Here's a guide to my favorite wine bars, trattorias, and special eating places along La Strada del Vino. Look for my decal in the window. And tell them Divina Cucina sent you!

Gaiole is the smallest of the castle towns, a tiny strip of a village. It good for shopping for basics, but not much more. They have a wine festival in September. There are lots of great wineries near Gaiole and tiny villages with great places to eat. Market Day: 2nd Monday of the Month Osteria del Castello Localita Brolio (In the garden of the Brolio Castle) Gaiole in Chianti (Siena) Tel: 0577-747-277 Closed Thursday Lots of outdoor dining in the garden as well as indoors when the weather isn't so nice. It's a break from traditional Tuscan food--great presentaion, light sauces, and full of flavor. The menu changes often; they have their own garden and use only the best the season has to offer. We shared steamed zucchini flowers with a lavender-ricotta filling served with a rich tomato sauce. That treasure was followed by pasta with a duck and fennel sauce, ravioli with two sauces, elk in a wine reduction sauce, and rack of lamb for the main course. The meats were very tender and flavorful. Dishes come with wonderful fresh vegetables. For dessert, we tried a hot Amaretto souffle and a semifreddo with orange sauce. How can you resist! Click on the city below that you plan to visit and I'll recommend the best places to stop for a bite to eat on La Strada del Vino. Strada in Chianti Greve Lamole Panzano Castellina Radda Gaiole San Casciano Certaldo Poggibonsi San Gimignano Monteriggioni Castelnuovo Berardenga Siena