most importantly, a DOCG wine has to pass an analysis and a tasting by government-licensed personnel before being bottled.

IGT stands for Indicazione Geografica Tipica. An IGT-classed wine is “typical” of a particular geography or local region. Most IGT wines are simple, made from grapes grown locally and intended to be consumed young. The big exception to this is the super Tuscan wines, which can’t be given a higher classification because they often blend non-indigenous grapes (Learn more about super Tuscans in a future newsletter).

VdT stands for Vino da Tavola, or Table Wine. Wines marked with a VdT on the label tells you they’re made in Italy, and that’s about it. These wines are basic, local table wines – cheap, but pretty simple. You find these mostly in local trattorias and osterias in Italy.

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Tours to Italy

Interested in sampling some of these local wines in situ? Join us on one of our upcoming tours.

Essence of Italy – A 9-day tour with stops in Rome, the Cinque Terre, Pisa, Volterra, Siena and Florence.

Tour dates:

2018: June24-July 2, September 16-24, October 14-22.

2019: April 7-15, May 5-13, June 30-July 8, September 22-30

Best of Italy – A 13-day tour. All the destinations of the Essence of Italy, plus Venice, Lake Como and Milan.

Tour dates:

2018: June24-July 7, September 16-29, October 14-27.

2019: April 7-20, May 5-18, June 30-July 13, September 22-October 5

Tuscany Villa Vacation – Enjoy a relaxing stay in a Tuscan villa with day trips to Volterra, Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca. Begin and end your tour in Florence.

Tour dates:

2019: May 24-June 2, September 13-22

Your Adventure Starts Here!

New Tours in 2019

by Dawnielle Jacobson | Apr 6, 2018 | news

2019 Tours

We are working on our 2019 tour line-up and already have many trips available for you to sign up. Join us on a European adventure and you could cruise Venice in a gondola, savor la dolce vita in Tuscany, climb the Eiffel Tower, hike the Alps in Switzerland, explore ancient Greek ruins, visit a Christmas market in Germany, dance the flamenco in Spain, walk the beaches of Normandy, kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland and so much more!

New Tours in 2019

Our brand-new Best of Ireland tour covers the island’s best destinations in 15 days. If you’re short on time, check out the new 8-day Taste O’ Ireland tour.

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Big Savings on Select Tours

If you have flexibility in your schedule, you could score some big discounts on selected tour departures. These offers are for new bookings only and designed to fill in a few remaining seats on our upcoming tours. See the list of discounted tours and be sure to check back frequently as offers change from week to week and sell out fast.

Your Adventure Starts Here!

Denver Travel Show This Weekend

by Dawnielle Jacobson | Mar 20, 2018 | news

Denver Travel Show This Weekend

Looking for some weekend plans? David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe will be participating in the Denver Travel & Adventure Show THIS WEEKEND at the Colorado Convention Center – and we have 150 FREE TICKETS to give away!

Simply follow this link and enter promo code: EVIPDMEE on the ticket selection screen to unlock the free-ticket option.

Come on out and meet us face-to-face this weekend. Plus, watch cultural performances, taste cuisine from around the world, see and meet your favorite travel celebrities, explore the world under one roof, and so much more!

We are looking forward to seeing you this Saturday and Sunday at the Colorado Convention Center!

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2019 Tours

Many of our 2019 tours are already available on the website. The 2019 Tuscany Villa Vacation tours are selling fast. Head over to davidmcguffin.com to book your 2019 vacation today.

Your Adventure Starts Here!

Dallas Travel Show This Weekend

by Dawnielle Jacobson | Mar 13, 2018 | news

Dallas Travel Show This Weekend

Looking for some weekend plans? David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe will be participating in the Dallas Travel & Adventure Show THIS WEEKEND at the Dallas Market Center – and we have 150 FREE TICKETS to give away!

Simply follow this link and enter promo code: EVIPDMEE on the ticket selection screen to unlock the free-ticket option.

We are looking forward to seeing you this Saturday and Sunday at the Dallas Market Center!

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2019 Tours

Many of our 2019 tours are already available on the website. The 2019 Tuscany Villa Vacation tours are selling fast. Head over to davidmcguffin.com to book your 2019 vacation today.

Your Adventure Starts Here!

Scrapbook Winners, Plus Big Savings on Last-Minute Travel

by Dawnielle Jacobson | Feb 23, 2018 | news

Congratulations to Our Tour Scrapbook Contest Winners!

Congratulations to our 2017 Digital Tour Scrapbook winners, and thanks to all who submitted an entry. This contest was designed to showcase our tours to Europe from a tour member’s perspective. I hope it gives those thinking about taking a David McGuffin tour a little more insight into our tours and travel style.

First Prize – A seat on any David McGuffin tour departing in 2018

Katherine Farmer – Tuscan Villa Tour

Katherine recounts her adventures in Tuscany. Her website features a detailed description of each location, a page dedicated to food, and travel advice.

Second Prize – $500 gift certificate for a David McGuffin tour

Julia Sigona – Essence of Ireland

Julia’s website takes visitors through her experiences in Ireland, including filming locations for Game of Thrones.

Are you ready to join the contest? See the webpages of previous winners and get inspired here.

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BIG SAVINGS ON LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL

If your schedule provides some flexibility, let your imagination run wild with our last-minute offers. We have a few extra seats on some tours and you can snag a big discount by acting now. Don’t let your chance for an impromptu vacation slip away, contact us today for your special offer at: deals@davidmcguffin.com.

April 4-13: A Taste O’ Ireland

Original Price: $2889 -$3089 + air

This tour kicks off with a driving and walking tour of Dublin. Then we will head to the countryside to visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, and charming villages. Enjoy some of the best local food and traditional Irish music. This tour provides in-depth tour experiences in Dublin, Kilkenny, Blarney, Dingle, The Cliffs of Moher and Doolin, Galway, the Aran Islands and more.