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Brunello di Montalcino and Olive Mill Tour |
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Bruenllo di Montalcino and Olive Mill Tour Come drive out with us among the vineyards of Montalcino. This medieval walled town South of Siena once held a very important position, thanks to its location on a hilltop, and its fortress. Though just a small town, it made a name for itself in Italy’s Renaissance history by playing a part in the 1550s war between Siena and the Medici princes of Florence. It sided with Siena, and when Cosimo de’ Medici and the Spaniards laid siege to the fortress for three months, Montalcino refused to surrender. When Siena fell, Montalcino sheltered its leaders, but had to ultimately admit defeat. The once prosperous town fell into a decline, and would have sunk into oblivion, had it not been for wine. Brunello di Montalcino woke up the world to this little town and that’s where we’ll take you. The region is bounded by the Ombrone, Orcia and Asso rivers. The vineyards are protected by the Ombrone valley to the west, the Orcia valley to the south and east, and the mountains of Amiata to the south. They shield the vines from intemperate weather, and it gets just about 20 inches of rain a year, making it the most arid in Tuscany. It is, however, cooled by the sea breezes, and the vicious late spring frosts are virtually unknown. For centuries, Montalcino farmers were making wine, and even in the 1553 siege, it played a role. Legend has it that the garrison commander, who did not want his troops to be disheartened by his pallor, rubbed the red wine into his cheeks and they were fooled into thinking he had ruddy cheeks! It took many years before the change in Montalcino’s fortunes happened. It had to wait till the 1880s, in fact. The Brunello grape, or Sangioveto Grosso, a clone of Chianti's Sangiovese, was the pivot of this change. This superior variety of grape, carefully handled and extra-aged, yielded superior wine. But its popularity outside the region was limited. It took almost another hundred years before it started making a name for itself among the wine lovers of the world. In the 1950s, a few producers began bottling this wine, calling it Chianti Colli Senesi, because it made better market sense, as Brunello di Montalcino was so little known. But gradually, Brunello came into its own, and in 1966, it won DOC status. It went on to achieve new heights, and in 1980, it became the first of the elevated DOCG wines. The wines are aged a minimum of four years, are long lived, richly fruited, and powerful. They are a lovely deep red, smelling of jam and liquorice, and have a dry, lightly tannic taste. With an average strength of 12.5% minimum, it is put on the market after January 1st of the sixth year following the vintage as it spends at least two years in wooden casks and it gets refined in bottles for 4/6 months. As its reputation grew, so did the producers, and today, average production, depending on the season, reaches almost 8,000.000 bottles yearly. The Rosso, another wine of this region, is similar, except that it is aged for lesser time. It too has won the DOC status. No wine lover visiting Italy will want to miss a trip to Montalcino. Our tour starts at 9.30 a.m. from your hotel or villa in Siena. We also organize day trips from Florence. Driving south between rolling hills and vineyards, we will pass the Monte Amite and then come to Montenero. Here, we will visit a small extra virgin olive oil producer, and see how to make and learn how to taste extra virgin olive oil. You’ll enjoy a break, sitting out on a terrace overlooking one of the widest views of the Val d’Orcia area. On again among vineyards and next stop Montalcino. You’ll have time to wander through the streets, taking in the quaint sights, before dining at a typical trattoria. After lunch a short drive will bring us to one of the oldest and best-known estates of the area, a vineyard belonging to a noble family that has been passionate producers of the Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino for many long years. At the vineyard you will be given a tour of the cellars and of course a taste both the wines produced. You’ll learn to tell the difference, and also the reason for that difference. If you come during the end of September, you can see the harvest and the farmers who pick the grapes by hand. After a pleasant day, replete with memories as well as food and wine, you’ll be dropped back to your hotel or villa is at around 5 p.m. *The tour can be customized if you prefer to visit a specific
place or vineyard. ** Please note that all prices below are quoted considering a pick up and drop off in Florence. We can organise for the driver to come to your villa or accommodation in other areas of Tuscany and prices will be quoted seperately upon request **
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