<a target="_blank" href="http://www.villabordoni.com/">Villa
Bordoni</a>

Via San Cresci 31/32, Loc. Mezzuola

I-50022 Greve in Chianti (FI), Italy

Tel. +39 055 854 7453

&nbsp;

Wine:

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines/isole-e-olena-2010-chianti-classico">2010&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Isole
e Olena Chianti Classico</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 92<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103396937-Bor7.jpg"> 

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines/castello-dei-rampolla-2011-chianti-classico">2011 &nbsp;&nbsp; Castello
dei Rampolla Chianti Classico</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;91<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103414772-Bor9.jpg"> 

Food:

Crostini
with burrata and summer truffles<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103242176-Bor1.jpg"> 

Smoked
eggplant served with burrata and fresh truffle shavings<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103259695-Bor2.jpg"> 

Calamari
and avocado salad with a taggiasche olive sauce<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103276021-Bor3.jpg"> 

Taglierini
with porcini mushrooms and summer truffle shavings (not pictured)Spaghetti ‘alla chitarra’ with bufala mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and rocket salad <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103348865-Bor4s.jpg"> 

Pork
fillet wrapped in bacon with delicate sauce of topinambur and fresh zucchini 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1376103373005-Bor6.jpg">&nbsp;

Villa
Bordoni is one of the most beautiful spots in Chianti Classico. Set in the
hills outside Greve, this small, family run hotel/restaurant is an oasis of
tranquility and understated elegance. Scots David and Catherine Gardner are
charming, welcoming hosts full of enthusiasm for the region and all it has to
offer. I have eaten at Villa Bordoni several times over the last few years, but
two recent meals were particularly of note. Readers will have to brave unpaved
roads to get to Villa Bordoni, but there are plenty of signs to help guide the
way.

Villa
Bordoni has a fairly extensive wine list for a small, cozy restaurant. Given
the uneven storage conditions in Tuscany’s restaurants I have decided to stop
ordering expensive wines at dinner and now focus only on current releases. The strength of recent vintages in Chianti Classico ensures that is not much of
a problem. We went through two bottles of Isole
e Olena’s 2010 Chianti Classico, but could have easily finished a few more.
The wine is that delicious. Fresh, perfumed and vibrant, with plenty of that
vintage’s trademark bright acidity, the 2010 is flat-out great. What a
wine! Castello dei Rampolla’s 2011
Chianti Classico captures both the richness of the year and the textured
style that is the hallmark of the Rampolla wines. Here the fruit is dark,
sensual and beautifully layered. The more voluptuous side of Sangiovese comes
through in spades. Both wines are superb, but also distinct, which only serves
to highlight the differences within Chianti Classico.

Is
there a better way to start lunch than with crostini topped with burrata, a
drizzle of olive oil and summer truffles? I doubt it. All of our dishes are
fabulous, and I tried several of them more than once. The smoked eggplant with
burrata and fresh truffles, served chilled, is actually quite refreshing and
light. Villa Bordoni’s calamari and avocado salad with taggiasche olive sauce
is a nice break from the standard Tuscan fare. The flavors are bright and
beautifully articulated.

Our
pasta dishes are both a bit more typical. The taglierini with porcini mushrooms
is a delicious take on a standard, and a fabulous pairing with Sangiovese. I
also adore the spaghetti alla chitarra with bufala mozzarella and cherry
tomatoes, a perfect, light dish for the summer. A bite of the spaghetti
followed by a taste of Isole e Olena’s 2010 Chianti Classico is simple yet
deeply satisfying to the core. The pork filet is an absolutely divine marriage
of perfectly cooked meat, bacon and summer vegetables. I would gladly order it
again.

It
may seem hard to believe, but finding great places to eat in Chianti Classico
is not easy. Most restaurants fall into one of two categories; they are either
tourist traps, or they try to be high-end, formal and elegant, a style of
dining Italy simply doesn’t do well, with maybe a few exceptions. Villa Bordoni
is the real deal. The food is ingredient-driven, simple and beautifully
executed, all presented in a gorgeous, welcoming setting. What else can you ask
for?

--
Antonio Galloni

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