Montalcino

Montalcino is a hill town in the province of Siena, west of Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, looking out over the Asso, Ombrone and Arbia valleys. The lower slopes of its own hill are given over to vines and olive orchards. The town’s fortunes now rest on Brunello di Montalcino, made from Sangiovese grown within the comune: producers have grown from 11 in the 1960s to more than 200, and Brunello was the first wine to be awarded DOCG status. It must be aged five years before release, 6 for the Riserva, while the younger Rosso di Montalcino is aged for one. Taste both, and let the drive back down take its time.