This July, I was asked to be one of four Storytellers for DaVinci Wine. We traveled for a week to Tuscany, with the small town of Vinci as our home-base. A glorious villa nestled above countless vineyards was the perfect setting to soak up the wine, food, people and culture of the Montalbano region of Chianti. Besides writing posts each day during our visit---Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5---I put together a mini 'cookbook' of the many flavors and tastes we experienced on our trip. Upon returning home: I tested recipes like crazy (my family didn't seem to mind), snapped pictures and generally relived that week's pleasures through food and photos. And now: I am sharing the unedited version with you.

Each day for the next 10 days, I will post the next 'page' of this short cookbook (total of 12 recipes, with pictures, excerpts etc.). Watch for Tuscany to dribble onto your desktop, with scenes of vineyards and promise of wild boar ragu.

 The DaVinci Wine Cookbook embracing the Food & Wine of Montalbano

DaVinci Wines are to be celebrated. And not just because they are 1. authentic wines hailing from the northern region of Tuscany, 2. meticulously made according to high regional standards, or 3. simply divine on the palate. In my opinion, DaVinci Wines should be embraced because of the people, passion and culture behind the wines.

As part of a week-long journey to Vinci, Italy, (where myself and 3 other lucky souls were invited to experience everything behind the DaVinci brand): we met growers, winemakers, chefs and employees of DaVinci Wine. We made lifelong friends, enjoyed countless food-and-wine pairings, laughed out loud and soaked up the Tuscan landscape.

Most importantly: we genuinely experienced the timelessness of sitting at a table with friends, good wine and course after course of brilliant food. It was simultaneously unrushed, delicious, poignant, carefree, soothing, simple and good. We should all enjoy long meals at big tables with dear friends and family, scrumptious food and memorable wine.

And just because you weren’t on this journey with us to Vinci, Italy, doesn’t mean you cannot soak up all that a Tuscan-inspired table has to offer. In fact: I am here to help. With photos that are worth a thousand words, recipes directly from our experience and a little primer on Chianti---you are on your way to slowing life down and enjoying authentic Italian food and wine. Of course: the cooking, setting a large table and inviting friends and family is up to you.