However, I want to list and comment on the wines I tasted and the great dishes I had for lunch and dinners during these 3 days. All my meals were consumed with lots of bread and, of course, they all ended nicely with a hot and concentrated sip of espresso coffee (caffe' ristretto). Tuscan bread deserves an entire story by itself. It is always fresh, crusty, brick-oven made. Lightly salted, it keeps a simple flavor. Therefore it does not overwhelm the food it accompanies. Imagine myself, eating surrounded by the green countryside at lunch or by thousands of bottles in a cellar cave at dinner time. Ohhh...I was in heaven!

MEAL NOTES

Dinner 1 - Euro25
1. Zuppa di porri (leak soup)
2. Involtini di prosciutto agrodolce: Cured Prosciutto bytes wrapped around a small piece of Pecorino Toscano stagionato (Tuscan sheep hard aged cheese) and sun-dried tomato. All in balsamic vinegar.
3. Polenta e cinghiale: Corn pate (polenta) with wild boar. Wild boar is a Tuscan game specialty.
Wines:
1. Brunello Villa Atolli 1997 (very intense, I could smell it as soon as the glass was brought to the table, plums, berries. Warm and tannic)
2. Le Macchiole 2000 On the menu it said SuperTuscan... (intense, jam and cooked red fruit, warm, tannic, balanced)

Dinner 2 - Euro20
1. Pici al ragu. Pici is a typical Tuscan hand made pasta as long as spaghetti, but wider in section. Ragu is a salsa made with tomato and meat.
2. Coniglio al brunello. Rabbit with a salsa reduction made using Brunello wine.
1.Rosso: Col d'Orcia 2001
2.Brunello: Campo Giovanni 1998

Lunch 1 - Euro10
Piatto di formaggi toscani (pecorino fresco e stagionato) con miele e marmellata di fichi
Crostini with Lardo, Pate fi fegato d'oca, pomodori, aglio e olio (crusty slices of bread with a slice of fat, duck liver pate, tomatoes, garlic and oil)
Caffe'
Sangiovese della casa

Lunch 2 - E12
Pappardelle al cinghiale
Caffe'
Sangiovese della casa


WINE NOTES

AZIENDA AGRICOLA ALTESINO
26 hectares of vineyards divided into 4 cru: Montosoli, Due Porte, Altesino, Velona. The delicate aging process takes place in the splendid ancient structure of Palazzo Altesi and surrounding buildings. I tasted 3 wines and visited the cellars under the guide of Claudia, a professional and dedicated student from Austria.

1) Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2001
Cru Altesino
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E14 76/100
Weak structure, ethereal, tannins are almost absent.

2) Palazzo Altesi IGT 2000
Cru Montosoli
Sangiovese 100%
E21 82/100
Plums, jam and spices. Fairly intense. Barrique not evident at the nose. It was, instead very evident in the mouth adding to the mix a medium-long soft finish.

3) Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli DOCG 1999.
Cru Montosoli
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E55 86/100
Bouquet intense and fine. Lots of berries and violet flowers. Hint of vanilla and chocolate. Dry, warm, tannic. Long, persistent.

TENUTA COL D'ORCIA
One of the largest estates in Montalcino. 140 hectares of vineyards in the fraction of Sant'Angelo in Colle.

1) Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2001
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E10 78/100
Fermentation on grape skins for 12 days at controlled temperature below 28 C
Aging: 6 months in Slavonian oak casks.
Intense and lively ruby red. Fruity and freh bouquet. Medium body, tannic.

2) Rosso degli Spezieri IGT 2002
Sangiovese, Merlot and Ciliegiolo
E15 80/100
Fermentation on grape skins for 8 days at controlled temperature below 26 C.
Inviting and intense fresh aromas at the nose. Berries and a hint of wet fur/earthy touch. Medium body, warm, slightly tannic.

3) Banditella DOC 2001
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E10 78/100
Medium-long maceration at controlled temperature below 28 C
Aging: more than 12 months in Allier and Blois new barriques.
Intense and lively ruby red. Vanilla, cherry, hay. Medium body, intense freshness, tannic.

4) Olmaia IGT 1999
Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
E35 88/100
Fermentation on grape skins for 25 days at controlled temperature of about 25-28 C.
Vanilla and coffee at the nose. Tannic, well balanced with the softness given by the toasty oak flavors. Very long finish.

5) Brunello DOCG 1998
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E45 88/100
Fermentation on grape skins for 18 days at controlled temperature below 28-30 C.
Aging: 4 years: 2.5 in Slavonian and French oak casks and more than 6 months refinement in bottle.
Intense and ample elegant bouquet: tobacco, plums, jam. Full body with excellent tannins and a very long aftertaste of liquorice.

6) Pascena Moscadello di Montalcino Vendemmia Tardiva DOC 2000
Moscato 100% - Dessert wine
E17 86/100
Vinification in stainless steel first, then the wine is transferred into barriques until it reaches an alcohol level of 12 degrees which takes about 2 years.
Intense aroma of moscato: yellow peach and flowers. Sweet, round and delicate. Hints of almonds and dry figs. Great balance between sugars and acidity makes of this wine a great "meditation tool"!

BANFI. CASTELLO DI POGGIO ALLE MURA
A giant and elegant castle dominates the surrounding hills. A big producer, exporting all over the world.

1) Brunello Poggio alle Mura DOCG 1998
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E42 88/100
Vinification in stainless steel first, then 2 years of barriques and 1 year of bottle before releasing.
Bouquet of cherry, tobacco, vanilla. Great full body structure with noble and strong tannins well integrated with wood notes. Final is long and rich of mature berries.

2) Summus Sant'Antimo DOC 2000
Sangiovese 40%, Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Syrah 20%.
E35 92/100
Great wine! Rich and complex bouquet. Intense and persistent with lots of spices, tobacco and tar. In the mouth is powerful. Tannins are well evident and the complex of acidity shows a great aging potential. Long and very pleasant at the end. It lasted for 30 seconds in my mouth (and brain) after spitting it!

AZIENDA LA CROCE DI PAOLA BENOCCI
A nice agroturism complex with a small vineyard. Chatted with Paola Benocci's husband who made me visit his cellar. Interesting topic on Brunello legislation. Did not taste anything.

FATTORIA DEI BARBI
One of the most ancient wine producers of Italy.

1) Brusco dei Barbi IGT 2002
Sangiovese 100%
E4.90 78/100
Light bouquet and light body. Plums, berries. Ready to drink Sangiovese.

2) Vivaio dei Barbi Morellino di Scansano 2000
Sangiovese 100%
E8.70 82/100
Warm, tannic. Nice long finish.

3) Birbone Toscano 99
Sangiovese, Merlot, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Alicante
E16.80 78/100
Less intense and pleasant than Morellino. Berries, wood ,warm, tannic, persistent

4) Brunello DOCG 1999
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E21 84/100
Berries, intense, very tannic. Acidity is fair, armonic, fine. Long finish.

5) Brunello DOCG 1995
Sangiovese Grosso 100%
E26 94/100
I was honoured to be able to taste a great year and a great Brunello. By looking at the price, I would have liked to be able to buy a couple of cases.
Complex and elegant bouquet. Berries, are lighter than those ones found in younger Brunelli. Vanilla, cloves and liquorice. Tannins are still powerful. This wine is very warm and still young. Long, long, long finish.

And with this absolutely great glass of wine I wrapped my 3 days in Montalcino.

This 1995 Brunello and the sweet Moscadello were actually the only two wines that I did not spit. I brought those flavors and sensations with me for hours, during the trip back as strong reminding of a great journey in the land of culinary dreams.

View of the Val d'Orcia from the window of the Locanda where I spent 2 nights in the heart of Montalcino.