Mapping MONTALCINO

Montalcino's festival season hasn't started yet and we're still waiting for the release of the program of Jazz&Wine 2015. But with the longer days and warmer weather the first musicians are back in town. Sabrina Turri closed Montalcino's music season last autumn  at La Pieve and is reopening it this spring with a concert in the beautiful piazza of Sant'Angelo in Colle.  HOTEL RIF, SANT'ANGELO IN COLLE, WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 7 pm The concert is organized by restaurant il Leccio. Come early to enjoy the sunset view from the town walls of Sant'Angelo in Colle (the best in Montalcino) or to have dinner at restaurant il Leccio  before. If you're not going out on an ordinary weekday catch Hotel Rif on Sunday May 24 at Siena's Teatro dei Rozzi for a special performance commemorating Italy's involvement in the first world war together with writer Emilio Franzina. Or come to Cinigiano on lunch time on Saturday May 30, to start the weekend w...

When summer comes to an end one fears the worst in Montalcino. From music festivals and al fresco dining the population moves right into the wine harvest and nights out become suddenly a no go (anybody who has ever spent a day picking grapes will know why).  Thanks god we are not quite there though. A few white wine grapes may already be off the vine, but since Montalcino is Sangiovese co untry we still have a couple of weeks before things go berserk and a last couple of events before Brunello town's social life falls temporarily asleep. So better make sure you'll be there! Hotel Rif, the Italian band around singer songwriter Sabrina Turri will take you on a trip through Italian and Mediterranean folk music in one of the most beautiful venues Montalcino has to offer. Restaurant la Pieve is located on the Tuscan town's south-western slopes, so make sure you leave Montalcino a bit early to take in the fabulous sunset on the road that leads via Tavernelle to La Pieve (...

November in Tuscany can be chilly and unfriendly. With icy cold Tramontana winds blowing from the north or unpleasant humid weather moving in from the coast.  Or it can look like this: Autumn lunch in our olive grove with new EVOO The ideal combination for mushroom gatherers is produced by a bit of rain followed by splendid sunshine - the perfect growing conditions for these fellas... Umbrella or UFO?

The traditional olivewood disk throwing tournament in Camigliano During the first half of October, the  last crates of grapes are being brought in, and whilst most Brunello makers are busy with keeping  an eye on the fermenting grape juice, the harvest workers are  ready to celebrate the end of the picking  in one of Montalcino's beautiful villages.  With its roughly 40 inhabitants Camigliano is the smallest hamlet in Montalcino's municipality, but you wouldn't think so during the two days of the Sagra del Galletto  food festival, when half of Southern Tuscany's population seems to stand in line for a bite of grilled rooster  and a glass of Brunello land's famous red wine.  One more grilled rooster, please SAGRA DEL GALLETTO , CAMIGLIANO: OCTOBER 5/6 2013 20 minutes by car from Montalcino. Come early to see one of Montalcino's best sunsets. To  find out more about Camigliano, its festivals and its people, r ead Lisa Maria...

True to Montalcino's wine town status, we've just had a festival of  Jazz and wine , and plenty of classical music with wine (Musica Reale and  Amiatapianofestival goes Brunello ). Now all we need is Blues and wine. Plus food.  When I arrived in Tuscany over a decade ago, Camigliano - the beautiful hamlet to the south-west of Montalcino - used to run a fantastic Saturday night disco. Old and young (kids and their grandparents included) would shake it open air on the town square gone disco. Sadly, times have changed, but at least twice a year - during Camigliano Blues  and La Sagra del Galletto  - people still get a chance to move those limbs under the Tuscan stars.  As every year you can come early and eat truly homemade Tuscan, before Meez Pheet and Mike Sponza Blues connection will take the stage.  CAMIGLIANO BLUES - Montalcino, Saturday 27th of July 2013 Meez Pheet and Mike Sponza Blues Convention Dinner from 8pm. Concert fr...

Jazz and Wine - one of the main events of a summer spent in Val d'Orcia The 16th edition of my favorite festival in Italy starts with three concerts in the courtyard of Castello Poggio alle Mura, the HQ of the Banfi winery. After that the festival moves on to its traditional home, Montalcino's imposing fortress right at the entrance of Brunello town.  WAITING FOR JAZZ & WINE AT CASTELLO BANFI The flyer of this year's Jazz & Wine  shows the pianist Bill Evans absorbed in his magical play. This even though piano solo and piano trios play a minor role in the 2013 edition of the festival than in previous years. Nevertheless, the program awaits us with some great names from the Italian and international Jazz scene.  26th of June STEFANO SABATINI TRIO Stefano Sabatini - piano Luca Pirozzi - bass Pietro Iodice - drums 10th of July  PAOLO RECCHIA - T hree for Getz Paolo Recchia - alto sax  Enrico Bracco - guitar Nicola Borrelli - bass 1...

Vineyards and olive groves: Castelnuovo dell'Abate seen from Sant'Antimo  Castelnuovo dell'Abate is one of Montalcino's beautiful small villages that most people only see from afar when visiting Sant'Antimo abbey.  It's time you took a closer look. The medieval village is alive and kicking and its inhabitants are proposing village feasts (in this case called Festa Campagnola) that are always fun to join.  CASTELNUOVO DELL'ABATE, SUNDAY, 12th of May - FESTA CAMPAGNOLA 9am opening of the food stalls (and remember it's totally acceptable to accompany your second breakfast with a glass of wine in Tuscany)  but make sure you leave some room for lunch at 12.30 pm at 4 pm dance it all off with the Ballo del Trescone (Montalcino's folk music group)  at 6 pm try and win a prosciutto, Pecorino cheese or Tuscan salami during the TOMBOLA GASTRONOMICA at 8 pm join everybody for dinner (better eat some more after all that wine) at 9.30 check wheth...

Right in time for Benvenuto Brunello 2013, this blog inaugurates not a new vintage, but a new feature -   a series of interviews with my very personal selection of Montalcino's best winemakers.  Deciding which Brunello producer to start off with was easy. Laura Gray from the Palazzone winery is one of the great communicators when it comes to Brunello making (be it during a winery visit or via her blog on the Palazzone website). Scotland born and Oxford educated, Laura is married to Montalcino thoroughbred Marco Sassetti. Together they run Richard Parsons' Il Palazzone, a small winery close to Montalcino's town center. In occasion of Benvenuto Brunello 2013, the Palazzone team proudly presents the 2008 vintage together with their handsome new wine cellar.  Palazzone vineyard's new cellar  (by Montalcino born architect Marco Pignattai )  Are you a 100% Sangiovese gal or do you think Montalcino wines should open up to Cabernet and co.?...

Winter in Montalcino can be a little hard on the foodie side, as many restaurants close for a month or two once the December holiday season is over. Luckily one can always trust the quartieri (Montalcino's four neighborhoods), to come up with something tasty even once temperature drops.  This January, the Ruga neighborhood organizes its 5th Pinceria, an evening where the handmade pinci are rolled out in stacks, but not just with the traditional sauces (alle briciole, all'aglione), but - as the Italians say - in tutte le salse  (in every possible way or sauce). So better prepare for some innovative combinations!  If you're not in town or would like to try yourself on pinci making once back home - Jul's Kitchen has several pinci recipes on her great Tuscan cooking blog. Start off with the traditional pici all'aglione recipe , and if you understand some Italian read on about pici con le briciole , a post she wrote down for last year's Benvenuto Brunello wine...

Over 50 years ago, the city of Montalcino started the Sagra del Tordo in an effort to boost the local economy. Since then the little Sagra with big hopes has outgrown its own name. Sagra , yes. The last weekend in October still offers the best in local dishes and vino , but it goes beyond that. You might call it a folkfest with parades in medieval costumes, traditional folk dancing and an exciting archery tournament between the quarters of Montalcino. Tordi , no. Thrush have become a protected species so they are no longer on the menu (much to local dismay). TOP TEN REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD COME TO THE SAGRA DEL TORDO (in no particular order. Well, not really.) 10. The excitement and rivalry in the air. During the settimana santa , the week leading up to the big festival, you can feel a buzz around town. Banners are hung on the old City Hall, flags are unfurled in the four quarters and people are genuinely happy spending all week tog...

Planning to spend a few days in Montalcino? Read wedding planner and tour guide Serena's account of her holiday in Brunello town this summer.  You never learn enough of Tuscany and whenever you have the chance to tour an area, you go back home with the feeling that yet something is missing and you need to go back to see more… This sensation was even stronger when visiting Montalcino and Val D’Orcia this summer with my family. View from Montalcino over the hills of the Crete Senesi and Val d'Orcia

You know fall is in the air when you see the  Sagra del Galletto  in Camigliano  on the calendar. The first weekend in October wakes this sleepy corner in the municipality of Montalcino to its busiest time of year. The grill, tents and tables are set up, the  Pozzo  dance floor is swept clean and, most importantly, the kitchen fills up with different generations who come together to prepare local specialities. Days of preparation and lots of laughter

Join the daily neighborhood chat in Buonconvento  Certain things can't be reiterated often enough: Buonconvento is one of Tuscany's best kept secrets - stunning medieval town center, great restaurants and museums and hardly any tourists around! If you are travelling Tuscany this week, the Sagra della Val D'Arbia (the yearly village festival) is one more reason for a stopover in the lovely town in the Crete Senesi (the stunning clay landscape south of Siena). 

 Osteria Sant'Angelo Foodie pit stop in Sant'Angelo Scalo Sant'Angelo Scalo is one of those Tuscan villages that tourists keep missing out on by driving straight through.  Utterly lacking in noteworthy sites, Scalo (as the locals call it)  doesn't have medieval town walls or great views, let alone any Renaissance art.  If anything travelers slow down their car to ask for directions to the nearby Castello Banfi and Col d'Orcia wineries (two of Montalcino's biggest Brunello producers).  The small village on the way to the Maremma, is just so not the Tuscany you were dreaming about when booking your flight a few months ago. But for once, fo rget about art, culture and quaint medieval hilltop villages. Join the locals instead, binge on Tuscan food and wash it all down with one of Italy's best wines.  The Orcia a Tavola food festival will make sure you'll remember the Val d'Orcia not just as a Unesco World Heritage site with cypress ...

Montalcino's fortress and football field (location of the archery contest) With the unbearable heat this August I don't envy the Montalcinesi who'll participate in the ceremony and archery contest of the opening of the hunting season. The medieval garments worn during the celebrations are worthy of a major snow storm.  Wonder how they manage to resist the heat? Go and see for yourself. Just make sure you'll bring along a straw hat and plenty of water.

Even though the two big events of Montalcino's festival season ( JAZZ&WINE and MUSICA REALE ) already came to a close, music lovers are still in time to enjoy a few gigs and concerts in an around Brunello town this August. 

Wondering what to do on a sultry summer’s eve? How about dinner and blues under the stars at the good ol’ Pozzo in Camigliano? Since 2006, the Cultural and Recreational Association of Camigliano has reopened its stage for two evenings to both Italian and international blues performers after serving a home-style dinner made by the very same hands that prepare the annual Sagra del Galletto on the first weekend of October (more on that to come). A.C.R. Camigliano collaborate with Torrita Blues’ organizer Luca Romani to select the main acts to perform at Camigliano Blues while the opening performers compete in the Effetto Blues category at the Torrita Blues festival. Saturday, July 28 th begins with the acoustic Fire and Water Duo from Italy. Next Blues Explosion heats up the stage with guitarist and vocalist Texas Slim straight from Dallas, harmonicist and vocalist Brian Templeton and the smooth vocals of Vivian Vance Kelly. On Saturday, August 4 th , the D...

Buonconvento: benches waiting for the idle visitor.  I've written about my passion for Buonconvento before. The Southern Tuscan town sports  great museums and ice-cream and a beautiful town center with impressive town walls. Plus, the town is often overlooked by tourists heading towards Montalcino and the Val d'Orcia. Buonconvento is not entirely off-the-beaten track, but definitely refreshing after an afternoon spent jammin' it in Siena or Pienza.  This said, during a few days of the year you'll be surprised by running into quite the crowd in Buonconvento. Luckily it will be made up by mainly locals, not tourists. 

Montalcino's old town hall with bell tower and the theater (teatro degli Astrusi) to the left Every year in July Montalcino's lovely theater called teatro degli Astrusi is home to a classical music festival, that brings the soloists of Amsterdam's famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to town. 

The perfect town square - Bagno Vignoni's hot water pool Just before Italy is facing Germany in the European football Championship,  Montalcino's bar Kaffeina organizes Kaffepinci  an afternoon dedicated to Pinci making . Pinci (in other villages of the Val D'Orcia also called Pici) are the area's famous hand made pasta, which looks like especially thick Spaghetti and taste heaven with a meat sauce or all'aglione (a tomato sauce heavy on the garlic). In case you know how to do fresh pasta just cook along. It's a proper competition and there are nice prices for the first three (a holiday trip and obviously plenty of wine). If your cooking skills are not on a level to join the competition, pop in anyway and see how it's done. And don't miss out on watching the game with the rest of the cooks at 8.45pm.  KAFFEPINCI , Thursday 28th of June 2012.  For more information about Kaffeina see our Restaurants in Montalcino page.  Libreria d'Orcia. the l...