Mapping MONTALCINO

The temple of San Biagio seen from the Pienza - Montepulciano road Tuscany has countless churches in incredible locations. But some stick out and leave a mark, even if you're the 'seen one church, seen them all' type of person. Montepulciano's temple of San Biagio is one of them. It's hard not to drive off the road when noticing it for the first time while approaching Montepulciano on the road from Pienza. Over the years, I've observed many a hazardous manoeuvre by tourists trying to get a pic of San Biagio taking a sunset bath during golden hour (and am guilty of some of them myself). Whether you pull over on the road from Pienza or look down onto the church from Montepulciano's town walls, San Biagio looks incredible from every angle and in front of every backdrop. No doubt, Tuscans know how to choose a scenic location but its thanks to the genius of Renaissance architect Antonio da San Gallo the elder that the church stands out like no other wh...

Sunset at the Palazzone winery Tasting Brunello can be a daunting task, at least during the two hottest months of the year. When temperatures start to reach suffocating highs in July and August, only hard-core professionals will look forward to starting the day with a wine that often has an alcohol content of 14 % (let alone the even mightier Brunello Riserva). Most travelers would just ask for one more iced coffee, thank you, if it wasn't for, yes, Montalcino.  At Il Palazzone  - one of my  top ten wineries  to visit in Montalcino - Esther from Vino Vistas created a cool alternative to sticky Tuscan summer mornings spent spitting too warm wine: sunset tastings (I still can't believe that nobody has thought about it before!) . Swirl your wine at sundown and enjoy not just the gorgeous view but also a bit of a breeze. Montalcino isn't just known for Brunello, but also for its windy evenings, and you'll come to love them after a sizzling hot...

I am no friend of August in Italy. Too hot, too crowded. The last few summers may have been cooler and wetter than the norm, but whilst the weather has changed the tourists haven't. Half of the bel paese is on holiday in August, and those Italians who are not at the beach seem to love ticking off Brunello town from their must see list on sweltering hot summer days (Montalcino gets most of its day trip visitors during this time of the year).  If you insist in visiting Montalcino in August make sure your hotel or agriturismo owns a pool. You'll need it. Otherwise the last resort will be to cool down in one of the area's 250 wine cellars.     GOOD TO KNOW There are better months than August to visit Montalcino. Especially if you come for the wine. With its high alcohol content Brunello tastes better when its a little cooler (or properly cold ) outside, so summer may be the time to drink your way through ...

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...

As a Swiss I'd normally say June is already too hot for cycling in Tuscany. But with the weather gone Scottish this year, I can confidently say that June has become a perfect month for exploring the hills on top of a bike. And with this spring being the longest and wettest in history, the Tuscan wildflowers are having the time of their life. So make sure you take due time to do some walking or cycling whilst you travel the Tuscan hills. Stopping the car to take a few pics just isn't the same.  Wildflower cycling in Tuscany

What ever we rate in our family (books, legs, food, music, football players, films, wines), no person, no novel and no plate of homemade pasta ever receives the highest score. Not because of my critical Swiss genes, but because of my Tuscan native, who insists that 10 out of 10 is impossible to obtain. Okay, maybe Diego Maradona in his most stellar moments... but generally let's face it, we can't compete with the gods. However we look, and whatever we do or produce -  we're mere mortals, true perfection is beyond our means.  So imagine my surprise when I heard about a  Brunello di Montalcino Riserva   getting the highest rating possible . I guess the expert tasters of the Italian Espresso guide must have been flabbergasted themselves when scribbling down that 20 out of 20 on the score card of  Poggio di Sotto's Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2006 .  However, the tasting team's vote kind of confirmed our theory: the Espresso  Vini d'Italia 2...

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

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...