I woke at about six or so and just laid there resting, but at eight I decided to get up ad go for a run. I decided to go for it and head toward the Etruscan Necropolis in Fonteroutoli 1.7K from the fork in the road at the 222. It was a tough go at times and I walked abounch of it but it was a great run/walk that took about an hour. Once I got to the tombs, there was information in English stored in a video case in a stand near the side of the dirt road. They also had information in German, French, and Italian. There really wasn’t that much to see, but I read it all and saw each of the four tombs and then headed back. On the way there were some spectacular views back to the 222 and I even found a place that would be the perfect €500,000 fixer upper. After breakfast we said our farewells to Mark and Martin who were heading back to Zurich today, about a six hour drive. We headed out on today’s adventure a little after 10.
We planned to head south at least to see Sant’Antimo and Montalcino. Edith gave us some better directions to get on the A2 at Badesse instead of going all the way to Siena and working our way through it.
From my Fodor’s information I had a step by step drive around the Val d’Orcia area so it seemed like the best thing to do would be to drive out to Pienza or Montlepuciano and them work back to Montalcino.
Pienza
We got to Pienza around 11:30 or so having passed by Quirico. My best guess it that the drive might be spectacular in the spring, but it definitely wasn’t that big of a deal in July.
Pienza
We parked in Pienza and walked around a bit, we passed a wedding going on and went into a couple of shops and churches and caught a couple of views.
After finding the public WC, we decided to head back toward Sant’ Antimo.
The rumor had it that we could hear the monks do their Gregorian chanting at 2:45, but we weren’t totally sure because it was Saturday. It was about 1 and we were trying to decide where and if we were going to have lunch. We also decided to take the back way to Sant’ Antimo which actually took us up to another couple of hill towns and back around.
Sant’ Antimo
When we got to the town above Sant’ Antimo it was about 1:30 and we fond a shop that confirmed that the Nona was at 2:45. Apparently the monks chant at least nine times each day. We found a place in the town and had a light lunch.
I really didn’t want to eat, as I was still stuffed from all the eating we had been doing and Christine got a little annoyed at me over all this.. She hates it when I step out and leave the decisions to here. She just had a salad and Peggy had some Pinci (thick spaghetti) and ragu. We had some Rosso de Montalcino and then walked down at about 2 to wait for the 2:45 chanting.
The abbetzia at Sant’ Antimo is really an amazing building. A beautiful cathedral placed literally out in the middle of nowhere. I really have never seen any thing like it in a setting like this.
When the monks came out, there were only seven of them, but it was all pretty amazing none the less. There also had been a little interesting interplay between one of the monks and and a guy who was trying to video tape he whole thing. We also saw Debbie and Patrick whom we had met at the Borgo Argenina which was fun. It was all over by about 3:10 and we headed immediately up to Montalcino.
Montalcino
We entered the gate by La Fortezza and immediately found a great parking spot and got an hour and a half of parking. Through out the entire trip I have been reading a book called Vanilla Beans and Brodo by Isabella Ducci. It’s about the history and customs of Montalcino written by a woman who moved here with her husband, I would guess in the middle 90s. It really is a great book and it has kindled in me a rich interest in Montalcino. We began at the top of the hill near the fortezz and began walking down toward the main square. First we stopped and had gelato (our first on this trip) at a place called “Why Not?” Good question. The best part was that it had a bathroom! Just down the street was the hotel Gary and Peggy had stayed in in 2005, Il Giglio. We met the Michelle the owner and began talking with them about the book, what wineries might be open and several other things. He told us you can often see the husband, but only rarely do you ever see Isabella.
I don’t know how we got on it but he told us of one winery that plays music out in the field and that it has been proven that it has helped with yield, quality of fried and eliminating bugs. We walked down the main street and saw several of the restaurants Café Fiaschetteria , Taverna del Grappolo Blue and Bar Prato mentioned in the book. I had asked Michelle where the church with the Madonna was so I walked up to it and everyone followed. The Madonna or even the copy was not on display, but we went in and there were stunning views of the valley from the adjacent park.
We walked up a huge set of stairs which Gary said were new and down through the quartieri of Ruga. Monltacino is divided into four quarters; Ruga, Travaglio, Borghetto, and Pianello. It seems they had had a contest recently as banners of burgandy and white were flying all over the city–I think from Borghetto. We stopped in front of another church which had to be in Ruga which had a flat square in front of it and rested while Christine made a couple of phone calls home.
We decided to walk up into the Fortezza and there decided to taste three Brunellos. It was nearly 5 by this time and I was more than a little disappointed that we would not get to a single winery in Montalcino. L So the only option was to taste in the Fortezza. It cost 12 to taste three and Gary and I split it. We had a La Fuga 2001, a Chiusi from 1999, and a 2000 Cerre Nero (one of the places that had gotten a Wine Spectator 100 for the 2001?) Can’t say that I loved it, but it was fun. We got out of there with two minutes left on our parking time and headed back down the hill to get to our 8 dinner reservation at Osteria Fonterutoli. Along the way down the hill we passed the copper roofed monstrosity which appears to be some huge enoteca that isn’t completed yet.
Il Paradiso Di Frassina
We then came up to the sign that was for the place that Michelle from Il Giglio had told us about that played classical music in the field to help increase the production. Gary decided we needed to drive up and take a look so we climbed up a long road and a huge hill and wound around through several vineyards.
Gary take a long shot as we head up the road to Il Paradiso Di Frassina
The view back up to Montalcino
We came to a house that said cantina (which usually is referring to cellars) and we parked and walked up to see what we could find. This is one of the things I love about Gary. No fear. And who knows what might happen unless you ask. So we looked around and found a woman who was sitting in an office and asked her if there was any chance we could taste as he dropped Michelle’s name from Il Giglio and to my surprised she said she would ask! Understand now that I was more than a little bummed that I wouldn’t even get to taste in even one Brunello winery. As we were waiting for the answer we began to hear the music off in the nearby fields. She came back and said we could join a tasting already in progress. It may seem trite, but what an answer from the Lord. I could not believe it was happening. I felt so excited, grateful, and blessed.
She led us back around to the cellar and met two thirty something Italian couples and the winemaker Carlo Cignozzi. This amazing idea of using music to enhance the production seemed to be totally his. He started first by playing music in the cellar and then eventually put speakers in the field. The University in Florence is now working with him as is the Bose company. What an incredible idea! We tasted a GEA wine which was a Rosso de Montalcino, a 2004 Brunello, and his special 12 grape blend called DO 12 Uve which is a blend of 12 grapes to coincide with the 12 notes on the scale. He was a total kick. We even got to walk around the cellar and see the whole operation. I bought a 2002 Brunello and one of his 12 note blend.
The Italian couples were fun too David was in some kind of financial business and his card gave him the title of “head of country.” The other guy was the typical gorgeous Italian guy and their wives were total babes but looked in their early 20s. We said our good byes and got out of there so we could be sure and make our 8 dinner reservation at the Osteria Fonterutoli. We were back on the road a little before 7 and made it back by 7:30 no problem.
Bose speakers in the vineyard
Osteria Fonterutoli
We did not even go back to Tregole we just drove right up and got our table. Our Granite Bay friends Chris and Susan and family were there already and we sat right next to them.
We got to talking and I said something about that we had had a friend that had recently stayed in his Kaiser Roseville hospital and some how it came out that her name was Navarre. And he said “I know Navarre.”
Dinner at Osteria Fonterutoli
Peggy then FREAKED out when she realized that this was the Dr. Pitkowski that had been Navarre’s doctor for over 12 years!
She started squawking and Christine had to tell her to calm down. For dinner Christine and I shared a Tuscan soup sampler (one was Ribollita-like and the other was made from barley) and Risotto cooked in Chianti Classico.
Gary had a beef and porcini mushroom combo (he had to send the porcini back for more grilling) and Peggy had something with Pinci again. Try as we might we could not get out of there at less than €40 per couple. We had espresso and cappucino as well. I should also explain sometime what they call coperto. It is like a tip or service that we have had at every restaurant we have eaten at so far. It can be up to €2 per person and sometime it included bread and water, other times just bread.
We skipped dessert at the restaurant and drove back into Castellina to try out the gelato place every one was saying was so good. We got a parking place right out front and it was definitely the place to be. I had fragola and a chololate nut (hazel nut?) nicciolo thing in a cup. Christine said the peach was the best she had ever had. Hard to believe that today was our first gelato of the trip and we had some twice.
We were back to Tregole before 10 which was our earliest night so far.
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