Chianti is more than merely a classic name

To many people, Chianti is a kind of wine that comes in cute bottles covered with straw. OK, so I’ll speak for myself. That’s what I thought Chianti was before I first visited Italy several years ago. Here’s what else I knew: It was red.

Chianti , actually, is an area of Tuscany that spreads south of Firenze almost to Siena 40-something kilometers away. There’s Greve in Chianti, Strada in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti and lots of other towns in Chianti. Lots of things, too. Such as tourists. Which is what we were over the weekend.

Italy has many treasures. No question. But chief among them is this area of wooded hills, winding roads, small scenic towns and more vineyards than Bob Dylan has had vocal styles. And especially this summer, which has seen a drop in tourism, the accommodations have been easy to get. We ended up staying for two night at Castello de Lamole (90 euro for a spacious double suite), a country inn set on a hill and dating back to the 12th century.

The place was renovated extensively a few years ago, and so there are lots of amenities — a pool, electricity, a restaurant — to go along with the rustic stone walls remaining from what once was a fort important during the long-held struggle between Firenze and Siena.

And speaking of the restaurant, which is named Aia dei Canti, the proprietors offered us two special Italian treats. One, as what must be part of the “slow food” movement , it took three hours for five of us to have dinner (after two hours, I thought my wife was going to scream). Two, we were serenaded by folksinger Riccardo Marasco, owner and specialist in ancient Tuscan song, whose voice could fill La Scala, much less the small dining space.

It was an experience that was pure Italy. And while not for everyone (some folks, no one will be named, just can’t break their fast food habits), it would be perfect for those looking for a bit of peace and some Tuscan cultural traditions.

Only thing is that the wine, while red, didn’t come in those bottle baskets. What’s up with that?