Montalcino, Italy

Montalcino, Italy

September 5, 2006

Montalcino, Italy
Visit August 3 to 30, 2006

Tuscany is a galaxy of hill towns situated on mountain tops rich in history of the Etruscan influence dating back before ancient Rome .

Montalcino is located 40 minutes SW of Siena between Florence to the north and Rome to the south.

Montalcino is a compact city on top of a mountain surrounded by a strong wall and a fortress built to keep out the intruders from Montepulciano and Orvieto during the years of aggression between neighboring towns. The area is world renown for its Brunello wine as well as olive oil, mushrooms, the white truffle, ham, sausages, and cheeses. There are close to 200 vineyards around Montalcino growing the Sangiovese grape. One strain of Sangiovese Grosso is Brunello ("little dark one"), so named for the brown hue of its skin. The grape is responsible for the reputation of Brunello di Montalcino wines, which are made totally from this variety.

As you walk the perimeter of the wall, your eyes naturally settle on the horizon many miles away with views of Pienza, Siena, and Buonconvento. In between and far away are manicured farms and vineyards, which locals describe as pillows. You will be fascinated walking around the medieval city where the streets seem so narrow you can stretch your arms and touch building to building. You will surely enjoy the frescoes on the walls, flower boxes hanging from balconies and the cracked and faded paints that give the old buildings a life of their own. Your breathing will be deeper as the air is clean and clear with subtle fragrances of the flowers and trees.

Valerie, David, Jonee, Allen, Kristi and Donna

Joining us for three weeks were daughters, Jonee, Kristi, Valerie, son-in-law David and grandson, Allen, which added to “never a dull moment” family-style fun. We enjoyed the many offerings of the local cuisine, two gelato helpings sometimes three a day and dipping our bread in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with passion. Some of the specialties that came out of our kitchen were, pasta e fagioli soup, rosemary roasted chicken, linguini pesto, proscuitto de Palma/melon along with bags of Cantucci (biscotti) and a variety of fruits and Italian cookies. It is safe to drink the water; however, we used mostly bottle water (6 pkg. bottles 1.5 liter water @ 3.00 euros at the Coop, grocery store) in addition to boiling tap water to drink. Hans and Silvia, our friends from Germany, joined us the last week we were there.

Jonee at the open air market selecting tree ripened peaches from an Italian orchard

The house we rented was located outside of the city wall in the most modern section of the city. We had seven in our gang. Four slept in the main house (could accommodate at least 8) and 3 stayed in the apartment below. There were modern conveniences including a washing machine; however, there was very limited television reception and no internet connection. A rental car is a necessity as Tuscany is an expansive area. Traveling from town to town was an adventure as the terrain was very hilly with winding roads and vague road signs…confusing at best. I guarantee you will take several wrong turns each time out.

We dined in restaurants specializing in home cooked regional Italian cuisine. Among them were IL Grifo Restaurant and Pizzeria, Via Mazzini No. 18, where we enjoyed all of the dishes including pizza with porcini mushrooms, sausage, and calzone. Other eateries included Taverna Grappolo Blu, Osteria di Altri Tempi, Les Barriques Restaurant, and Osteria de Porta al Cassero. To end a perfect day, the gelato store is on Via Mazzini, favorites being Bacio, Fior-di-Latte, Limone, Nicciola and Straticella. Take your pick…the best ice cream in the world.

In restaurants, the service charge (tip) of 2 euros per person is included in your bill. For exceptional service, you may leave a few more euros on the table. From our experience, we spent approximately 20 euros per person including wine and tip for a tasty two or three course dinner.

San Antimo Church

Exploring Tuscany rewarded us with many memories such as San’Antimo, a simple shaped church, built in the 800’s. On our visit, we enjoyed the Gregorian chanting by the monks and found a team of young scouts excavating the courtyard for treasures of yesteryear.

Our beach outing took us to Grosseto where there were packed crowds enjoying the warm Mediterranean and relief from the 90-degree weather. On the way to Grosseto, we visited the Etruscan ruins in Roselle.

A Tuscany farm outside of Pienza

If you want to experience the medieval lifestyle, Pienza, Siena, Montepulciano, Chianciano, and San Gimignano are must visits. Without reservation, each will charm you as you walk down their narrow streets enjoying their ambiance. The smell of pecorino cheese, roast pork, gelato, and local wines will surely entice you into their shops. Words cannot describe the experience, only a real life visit will suffice.

Often, we watched the afternoon lightning storms and gathering thunderclouds to the east of us that eventually spilled its life giving rain to the vineyards, flowers and the trees. It was inspiring to see the elderly make their way around the cobble stone streets and slowly up the steep hill carrying their goods from the city. They always looked you in the eye with a greeting of “buongiorno”. That spirit motivated us to walk to the city at least once a day as part of our exercise. The more we did it the easier it became. We left Jan’s house and this Tuscany mountain top with images of billowing clouds, neatly manicured vineyards and pillows of plowed fields as far as you can see.

Allen and Donna overlooking the Brunello vineyards

Summing up our stay in Montalcino, the mountaintop of beautiful vineyards, olive groves, and farms presented us a pause from our busy life and a renewed spirit as we experienced a deeper sense of harmony with nature, soil, and the soul.

We are filling our eyes.

Allen & Donna