Today is all about wine! We’re headed into the hills of Montalcino to visit four wineries. After a great night’s sleep, I felt ready to hit the back roads of Italy. I was talking with a friend before I left and she mentioned that she and her husband had been to Tuscany and found the roads to be quite stressful. Armed with this knowledge, and what feels like a huge SUV (the Nissan Juke in Pittsburgh black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow) I had some trepidation about how this day would go. But with wine at stake, I’m no quitter!
With Google maps queued up, we set out for Montalcino. I first decide to stop for gas. Now the rental agent made a big deal about how this car was a diesel engine. Fortunately, when I pulled into the gas station, I managed to pull up to a full-service pump (I didn’t think anyone outside of Jersey still did those!) The
pump jockey asks me if it’s okay to fill it up, since it takes super premium. Since I was outside of the car to stretch my legs anyway, I took a look at the gas cap and sure enough, high octane required. I know
that the diesel nozzle won’t fit in a regular gas fill tube, but I’m thinking that would have been a frustrating enterprise until I figured it out. Thanks, gas-guy!
Fully fueled, we head into the hills. Kris could do a better job of explaining the scenery, but from what I could pause to look at, it was even more amazing than yesterday. Somehow, while I was admiring the view I apparently missed a turn to go *around* Montalcino and we ended up *IN* Montalcino. Now this is a very old mountain city with charming, wending, not-made-for-cars streets. I knew we were in trouble when Kris asked twice ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to fold in my mirror?’ Now, I thought things were going fairly well until we popped out onto Via Landi where it meetings Via Soccorso Saloni and Via della Circonvallazione. I’m pretty sure this intersection will forever be seared into my brain. And perhaps Kris’ as well. Because this is the spot where I almost got us bludgeoned to death because of a Monty Python-esque moment. Via Landi joins the other roads I mentioned at something of a steep angle. And, even though I only mentioned two other roads, it’s really four because the one road is a hairpin curve at this ‘intersection. So, I’m at a steep incline, going onto a fairly major road, with an almost blind turn, and I’m in a still-unfamiliar manual car. So I take my first shot…and stall it out. So I take another go and immediately stall it out.
At this point, there’s a guy with hedge trimmers just outside my window tending his hedges. Kris later informed me that the look on his face in the midst of this was priceless. I, however, was more concerned about the one, two, now FOUR cars that have piled up behind me! Attempts 4, 5, and 6 also do not go
well. At this point I have several thoughts going through my head: 1) OMYGOSH, I broke the brand new rental car, 2) can I quit now? 3) Well, this is where I live now and last, and perhaps least sensibly, 4) Do you suppose I can put parking brake on and Kris and I can get out and push the damn thing over the crest of this hill and then I can pop start it on the road? Stalls 6, 7, and 8. Okay, deep breath. I can do this….And somehow I red line it, don’t stall it out, and make it over the hill. I’m a bit disappointed hedge clippers didn’t give me a golf clap after that.
Now, you may be wondering how this is a Monty Python moment. Yeah, well, later in the day, when
clearer heads prevailed, I accidentally recreated the problem. I stupidly had the thing in THIRD gear! So, I
needed the Holy Grail ‘1, 2, 5, uh three sir!’ But in reverse, of course. Gah!
Anyway, from there we headed to the first stop of the day, Caparzo winery. A cute little spot, I
immediately learned a lot about Brunellos. I was surprised that they use no more than half toasted oak
barriques and some instances, only use untoasted casks for their aging of this wine. Other than that, the
cellar tour was pretty much like every other one we’ve been on. The wine was good, but we didn’t pick
up anything here.
From there we headed to Fattoria di Barbi (And drove past the spot of my shame…) It started to pour just as we pulled into the parking lot, so we walked into the Cantina looking like drowned rats. The other couple tasting here was from California, and while we were tasting, four more Californian’s showed up. It felt oddly familiar…We like much of the wine here and ended up buying a vertical of their 05, 06, and 07 vigne di fiore. We also got lunch here where I had an amazing stewed rabbit dish. Perfect for a wet, rainy day.
From here we drove back thru Montalcino, past the point of my shame AGAIN to head to Castiglion del Bosco. This place is owned by the son of designer Ferragamo. Had I known that before we came, I might have struck this from the list. However, they are doing some excellent wines. I mentioned that we were here for our anniversary (Sort of true) and that we had gotten married in a vineyard (actually true) and they brought us a library pour of their ’07 brunello. It was drinking very nicely in deed! However, it wasn’t for sale. We bought a bottle of their Millocento instead.
From there we headed thru the countryside over a rutted dirt road to our final stop of the day, Tenuta Fanti. A very different experience than Bosco! Much more down to earth and real. They’re doing dome really nice, easily drinkable wines. We started talking about their export percentages and I was shocked to learn that most of the wineries in the region export nearly 75% of their production. A big part of this is because wine in Italy is so highly regional and is made to be aged less. Anyway, we ended the day by picking up two bottles here.
From there we headed to Fattoria di Barbi (And drove past the spot of my shame…) It started to pour just as we pulled into the parking lot, so we walked into the Cantina looking like drowned rats. The other couple tasting here was from California, and while we were tasting, four more Californian’s showed up. It felt oddly familiar…We like much of the wine here and ended up buying a vertical of their 05, 06, and 07 vigne di fiore. We also got lunch here where I had an amazing stewed rabbit dish. Perfect for a wet, rainy day.
From here we drove back thru Montalcino, past the point of my shame AGAIN to head to Castiglion del Bosco. This place is owned by the son of designer Ferragamo. Had I known that before we came, I might have struck this from the list. However, they are doing some excellent wines. I mentioned that we were here for our anniversary (Sort of true) and that we had gotten married in a vineyard (actually true) and they brought us a library pour of their ’07 brunello. It was drinking very nicely in deed! However, it wasn’t for sale. We bought a bottle of their Millocento instead.
From there we headed thru the countryside over a rutted dirt road to our final stop of the day, Tenuta Fanti. A very different experience than Bosco! Much more down to earth and real. They’re doing dome really nice, easily drinkable wines. We started talking about their export percentages and I was shocked to learn that most of the wineries in the region export nearly 75% of their production. A big part of this is because wine in Italy is so highly regional and is made to be aged less. Anyway, we ended the day by picking up two bottles here.
The drive home was much less eventful than the drive in, however the rainy, cloudy weather made for
very dramatic country sides. It feels like everything is in bloom here right now. Everything is surrounded in the most amazing cloud of perfume from the flowers on the trees and shrubs; it’s just delicious!
Tomorrow, we’re staying close to home and out of the car and exploring Grosseto. Happy driving and
remember, starting from third is hard, but not impossible!
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