Never too old for school, I recently completed two weeks at the Lucca Italian School. My study of the Italian language began in the pandemic with Giulia, the Italian au pair living with my son’s young family. When she returned to Tuscany we continued weekly Zoom lessons, but I soon learned that immersion in the culture was necessary. So, off I went for an adventure….

Every morning (9am-1pm) for two weeks I studied conversational Italian with my class of 5 foreign students. Afternoons were field trips with the school or independent exploration of Lucca and neighboring villages. Lucca is a beautiful walled city ideal for una passeggiata (a walk); it was 20 minutes from wall to wall in any direction. I practiced my Italian while visiting local shops to buy vegetable, fruits, meats, cheese and local wines.

The weekend between classes I visited Carrara to see my friends, Giulia and Stefano. We did a jeep tour to the mountain quarries where famous Carrara marble is cut, molto interessante (very interesting). Then a visit to Colonnata, un piccolo paese (a small village) where “Lardo di Colonnata” (cured pork fat) is made. After a visit to the Tuscan beaches of Forti di Marmi and Marina di Massa and lunch in Pisa, I returned to Lucca for Monday classes.

While visiting wine shops in Lucca, I learned that there was a DOC for Lucca produced wines. Colline Lucchese DOC (hills of Lucca) is one of first Italian DOC’s created in 1968. It is a small DOC of 500 hectares (1200 acres) in the area surrounding Lucca between the Tuscany coast on the east and the Apennine Mountains on the west. Colline Lucchese Rosso and Rosso Riserva is a blend up to 80% Sangiovese grown in surrounding areas of Lucca.

These local wines were excellent recommendations from small wine shops in Lucca.

FATTORIA FUBIANO Rosso Riserva 2019
Colline Lucchese DOC, Red blend Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot. Sold in USA, 16 EU in wine store but 10 EU in grocery market – great value.

STEFANINI TRAONCHETTI Rossi di Sole 2019
Montecarlo DOC (village near Lucca), primarily Sangiovese with Caniolo and Cilelegio. 10 EU, 100% Sangiovese wine similar to fruitiness of Chianti Classico.

Lucca Italian School offers an excursion to cooking class at Fubbiano winery which includes winery tour, wine tasting and preparation of 3 course meal.