Slow Travel Through Central Tuscany: Breathe, Drink Sangiovese, Ignore Email
5 min readThis article is part two of a three-part feature on traveling slowly across Tuscany. Read Part 1 on Maremma.
While Italians might balk at Americans’ association of south central Tuscany (south of Siena) with Russell Crowe’s satisfying revenge film Gladiator, the local tourism economy doesn’t shy away from promoting it. Gift shops hang posters of the iconic scene: an allée of spindly trees framing a meandering path up a wheat-covered hill. A weary soldier eyes a plume of black smoke, prompting a race to the house in search of wife and child. Those five minutes in movie history endure for their juxtaposition of an improbably beautiful landscape with an impossibly brutal murder.
This setting plays out in repeat across this picturesque region. Located in the Crete Senese, an area of vast fields punctuated by denuded clay cliffs, lone farmhouses and their cypress-lined approaches stand out against the open space. Driving the ribbon-like roads crisscrossing golden knolls sculpted over time by human hands, passing ancient castles and olive groves, it’s easy to get swept up with the romance. Thoughts of “what does a fixer-upper cost?” populate the mind. The topography stands in stark contrast to Chianti in the north, where lush, wooded forest dominates. Tucked in between the postcard shots sit the primary draw for wine lovers: the vineyards of Montalcino and Montepulciano, where king grape Sangiovese rules.
Central Tuscany’s cities supply textbook examples of Italian hill towns. In particular, the Roman settlements of Montalcino and Montepulciano. Both grew into medieval centers that today produce some of Italy’s most important wines. Brunello di Montalcino, a powerful, cellar-worthy red Americans have developed a taste for, and the humbler Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a great value from the right producer for which Americans should develop a taste. In between the two sits the jewel box village of Pienza, notable for high-quality pecorino cheese, charming restaurants with vista views, and the Renaissance achievement of proportion and city planning.
While there are several big estates in Tuscany’s southern wine region, such as Banfi in Montalcino and Avignonesi in Montepulciano, the countryside is littered with vines and wineries. One could spend weeks tasting, eating, driving, sleeping, breathing the sun-baked air while ignoring the blinking unopened mail icon on one’s phone. And many do. Some stay forever. But for most, a week provides just enough time to relax while covering the key sites and consuming plenty of vino.
Lodging options abound, from farms to hotels in renovated convents, to wineries with guest rooms. One such winery occupies a former Castello, having converted the ancient stone hamlet surrounding it into a series of lavish rooms.
For couples, especially honeymooners, Castello Banfi Il Borgo ticks off the boxes : Luxurious suites, horizon-stretching views, fine dining, poolside lounging, pastoral serenity, wine tasting, all on a romantic perch above the valley. The tiny village was built in the 1700s under the protective walls and towers of Castello di Poggio alle Mura, serving as the dwelling of farmers who worked for the noble landowners. Today, guests can visit the meticulously restored Castello, which houses a library reading room and museum, and dine under the stars on the patio of the gourmet restaurant which features an enviable list of Banfi’s back vintages. From the pool, one can see the beginning of Montalcino’s famous vineyards and further in the distance, the wine’s namesake town, an easy and scenic 12-miles away.
Even for Tuscany, where renovated castles abound, Il Borgo’s guest rooms are especially sumptuous. Federico Forquet, a renowned Italian interior designer, designed each with a distinct touch. Adorned in premium textiles and elegant furnishings, rooms retain the feel of the original architecture, only modernized with features like sitting areas and private patios (and Wi-Fi and TV). Spacious bathrooms with rainfall shower heads are modern, too, and come stocked with the winery’s exclusive brand of vino-therapy products created from their Sangiovese Brunello grapes.
Using Il Borgo as a base, guests can easily take day-trips to the trio of hill towns and to visit surrounding wineries. One producer not to be missed is Biondi-Santi, only a twenty-minute drive from the hotel past Montalcino and on the way to Montepulciano.
Family-owned, known for transparent winemaking (such as limited influence of oak), small-production, long-term aging, with commensurately high prices, Biondi-Santi wines appropriately fall into the “cult” category for Brunello. Appointments are required for the tour and tasting, although guests can stop by to purchase a bottle directly from the cellar.
Nearby Montalcino is chock-full of wine shops should one wish to fill a few suitcases with hard-to-find vintages. Many offer complimentary tastings of the region’s famed Sangiovese made exclusively from the Grosso clone. Enotecas, or restaurants with bottle retail, line the streets. One to try is Enoteca Osteria Osticcio for its deep wine list accompanied by the greatest hits of the local cuisine or “cucina povera.” Literally translated as “poor kitchen” the concept references the frugal, seasonal, and hyper-local cuisine of Tuscany’s peasant cooking. The modern offer of cucina povera includes charcuterie, cheeses, pastas, soups, and the famous regional bistecca or beef. Competing for shoppers’ attention are myriad specialty stores selling artisan products like honey, ceramics, and kitchen towels.
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Further afield, about an hour from Il Borgo, lies Montepulciano, a dramatically beautiful place, especially when approaching from the road below. Walking through the steep, narrow streets one discovers layers of the past represented in the different architectural eras displayed. Elegant Renaissance palaces, charming squares, and ancient churches fill the city, along with wine shops selling the treasures of Tuscany or pouring the wines of Vino Nobile producers. And around each corner, one finds vast panoramic views of the Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana valleys, where the region’s prized cattle graze.
Pienza sits nearly equidistant between the towns. Build in time to stroll its charming streets, then eat fresh pasta paired to a half-bottle of Boscarelli Vino Nobile on the seasonal terrace of La Terraza Del Chiostro. Just be prepared to share: Montepulciano’s starring role in vampire saga Twilight film New Moon has garnered attention from Americans, while Pienza was already well-known to tourists. Of course, none see the busloads of crowds that swamp Siena daily.
But Siena is a story for Part 3: Chiantishire.
When she’s not in a vineyard or the ocean, Lauren Mowery covers drinks, food & adventure/luxury travel. Follow her around the world on Instagram and Twitter.
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