Aged for Vengeance Read online

  “You are always early. Knowing this makes me try to arrive sooner,” he told her in complimentary tones.

  Smiling, Olivia guessed she’d identified the problem. They were both aiming to be earlier than the other. She guessed that meant they shared a similar mindset, or at any rate, a passion for the wonderful business they worked in.

  Normally, the thought of qualities in common with her boss would make her feel positive, but now it gave her an uneasy twinge.

  As Erba scampered off, eager to join the herd at the goat dairy, Olivia climbed into the passenger seat of Marcello’s SUV.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, but he shook his head.

  “It’s a surprise,” he said.

  She was perplexed to pick up a hint of nervousness in his voice. It was very unlike Marcello to be nervous, and this was another warning sign.

  As they headed out of the main gate, Olivia reminded herself to remain professional and calm, no matter what surprises were in store.

  Marcello liked to play classical music or opera on his road trips, and this morning, Nessun Dorma filled the car at a volume that was comfortable enough for conversation, but also meant there was no uneasy silence. It was one of her favorite arias, and always filled Olivia with emotion.

  Staring out the window, Olivia admired the winter tapestry that surrounded her. At this time of year, the heavy rain had turned the grass and fields deep green. The branches of the hazel trees were bare of leaves, but festooned in yellow catkins which added color to the deep, dark, rain-soaked landscape.

  Whenever Olivia headed out of town on a road trip, she felt elated to have restarted her life in this beautiful, historic area where she instinctively felt she belonged. Who would have thought that an impulse vacation could have led to such a huge, yet rewarding, life change in this incredible part of Italy?

  They were driving toward Florence, but before they reached the city, they joined the highway and headed into the rolling terrain of the Chianti district.

  Where were they going? She recognized the turn-off that led to the celebrity-owned wine farm where she and Danilo had enjoyed a wine tasting and sumptuous dinner as their second date. Staring at the signpost, Olivia remembered what a perfect outing it had been. The wine tasting had provided an afternoon of laughter and conversation in a gorgeous setting, and the dinner had been the perfect opportunity for them to become closer and talk more intimately. They’d headed back to her farmhouse for coffee, and Danilo had stayed over for the very first time.

  The next day, Olivia had felt she was floating on air with happiness. But now, she was worried that he hadn’t thought the evening was as perfect as she had. Perhaps she’d been too clingy? She’d tried very hard not to be clingy at all! Or had Danilo expected more of a commitment? she wondered. Surely it had been too soon for talk of permanence, or declarations of love?

  On the other hand, maybe Danilo had decided that after that date, things were moving too fast. Was he feeling trapped after expecting something more casual? she fretted with a frown. Only when Vino Montagna was out of sight did she manage to put her troubled thoughts aside.

  Beyond that winery, this part of Tuscany was completely new to her. It seemed unspoiled, and more remote than the area where La Leggenda was located. Only the occasional quaint village, with stone church spires reaching to the sky, punctuated the rolling panorama.

  “And here, we turn again,” Marcello said, sounding deeply contented as he swung the SUV onto a quiet road.

  This was clearly a familiar route to him. He hadn’t even glanced at his satnav, despite being a fair distance from La Leggenda. This was the heart of the Chianti Classico area, Olivia knew, and given the worldwide fame of these wines, she was excited that this was their destination. But where, exactly, were they heading?

  Increasingly curious, Olivia waited until Marcello headed along another narrow, winding lane which led into the scenic town of Greve.

  As Olivia took in the shops, their signage so understated and pretty compared to the louder, more in-your-face retail displays in the States, she noticed a discreet sign announcing: Castello di Verrazzano Wine Store.

  “We’re going to Castello di Verrazzano!” Olivia exclaimed. It was among the most famous organic wineries in Italy. She longed to know more about their farming methods, especially when she heard Nadia or Antonio bemoaning the difficulties of growing wine within these strict, but rewarding, parameters. Nadia in particular would march into the tasting room yelling, “Bugs! I hate all bugs!” when her vines were challenged by the local insects.

  Her guess was right. Marcello nodded, looking satisfied.

  Just outside of town they headed up the hill toward the winery. The imposing castle, flanked by rolling hills covered in vine plantations, was visible from the moment they crested the hill and Olivia gasped in awe.

  This was one of the stateliest and most gorgeous castles she’d ever seen. It looked perfectly preserved, as if time had washed gently over its high stone walls and elegant towers, doing nothing more than imparting a weathered richness to its veneer.

  “What an amazing place,” she breathed.

  “It is one of the most beautiful buildings I know,” Marcello agreed, his voice filled with emotion.

  Glancing at him, Olivia saw his face was alight with happiness. Clearly, Marcello did have a history with this place, and clearly, he loved it.

  Olivia craned her neck as they neared the vine plantations. These vines looked sturdy and healthy, and she was surprised by how lush the plants looked. The amount of sheer hard work that it must take to maintain such massive fields boggled her mind. Did they use mechanization? she wondered. Hopefully there would be a chance to ask questions.

  They climbed out of the car and Olivia stared up at the high walls, and then swiveled around to take in the panoramic view of the vineyards they had driven past. In the distance, she could see the golden stone of Greve town, nestled among the hills.

  What a magnificent venue. She couldn’t have asked for a more regal setting for the no doubt excruciating scene that would soon play out between her and Marcello. Luckily, the strong building behind her felt supportive, and her nerves abated, replaced by a rush of positive energy.

  “Shall we go in?” Marcello said softly.

  They walked into the cool, high-roofed hall. Inhaling an appreciative breath, Olivia thought she picked up a complex mix of history, wine, and the subtle aroma of food. Crispy dough, baking tomatoes, and a hint of garlic teased her senses with their barely-there presence.

  Instead of following the directions to the well signposted tasting room and restaurant, Marcello nodded a greeting at the smiling young receptionist before he turned the other way. Olivia walked alongside, but fell behind as Marcello headed through a doorway and up a steep, spiral staircase.

  Cool grew colder, and dim grew darker, the only light emanating from the faint globes overhead. This was a true castle experience! No doubt, these hidden stairs had been the domain of servants, but probably also of trysting lovers. Who knew, Olivia thought, with yet another stab of doubt.

  “We are about to enjoy the most beautiful view,” Marcello continued, blithely unaware of Olivia’s internal conniptions. “Looking out over Chianti, from the battlements of this ancient castle, is an auspicious way to start this very special day. This castle has a good energy.”

  Marcello was setting a brisk pace, and Olivia was so out of breath from the winding stairs that she couldn’t do more than murmur in assent, although her trepidation was growing with every step.

  Scenarios collided in her mind. Turning down her boss was not something she had ever imagined doing!

  Worse still, she couldn’t suppress her fears that Danilo wasn’t serious about her. If she rebuffed Marcello, believing herself to be involved with another man when in fact she wasn’t—well, it would be the most terrible decision of her life. She would have lost out in every possible way.

  After what seemed like a long climb, they exited the stairway and headed along a corridor with heavy wooden doors on the left, and on the right, the occasional high view from tall, narrow windows.

  At the very end of the corridor, the wall had been dismantled and a waist-high wrought-iron balcony installed. Olivia caught her breath as she stared out over the view, thrown into dramatic relief with the low winter sunshine.

  It was an enticing combination of order and chaos, Olivia realized. Wild, tangled forests at the borders of the estate were curbed by the edges of the massive vine plantations, which combed their curving lines over the hillside. Stately cypress trees lined the driveway.

  “It’s magnificent. Magnifico,” she said.

  Marcello nodded, and yet again, Olivia was surprised to see he looked unsure.

  “I have brought you here for a reason,” he said. “A very important reason.” He turned to face her, his dark eyes wide and serious.

  Olivia felt her mouth grow dry. Her worst fears were realized. Unable to speak, her heart hammering with expectation, she waited for the bombshell to land.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Olivia, I—” Marcello began.

  And then, from behind them, a joyful bellow broke the moment.

  “Marcello Vescovi! There you are!”

  Both of them swung around to face the speaker. Marcello’s face was filled with expectation and joy. Olivia felt weak with relief that the moment she’d dreaded had been postponed by this fortunate encounter.

  The stocky, silver-haired man approaching them had strong features and wore an air of authority as easily as he wore his stylish Gucci coat. She guessed he must be the estate manager or in charge of the winery. And clearly, Marcello was his long-lost friend. Beaming from ear to ear, he wrapped the tall Marcello in a bear hug, greeting him in rapid Italian which Olivia was pleased she could get the gist of.

  He was berating Marcello for not having visited more frequently, and congratulating him on the quality of the La Leggenda wines, and expressing excitement about some future venture that sounded important. That was the essence of the conversation, combined with much arm-waving and gesturing and cries of “Mio Dio!” and “Strabiliante!”, and Marcello’s laughing responses.

  Switching to English, Marcello placed his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. The touch gave her a frisson of worry. Was she going to be announced as his girlfriend-to-be?

  “I am being rude. I should have introduced Olivia Glass, our head sommelier, immediately. Olivia, this is Sergio Elmo, the general manager of this estate. He is in charge of the wine growing and has pioneered their journey to organic.”

  “It’s an honor to meet you,” Olivia said, relieved that Marcello had referred to her purely in work terms. More exciting still, this man was an icon of the Tuscan wine industry. She felt as if she were greeting a movie star as he grasped her hand warmly in his own.

  “The pleasure is mine. Marcello has spoken very highly of you,” he said with conviction.

  Olivia felt breathless at the compliment. How kind of Marcello! Although, given today’s circumstances, she couldn’t help worrying about exactly what he’d said.

  “Now, firstly, you will want to tour our vineyards, I am sure,” Sergio invited.

  “I’d love to!” Again, Olivia glanced out over that exquisite view. She couldn’t wait to learn more about what it took to produce these world-renowned wines—and organically, too.

  With Sergio leading the way, they headed back down the narrow staircase. Descending in the gloom, she was glad of the sturdy wooden rail that circled the outer wall.

  Sergio headed out of the main entrance, past a large group of tourists, and then hugged the castle’s walls, leading them along a paved path and then turning into the verdant fields beyond.

  “Our estate has occupied this same area of Chianti for more than a thousand years,” Sergio told her, following a sandy track that led between two plantations of tall, healthy vines.

  A thousand years? Olivia found it difficult to comprehend that an estate could have remained stable and established for that vast amount of time.

  “How large is it?” she asked. “And how much of it is planted with vines?”

  “The full estate is two hundred and thirty acres. Of this, approximately half is planted with vines. Our soil here is stony, but rich in limestone.”

  Olivia felt encouraged. Her farm was stony, too. Look how productive Castello di Verrazzano’s fields were. Hopefully she could coax her farm into greater fertility in less than a thousand years. She was already thirty-four, after all.

  “We renew our vineyards periodically, and according to a specialized schedule. This keeps the average age of our plants at around twelve years,” Sergio explained further.

  “How do you divide up your plantations?” Marcello asked.

  “We aim for each type of grape to grow on the ground most suited to it. This might look like one estate, but to a vine, it is not. It is a thousand different places, each with its own qualities and microclimate. Our job as caretakers of these precious plants is to choose where each one will grow and thrive to its best. The soil type, combined with the way we manage the growing and harvesting, as well as our mainly east exposure, is what imparts a unique taste and quality to all our wines.”

  Olivia felt inspired by this information. She was in awe of the mastery it took to provide a signature quality to every wine produced in this estate. Would she ever have the expertise to do this? Her thoughts turned with hope to the small batch of ice wine busy maturing in her barn.

  “Do you grow mainly sangiovese grapes?’ she asked, guessing that this would be the most popular type in the heart of the Chianti region.

  “Yes. Different varietals of sangiovese are, of course, the heroes of the red wines that we are known for. We also grow merlot, canaiolo, cabernet sauvignon, and colorino, and we have small plantations of white grapes also.”

  As they walked in between the vines, Olivia was impressed all over again by how healthy and well cared for they looked. It amazed her to think that this could be done using completely organic fertilization and maintenance.

  “We weed mechanically. After all, a human has limits, and weeds are tenacious,” Sergio laughed. “But all our grapes are harvested by hand.”

  “You practice grassing, don’t you?” Marcello asked.

  As he said the words, Olivia realized what was so different about these plantations. Grass was growing everywhere, even under the vines. They were walking along one of the only clear pathways she could see, and it was decidedly narrow. She’d never seen this done before, although recently she had noticed that the La Leggenda plantations looked untidier than usual. Perhaps this was something they were introducing?

  “In traditional wine farming, pesticides are used to clear this space, but we believe that is old thinking and we can work better with nature. Grassing enables this. If correctly done, it has so many benefits,” Sergio enthused. “Of course, our main aim in everything we do is to encourage the natural health of the vines and reduce the need for pesticides, in line with our fully organic status. Grassing promotes so much biodiversity among the fields, leading to better health of the vines. It actually reduces unwanted vine growth, as now there is competition for the soil under the plants. It prevents erosion and it means that water does not evaporate as fast.”

  Olivia’s mind was buzzing as she took in this wisdom. She wanted an organic farm, too. Perhaps this meant an end to her backbreaking sessions of trying to weed out all the grass and other growth around her vines, which had always been a discouraging job, and which she’d abandoned completely when work was too busy or the weather was bad.

  “Shall we go to the cellar now?” Sergio turned left, joining another of the rare paths, this one leading back to the castle.

  Olivia glanced at Marcello, who looked as excited as she did to absorb this incredible knowledge. This could transform what they did at La Leggenda and take their farming to the next level.

  She couldn’t believe what they had learned in just a few minutes of strolling through this magical property. Imagine what they could pick up if they had a full day here, or even a week.

  They followed Sergio around the side of the castle. At this early hour, the underground cellars were not yet open to the public, but as soon as the smartly dressed attendant spotted Sergio approaching, he quickly unlatched the creaky iron fastening and swung the enormous door wide.

  “The cellars date back to the sixteenth century,” Sergio said. “Our barrels are placed along the internal corridors, to better protect them from any fluctuations in temperature.”

  This was one of the most atmospheric cellars she’d ever seen, Olivia thought. Following Sergio into the gloomy depths, she breathed in the complex scent of oak, maturing wine, and the feeling of deep history that pervaded the air with a subtle musty tinge.

  She wished she’d known earlier how unique this place was, so that she could have planned a trip with Danilo. It would have been a memorable experience for them to share. As it was, she feared that embarrassing memories might end up being made here!

  “This way.” Sergio led them along a sloping corridor. The lighting was subdued, perhaps to provide a stable environment for the maturing wine in the massive oak barrels that punctuated their journey, standing like guards along the way.

  Sergio unlocked a steel gate, his keys clanking in the latch. He swung it open and they entered a small, vault-like room, with a long wine rack placed along the back wall.

  “This is our most exclusive storage area. General visitors are not permitted inside; we open it only for very special guests. In here, we keep bottles of our best vintages, ever since 1924.”

  Olivia gazed raptly at the rows of wines. But Sergio had another treat in store. Moving to one of the huge barrels that served as tables, he took a wine from the closest side of the rack and opened it.

  “This wine is not historic. It is part of our vintage from two years ago, which we are very proud of. Please, have a taste of one of our most successful Chiantis.”