Mapping MONTALCINO

The first week of April is the one time of spring that you don't want to be in Montalcino - or in any Italian wine town for that matter - since the majority of the country's winemakers won't be found in their vineyards but in Verona at Vinitaly, the Superbowl of Italian wine fairs.  For the rest of the month do come out. Above all if you're not just a wine drinker but also  a hobby photographer, watercolorist, hiker or wildflower lover. Va l d'Orcia in April is the proverbial explosion of colors, which will have its climax in May  before the landscape turns into hues of Sienna in the month of June.  GOOD TO KNOW Bring an umbrella. April is one of the rainiest months in Tuscany (hence all the colors). And i f you can, avoid Easter in Montalcino - Brunello town is a popular weekend destination for Northern Europeans and Italians who spend Pasqua away from home. Montalcino's town center and the famous Sant'Antimo abbey get very busy ...

Towards the end of winter in the midst of February, Brunello town wakes up from hibernation. For two reasons: pruning: the vineyards are still resting, so it's high time to move in there with secateurs in hand to get things back into shape before spring is running havoc.  Benvenuto Brunello: Montalcino's most important event presents the freshly released Brunello  -  just count back five years to know which vintage will be on show (and six for Brunello Riserva) . The three days of tasting at the end of February bring the most important wine writers into town. In fact journalists, bloggers and wine critiques are flocking all through Tuscany, since during the same week the anteprima (preview or rather pretaste) of the Chianti Classico aka black rooster wines takes place in Florence and the one of Vino Nobile in Montepulciano. GOOD TO KNOW Benvenuto Brunello is organized every February by Montalcino's vintner association . The event...

Whatever road you take when leaving Montalcino - you're in for some of Tuscany's most magnificent drives. The obvious choice is to cruise the hills of the Val d'Orcia, with pit stops in San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza on route to Montepulciano. Then there is that breathtaking round trip towards Castelnuovo dell'Abate with Romanesque Sant'Antimo abbey , Castiglione d'Orcia and the Bagno Vignoni hot springs . However, travelers exhausted from too much Brunello tasting should consider a much simpler option, which is also perfect for sunset lovers and improvised photographers.  The 20 minutes drive from Montalcino via Tavernelle to Camigliano, takes the seasoned traveler along Tuscany's usual suspects: vineyards, olive groves, cypress lined roads and vineyards again. Here and there bits of forest are strewn into the mix, but the best part of this drive lies in the gorgeous views towards the hills and mountains of the Maremma (the area stretching along So...

November in Tuscany's countryside.  Time for Sunday walks around Etruscan archaeology digs, wild boar hunting and c hestnut roasting.  CYPRESS LOVE On the way to Sant'Angelo in Colle