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From fresh olive oil to chestnut flour cake - this is how to enjoy autumn in Tuscany.
When the morning mist hangs over the vineyards in Tuscany and the first wood-burning stoves are smoking again, the season of simple pleasures begins - and almost every village celebrates the harvest. Between the olive harvest, new wines and fragrant chestnuts, the region now shows its down-to-earth side - rich in tradition, flavour and craftsmanship.
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1. vino novello - the new wine
At the end of October, many villages celebrate the vino novello, the young wine of the year. It is bottled just a few weeks after the harvest and its fruity flavour is reminiscent of berries and cherries. In Chianti and Montalcino in particular, the new wine is served with regional cheese and chestnuts - a symbol of the onset of winter.
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2. olive harvest and fresh oil
Between mid-October and the end of November, everything in Tuscany revolves around olives. In small oil mills, the frantoi, families press the first oil of the season - green, spicy, slightly bitter. Many farms open their doors to visitors, who can taste the freshly pressed olio nuovo straight from the bread.
3. pecorino di Pienza - the autumn cheese
The famous Pecorino di Pienza is produced in spring when the sheep are eating fresh grass and the milk is particularly flavoursome. After maturing for around six months, it reaches its peak in autumn: spicy, nutty and slightly salty. Perfect with fig jam, grapes or a glass of Chianti.
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More Information4. castagnaccio - sweet chestnut cake
Hardly any other dessert is as synonymous with Tuscan autumn as castagnaccio. This simple cake made from chestnut flour, sultanas, pine nuts and rosemary comes from the mountains of Mugello and Garfagnana. Baked without sugar, it smells of a wood-fired oven and the forest - a piece of rural history on a plate.
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5. truffles and autumn markets
From San Miniato to Siena, truffle season begins in November. Pasta with white or black truffles is served at weekly markets and in small osterias, often accompanied by new wines and regional oil. The mixture of earthy fragrance and festive atmosphere makes Tuscan autumn a special experience.
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