Tuscany seems to be a very popular topic lately. It is funny that ever since I said I don’t like going to Tuscany because it is always too busy, I’ve been more in Tuscany than ever before and the same goes for the wines and food :-). You might have noticed it on my instagram or facebook, a few weeks ago I was having my summer holidays in Tuscany, or to be more precise in Terricciola.  The big difference between my holidays now and the ones from the previous years is that now we are not 2, but 3 🙂 which results that we can still go to restaurants, but not the same kind… if it weren’t for the fact we asked my daughter’s grandmothers to join us the second week of our holiday that is. This way my wife and I were able to have a day or at least one evening for just us 2… a date night if you will 🙂 For this date I already had the perfect restaurant in mind, Del Duca in Volterra, When I was here 2 years ago I didn’t manage to eat here. The first time I saw the restaurant while walking through the narrow medieval streets of Volterra the restaurant already attracted me!! This was even before meeting the owner/chef Genuino and daughter Claudia (who is host and sommelier in the restaurant) who are the most charming people you’ll meet.

Del Duca serves refined Italian dishes using as much local products as possible and preferably home-made products. Their home-made products go from hams, cheeses, bread, etc… it is stuff like this that separates a cook from a chef for me. Next to the refined food, the second reason to visit Del Duca would be for its exquisite wine list (if you go, ask to see their beautiful wine cellar) with lots of unknown treasures on it!! As I knew they also make their own wine on their estate ‘Podere Marcampo’ (about which I’ll talk in a next blogpost) this seemed like the perfect occasion to taste some of them… this all after a nice glass of Prosecco Rustico by Nino Franco to start what turned out to be a wonderful night out with my beautiful/charming wife whom I love soooo much!! (Scoring points)

Like always there were so many things on the menu that tickled my fantasy, but it were the ravioli with wild boar filling and potato/saffron sauce that did it the most. I must admit that I found it a strange kind of sauce with a potato sauce, but it worked out and was in balance with the strong flavor of the wild boar and saffron. My wife’s eye fell on the vegetable souffle with Tuscan ham. As wine we had the Marcampo which is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Sangiovese that didn’t overpower our dishes, but rather a harmonization.

We continued with in my case with a piece of red chianina meat (filet) with a Chianti/port sauce that like you probably can imagine needs a strong wine next to it like the Giusto Alle Balze that is a 100% Merlot wine. As Merlot lover here again the wine was a win. My wife stuffed guinea fowl with a bacon crust and she continued with the Marcampo wine.

Just like every meal, this one had to be ended in beauty! According to my wife the chocolate mousse with caramel fudge on top of it was THE BEST she had ever had… now (few weeks after it) I sometimes still hear here asking for it in her sleep 🙂 . I took the puff pastry filled with custard (Calories don’t frighten me 😉 ) that just needed a nice dessert wine like Moscato di Pantelleria from the  Salvatore Murana estate (sweet, but not to sweet).

A night to remember sums it all up I think. I wouldn’t have changed anything: nice location, great food and great company… Very satisfied and more in love then ever my wife and I set sail back to reality and to our lovely daughter 😉 and look forward to hopefully once again enjoy another delightful meal at Enoteca Del Duca

Having liked their wines and me being so close to their vineyard AND liking Claudia and her family so much I just had to visit their vineyard!! More in one of my next posts

Enoteca Del Duca

Address: Via di Castello, 2, 56048 Volterra PI, Italy

Website: www.enoteca-delduca-ristorante.it

Phone n°: +39 0588 81510