Word: tuscan
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...fantasized while traveling in a foreign country of snapping up some irresistible piece of real estate--a Tuscan farmhouse, Scottish castle or Argentine ranch--and beginning a whole new life that combines just the right mix of adventure and tranquility? If I lived here, you say to yourself, I could enjoy myself so much that I would stay young forever. Of course, returning home usually brings you back to reality: early retirement seems so far off, family and friends are too dear to desert, the logistics are unmanageable...
Even when convinced that the Tuscan hills or a British Columbia cove is just the place for you, never buy a house on impulse. Before even considering such a commitment, rent for a while. You may find that you much prefer another area of the country or that you are better off renting. If you choose to buy, find a good attorney who can explain everything from financing options to clarity of title...
When Ruth McVey first traveled to Montisi in 1975 while on a break from teaching at the University of London, she never expected she would end up farming there. She was so delighted by the tiny Tuscan town that she just hoped "to have a nice house and a little garden" once she retired. But the two-story farmhouse she bought came with quite a bit of land. So now, at 70, she produces olive oil, tends a tiny orchard and keeps some sheep and goats...
McVey's paradise is not the only Tuscan town that would appeal to retirees. Montepulciano is a terrific place to get away from it all without ending up in the middle of nowhere. Best known for its vino nobile, the town is perched on a hill just two hours from Rome. At Cantuccio's, for example, one can order a meal of local pasta (pici) with garlic or ragu, rabbit, vin santo and dessert--all for $20. There are more than 100 vineyards in the area; some, such as the Castello Banfi, are worth a visit just for the view...
Geddes is doing more in America than getting mentioned in magazines. In 1995 he engineered the first Italian-American joint venture with California's Mondavi, a fifty-fifty partnership in which the two companies jointly hold the Luce della Vite corporation, which owns two Tuscan estates. A shared board develops marketing and distribution strategies, and winemakers from each company collaborate on the wines. The resulting lines are designed to compete at three different price levels, an essential for mass competition in the global market. Luce is made from a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot grapes grown entirely in Montalcino...