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Vini Vulcanici – A Sicilian Adventure

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Nerello Capuccio , Nerello Mascalese , Corinto Nero,Grillo,Catarrato ,carricante, Inzollia , zibbibo , Malvasia della Lipari .

Wonderfully exotic titles but hardly household names bombarding me on arrival in Sicily and Aeolian Islands.

I was itching with excitement to experience local and historic grapes grown on the famed volcanic soils ,

rich in minerals producing distinctive and diverse wine styles.

 

 

First stop Trattoria da Nino In Taormina with a huge open  wine cellar .

I’d asked for a good example of Nerello Mascalese having read the finest of these are comparable to Burgundy and Piemonte.

I was assured Wiegner Artemisio Etna Rosso would satiate and indeed it was soft supple fruity floral complex long and satisfying .IMG_5909

Only to google later , it was in fact a Cabernet Franc !

Delicious all the same .A timely reminder that Sicily grows a host of well known international grape varieties as well as indigenous.

 

 

IMG_6029Tenuta Di Castellaro in Lipari

Next stop Lipari , an hour by hydrofoil from Milazzo.

We decided on a sunset wine tasting . 30 hectares of bush vines in volcanic soil with panoramic views over the Aeolian Islands and sunset over Salina, Fillicudi and Alcudi

They have a modern winery with a bioenergetic cellar for minimal environmental impact , wind turbines to cool the cellar . Domes scattered amongst the vines with internal mirrors to light the cellar .

Grapes fall by gravity into immaculate clean stainless steel tanks .Experimental vines with alberelo vine pruning technique to allow maximal wind circulation from the sea as used by the Greeks .

The water is natural filtered through outdoor biofilter vegetation ,cellar construction using 2000 year old Greek techniques revealing 20000 years of layered rocks .We were treated to the most stunning sunset with panoramic views from 1000 ft above sea level.

Wines Tasted

Bianca Pomice 60 Malvasia 40 carricante crisp acidity florality capers flowers mineralityIMG_6053

Rosa Carolino

Rose corinto Nero 60 Nero D’Avola40 saignee method Strawberry earthy hint of smokiness.Good acidity

Nero Ossidinia 

Corinto Nero from Greece as Korinthiaki,  small berries seedless only  a few bigger grapes with seeds

Leather earthy mature spice

Malvasia Delle Lipari DOCOnly 3000 bottles made .Ripe apricots , orange , marmalade floral rich delicious sweet perfectly balanced with acidity long and complex ,5 to 8% Corinto Nero

 

Monaci delle terre nere

 Tranquil beautiful boutique hotel with organic farm and vineyard on the slopes of Etna . The restaurant Nerello high on a terrace overlooking the Meditteranean has an encyclopaedic wine list   only serving Etna wines !

Cattarrato 2006 Tenuta delle terre nere

Honey , ginger , spices , mineral long complex finish

Frank Cornellison natural wine 2013 Munjebel Vigne Alte From ungrafted 100 year old Nerello Masacalese vines .

Fresh red fruit earth spice and a developing savoury umami note after 30 minutes decanting long complex

 

Azienda Benanti

IMG_6116Salvo and Antonio Benanti now run the business. Streamlining it having taken over from their father Giusseppe.

Charming twins with a focus on the future . Making wines from all 3 slopes of Etna . North- Nerello Mascalese and East Carricante .

 

 

In 1995 they started making varietal Nerello Mascalese wines prior to that it was mainly used blending and exported must .

Carricante is Etna’s flagship white and the basis for Etna Bianco DOC

 

Pietramarina Etna Bianco superiore 2012 peaches flowers mineral salinity citrus like acidity

Biancodicaselle 2009 Honeyed candied ginger orange long smoothIMG_6141

 

 

The wines produced on these volcanic soils  displayed a mineral edge and a hint of salinity with lifted aromatics. It’s no surprise that the wines of Etna are so highly regarded.


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Champagne Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2008

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High above Kings Cross  in the Gothic clock Tower,clock

Dominique Demarville presented us with his superlative Vintage Veuve Cliquot 2008 .

Vintage Champagne is only made in the finest years .

Thousands of days of careful ageing are required to produce this complex and elegant expression of Champagne .

It seemed fitting that Veuve 2008 debuted in such a fine horological setting .

I was fortunate enough to interview Dominique prior to the tasting.
Chef de Caves since 2009 this is his first Vintage . I warmed to him instantly.
Humility, passion,drive and charm combined.

DominiqueHe has a clear vision for the future of Veuve Cliquot and explained how their Champagnes have a great fruit intensity freshness and complexity.

To add to the occasion we commenced by tasting the base wines (Vins Clairs )

We identified the differences between barrel produced and aged compared to stainless steel.

It was an interesting and literally mouthwatering precursor to the star of the show .
We were treated with some words of wisdom from the erudite bespectacled Joe Fattorini of ‘The Wine Show’.

The Chardonnay De Cramant In barrel had toasty notes and a fuller texture . magnum 2magnum
We then compared two 2015 Pinot Meuniers De Villedmange which exhibited a more subtle difference
Finally the Pinot noir De Bouzy rich fruity and fuller bodied .

And then the rewards of patience .
vintage 2008 Veuve cliquot served from bottle and magnum .
Fascinating.

As Joe mentioned if you didn’t know, these could easily have been two completely different wines.
The 750ml 2008 is exuberant.An open flower in mid summer bloom showing off all its joys .

Joe

Complex,floral, stone fruits with nuts toast ,sweet pastries and a wonderful honeyed note .

So long on the palate it followed me home . The magnum by contrast is still a baby ,Its delights withheld until a later date .

Dominique and Veuve Cliquot are clearly on the right track .


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Hooked on Hooky !

WanderCurtis wines are predominantly concerned with the produce of Vitis Vinifera.

However when presented  by other exceptional olfactory and gustatory stimulants we are happy to spread our wings .

 

Being fans of fine ales we travelled to the award winning Hook Norton Brewery.  The iconic Victorian Tower Brewery dating back to the 1850s sits amongst the mellow rolling Cotswold Hills.

 

It is one of only 32 family owned breweries . If you are lucky enough to be in the village on Fridays you’ll see two wonderful shire horses delivering to the local pubs.

We recommend a trip to the Pear Tree Inn a mere stones throw from the Brewery . Ask them for the taster tray . For the best tasting experience and at  a modest price try all 6 real ales in 1/3 pint glasses.

Reviews

Hooky -golden bitter ,hoppy on the nose with lovely malty balanced  palate

Lion – Complex with a bitter sweet finish

Old Hooky – Darker fuller bodied with a malty overtone

Hooky Mild -dark chestnut coloured , but not quite providing the body or balance at 2.8%abv

Hooky Gold – more floral aromatic and hoppy , a firm favourite on the night.

They also produce a range of seasonal cask ales designed to reflect the changing seasons.

The sixth beer covered by a photo of Euro 2016 was elegant intensely floral and aromatic with a fine hoppy balance .

For fans of the finest real ales we recommend a homage to Hook Norton.

 

 Tasting Range

 


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Adam wins this year’s Wine Australia’s Tasting Blind Club 2015-16

For as long as I can remember whenever Adam & I get together outside work we’ve always served wine blind to each other.   Tasting blind forces you to really focus on the wine and sharpens your appreciation of it.  But most of all blind tasting is a great leveller: the wine’s pedigree, whether humble or aristocratic, is left by the door, the whisper of critics is silent, and one is blissfully ignorant the size of the hole, large or small, it would make in your bank account.  It’s also fun to try and work out what the wine is!

So I’m particularly delighted to announce that Adam’s great tasting skills have been recognised as Winner of this year’s Wine Australia’s Tasting Blind Club.

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The monthly Tasting Blind Club presents 20 wines (19 Australian with one imposter) arranged in flights by theme and served blind.  Participants from the wine trade include sommeliers, educators & wine students. The challenge is to answer a list of questions identifying the wines’ features & the year’s best taster wins a place on a trade visit to Australia’s wine regions.

Look out for Adam’s blog on the trip this autumn.


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Dom Pérignon P2: ‘does exactly what is says on the tin.’

dp05Take a moment to consider what ‘Plénitude’ means:

‘A state which is at its highest level of development, which is in full force and intensity, is complete.’

and one might think choosing it as the new name for Dom Pérignon’s Oenothèque champagne a touch immodest, all be it easier to pronounce! Especially so along side  the claim that DP reaches this exalted state not once but no less than three times over the course of its long life!

However having been lucky enough to recently taste a selection of extraordinary P2 vintages I would have to agree that DP’s Plénitude simply ‘does exactly what is says on the tin.’

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Chef de cave Richard Geoffrey

Presenting a vertical tasting of Dom Pérignon’s P2 wines chef de cave Richard Geoffrey reveals his physician’s mind using the metaphor of a double helix to describe the way successive plenitudes of the wine come to the fore during its development. The first after about 8 years when the vintage is first released, the second after a further eight to ten years when P2 is released and finally after about 30 years P3. We stray further into a discussion of how time at Dom Pérignon is non-linear, which is why as DP develops it reaches a series of relatively stable plateaux, and this along with the strikingly elemental marketing imagery contributes to a fleeting vision of Richard the alchemist bending space & time to create these phenomenal wines in the silence of DP’s cellars.

Whether or not there is any magic involved the key factor in creating P2 is extended active yeast maturation over the first vintage release. Richard believes this process preserves the wines energy & intensity and makes it more integrated and elongated. He makes a clear distinction between power and intensity; the latter is never weighty and is lingering and memorable. The prime contribution of the yeast is to fight oxidation and the wine actually eats up the lees gaining depth and profundity.

The tasting notes:

DP 1998 P2

A nose of white flowers, acacia, Hawthorne, patisserie, ripe lemon, toast, smoke, very complex and persistent.

In the mouth, med high acidity, more pastry, a great minerality, tart citron, med body. This is beautifully subtle with great elegance and length.  A really seductive wine.

DP 1996 P2

More pronounced citrus fruit on the nose, some lemon, some orange peel, roasted nuts and a spectrum of floral notes.

On the palate more powerful flavours of nut tart, praline, citrus, a faint touch of the vegetal and then smoky notes. The wine has a taught mineral back bone and has great length and persistence. Really complex and characterful.dp02

DP 1995 P2

On the nose: smoke, baked lemons, then a complex succession of pastry aromas, white flowers and cake spices.

On the palate great balance, fresh acidity and plenty of body. Complex with an endless succession of, fruit salad, smoke, minerals & underlying pastry notes. For a wine of this age it is extraordinarily vibrant yet with the full depth of its many years of development. Superb!

DP 1993 P2

This wine was disgorged in 2006 so has ten years of bottle age too.

On the nose aromas of dried porcini mushrooms, bit of chalk, a touch of acacia honey, with underlying patisserie & bread. An incredible complex & heady nose.

In the mouth again great vibrancy, intensity it takes up residence on the tongue and just stays there. So integrated that it is hard to separate out the individual characteristics of dried mushroom, delicate citrus, bread etc. Taste and silky mouth feel meld into an intensely pleasurable experience. Subtle minerality is the lasting impression.

Richard says an element of oxidity has sneaked in a little extra sweetness & body at the loss of some complexity which is just fine by me! Where the 1995 is a more cerebral pleasure the 93 is much more sensual. For me this wine was the peak of an amazing tasting!

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Current Dom Pérignon vintages are: DP P1: 2006, DP P2: 1998 and there are P3 1997 & 1983.


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The joy of Umbria

This beautiful region surrounded by mountains in the heart of Italy is the perfect place to indulge .

For oenophiles, gastronomes and lovers of life there are few places better .

An easy direct Ryan Air flight from London delivers you to Perugia ,

a majestic medieval hilltop City with spectacular sweeping views of Umbria.        IMG_5400

Luckily for me my great friend and trained Chef Simon

is spending a year on sabbatical and living in the heart of the old town.

He introduced me to the culinary delights of the region . We foraged along the banks of the Lago Trasimeno collecting the seasonal wild asparagus and with the local truffle Bianchetto made a Wonderful frittata .

IMG_5460Other highlights were his lamb and Rosemary, Bistecca alla fiorentina and Umbrian sausages all grilled on the open fire

and the best roast potatoes you could wishes for .

Highly recommended is restaurant Coccorone in the timeless hilltop medieval town of Montefalco . IMG_5450

Their paparadelle Al Sagrantino is unforgettable

followed by the Bistecca alla fiorentina served with a choice of eight types of salt !

IMG_5406Kitted out with the finest Bianchi hybrid bikes from Testi we set of for the hills and after a relatively flat 30 km arrived at the Arnaldo Caprai winery , world famous for putting Sagrantino wines on the modern map with innovative and exciting techniques and passion culminating in its very own DOCG Montefalco Di Sagrantino

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Arnaldo Caprai

We entered the stylish modern tasting room .
They work with university in Perugia to find best methods of viticulture, a tour of  the

vineyards showed single and double cordon Guyot and other pruning mainly on clay soil .
The Sangiovese is matured in old Slavonian barrels , new and used French oak for Sagrantino

Wines tasted with Marco Caprai

IMG_5436Grecante grechetto 2015

peach, floral, hawthorn med acid med length a good starter .

Montefalco Rossi this is the bulk of production an Umbrian take on Chianti 70 sangiovese 15 sagrantino fresh red cherry, herbs med + tannins acid med length

Montefalco Rosso reserva tannin high and herbal liquorice garnet 2010 IMG_5433

Collepiano 2010 100% sagrantino new oak ,Tannin herbal sl vegetal developing nicely .

Montefalco Sagrantino 25 2011 representing their finest selection .
2011 lovely , new oak ,vanilla chocolate coffee with spice herbs .A lovely structure balance high tannin but well integrated. Well made with lots of life in the bottle .

Montefalco Sagrantino Passito.
The classic original  style of Sagrantino , dried grapes creating a wonderfully rich long desert wine full of aromas of figs prunes dates raisins , a fitting finale to any dinner .

After a short climb to Montefalco and lunch we dropped South West towards the unfortunately named Bastardo via

Cantina Novelli
Wines tasted
Trebbiano spoletino  In a classically Italian confusing way this is no relation to the Trebbiano grape !
aromatic floral gold oily texture aged on lees really a bargain for the price

Sangiovese had hints of red cherry ,the Rosso more Earthy with red fruits
Sagrantino 2012 more complex with liquorice herbal high tannin long structure good long herbaceous nature sweetness .

The highlight of which we took a magnum was their 2007 Sagrantino which shows how well this can do with a few years of ageing to soften its high tannins.

We cycled back with the sun setting through the most glorious scenery .

I’m already dreaming of my next Umbrian Adventure !

Arnaldo Caprai wines are available in the UK
A recent decanter review highly rated these wines

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Do you have a Wine Mind Palace?

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There seem to be two main components to identifying a wine when tasting blind.

Firstly analytical where by identifying the wine’s key characteristics: visual appearance, body, acidity, tannin, alcohol level, primary & secondary flavour profile etc. one can by process of elimination narrow down the possible grape variety and wine making techniques to a short list of potential regions & wine makers.

Secondly by comparing these characteristics to a database of taste memories, what Sherlock might call a ‘Wine Mind Palace’.

This is the part I have to admit I find most tricky.  I can remember the smell of a blackcurrant or elder flower with the best of them but I struggle to say that I can recall the ‘taste’: aromas, structure & mouth-feel of individual wines as a combined memory as some tasters claim to.

Part of the problem is that a good bottle of wine unfolds and develops in the glass over the course of an evening constantly morphing and transforming like the flames of a log fire. If it’s a great wine there’s simply too much going on to remember!

The other thing causes my Wine Mind Palace classification system to fall somewhat short of Dewy Decimal standards of efficiency is quite frankly the alcohol! Whilst ethanol may not actually kill off brain cells it’s widely accepted that it does inhibit memory formation!


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Interview with Count Francesco Marone Cinzano of Col D’Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino.

Just before our memorable Col D’Orcia wine dinner at Fredericks Count Francesco Marone Cinzano told us of the estates long history, his love of Sangiovese and extended an invitation to the winery to all our followers.

The storey of Col D’Orcia

The Count talks about what makes Sangiovese so special in Brunello di Montalcino.

Thoughts on the magnificent 2010 vintage and an invitation.


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Niagara Wine Trail , Ontario , Canada . August 2015

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My visit to this beautiful area, world-famous for it’s magnificent luscious Ice Wines

revealed other interesting wine discoveries.

 

 

Niagara-on-the-lake is an area of neatly manicured gardens, immaculate houses,niagara_map_lg

pristine clean cars , everyone is  polite and considerate.

It reminded me of the film ‘The Truman Show’ !

I arrived as veraison commenced in Niagara Wine country paradise.

Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario VQA classifies Niagara-on-the -Lake as a distinct area .

There are four main terroirs. On the Niagara Lakeshore, sandy soils provide good drainage

and the temperatures are modified by the lake.

Along the Niagara river there are sandy soils and air currents modify the temperature.
Four mile creek lies below the escarpment with red shale soils with silt and clay.

St David’s Bench beyond the escarpment was carved by glaciers and has rich clay soils .
After a brutally cold winter approximately 15 % of vine loss had occurred, though due to microclimates

such as Konzelmann only 6% loss secondary to the lake effect only property.

 

Riverview

First stop   Riverview Winery cellars, 1339 Lakeshore road on the wine route along the Niagara river gorge, spectacular scenery after a morning at the falls.
Their Pinot Grigio fresh, pear, clean balanced .
Vidal ice wine pure nectar honey apricot floral wonderfully elegant
Ice wine from red grapes is very rare this Cabernet Franc was interesting.

 

 

 

Next visit –
KonzelmannKonzelmann Estate winery dates back 122 yrs

Herbert Konzelmann remarkably at 78 yrs old is still the winemaker and owner .

They make a range of styles.
Wines tasted
Riesling light citrus lemon .
Gewurtztraminer 24 brix hint tropical fruit and lychee
Vidal ice wine- pure nectar mango lychee rich and fantastic.Hinterbrook
Cabernet Sauvignon ice wine red fruits strawberries hint cassis.

 

 

 

Just down the road , Hinterbrook is a new winery 5 years old.
Jacob the assistant winemaker showed me around including the ozone cleaned cellar full of oak barrels.
Interesting finds were their unusual Franc blanc a white wine made from Cabernet Franc red grapes.

Then my namesake red wine ‘wanderlust’
The Riesling ice wine had a min sugar 125g/l less sweet than Vidal .

Best!A short cycle later and we arrived at Jackson Triggs

This is a larger set up producing 1.4 million bottles and has a sister winery in Okanaga BC.
Wines tasted
Sparlikng wine Method Champenoise, Brut from Chardonnay,Pinot noir and Riesling citrus ,fresh, fruity mineral.
Gewurtztraminer some floral aromas
Sauvignon blanc 2013 lovely fresh gooseberry floral
Pinot noir first vintage , chocolate vanilla some red fruit,good
Gewurtztraminer ice wine luscious delicious floral honey mango tropical fruit texture balance length 5 star my favourite wine so far , phenomenal !

 

Next stop, just prior to a massive rainstorm,Two Sisters  two sisters

This is a new winery next to Peller , opened November.

Two sisters from an Italian family background who’s family are in the Toronto building trade.
This is a no expense spared Italianate palatial mansion.
The excellent restaurant, Kitchen 76 serves up fine fare with a huge open kitchen and Pizza oven.

Highly recommended for lunch or dinner with a beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the vineyards
They make a lovely red blend , eleventh post, red cherries, plum,

hint of liquorice soft ripe velvety tannins smooth drinkable with pesto pizza with truffle and Bistecca .
Their Cabernet Franc 2010 is good, smoke hint of coal tar spice herbs . Carbonic Mac giving maximal extraction
I tried their two ice wines Riesling and the rare Cabernet Sauvignon Ice wine -red fruits, rhubarb, strawberry rich full length like sucking on a red fruit sweet the flavours persist , fantastic .

Pellerpeller

My final stop was Peller Estates. Part of Andrew Peller Limited

which includes many other brands including Trius,Wayne Gretzky, Sandhill and others it is the largest wine producer in Canada.
Recommended for their excellent wine portfolio and for lunch or dinner

outside on the patio amongst the vines is the Barrel House Grill.
Started with a lovely sparkling Rose from Gamay noir,Chardonnay and Pinot noir

with an ice wine dosage , lovely ripe peach and pomegranate .
Followed by
Gewurtztraminer had typical rose and spice but subtle .

Private reserve Pinot Noir with 9 months in the barrel – truffle, earth, pepper smoky, pomegranate and cherry
Private reserve Cabernet new oak ,plum, cherry, cocoa, vanilla and cassis.

Two fantastic Ice wines-

Gold Award winning Riesling, citrus lemon tangerine apricot beautiful balance long length delicious.
Cab Franc length ++++ sucking on sweets 230 g/l sugar, white currant,rhubarb strawberry, candy, molasses and pomegranate another gorgeous Ice wine.

Recommended Accomodation

Lakewinds Country Manor  just fabulous , outdoor heated pool, Billiards table , delightful gardens , marvellous hosts Steve and Jane  Book early !

Recommended dining

Niagara-on-the-lake patio restaurant

Old winery restaurant Niagara

Kitchen 76 Two Sisters Vineyards

Peller Estates Restaurant

 

The Niagara wine region is a real treat . The land is flat and easy for our usual wine tour transport,on bikes.
The people incredibly friendly and accommodating.

Nearly all the wineries are on a walk in basis with regular tours and minimal fee tastings.
Winery restaurants serve excellent meals often with lovely views
And of course, above all, Ice wines to die for !

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Magnificent Montalcino , June 2015 . Travel Tips .

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Montalcino was this year’s choice for the annual WanderCurtis Wine trip.

The biggest decision was not the location, but how to get there!

Travel Options:

Tuscany is easily accessible from London – Ryan Air to Pisa. BA or easy jet Florence. Ryan air Perugia. BA and Easy Jet to Rome. We arrived in Pisa Car Hire is easy, but note it is quicker to follow the red line from the airport than wait for the hot crowded rickety bus transfer, it’s only 500m.

We took the route via the coast then through classic Tuscany landscape. Olive groves, cypress trees, rolling hills, neatly manicured rows of Sangiovese, hilltop walled medieval towns, fields of wheat and corn with heady aromas of spring flowers. It is such a treat on all the senses.

Bike Hire -recommended e-biketuscany based in Pienza. Excellent range of very well maintained bikes and somewhat embarrassingly opted for the electric bikes on viewing the ascent to Montalcino!

Wineries visited – The beauty of Brunello

Fuligni

The Fuligni Estate spreads over approximately one hundred hectares of land in an almost continual strip on the eastern side of Montalcino. The vines extend over ten hectares, are primarily located at Cottimelli at altitudes varying from 380 to 450 meters above sea level.  We were given a vineyard tour and explanation of viticulture including: yields, cordon training, bunch restriction & green harvesting. Next stop just down the road to:

Siro Pacenti

Met by Barbara this small property produces 60000 bottles and recently the 2010 received 100 points from Suckling . Vineyards, founded and planted 1970, are in both the north and the hotter southern area of Montalcino. Follow link for full wine review and tasting notes.

Uccelleria 

IMG_3420The most perfect host Agnes led us through a progressive barrel samples. We could sense the evolution from fresh ripe strawberry and cherry fruit onto more savoury, herbal, spicy & complex aromas through barrel age and blending of parcels. A truly memorable experience during which we were lucky enough to meet the owner & winemaker Andrea.

A much larger property. Nicola guided us through their excellent range over a wonderful lunch at Il Leccio showing us just what fantastic food wines Brunello & Rosso di Montalcino are. Beautiful gardens impressive winery buildings. Samples from huge 150 hectolitre Slovenian Barrels. Col d’Orcia welcomes guests to visit the winery and superb lunches featuring organic produce from the estate can be arranged.

The most enchanting garden with intoxicating aromas of orange and lemon blossom and the most beautiful Tilia tree under its shade we were welcomed with Fresh Strawberries and chilled mineral water. Sensationally elegant perfumed wines. Full tasting notes

Pieve Santa Restituta Wonderfully manicured vineyards .  Ethereal winery with classical music and film projected onto the whitewashed walls designed to give employees the perfect ambiance to create Gaja’s masterpieces.

Costanti  Some of the highlight wines of our tastings.  Visits and tastings can be booked on the winery website.

Accommodation in Montalcino
We  chose to stay  at  Hotel Veccia oliviera
hotel-vecchia-olivieraHighly Recommended. This Hotel has stunning views over Val D’Orcia, a small but lovely swimming pool and is an excellent location .The owner is laid back and extremely helpful. Breakfast simple but well presented. Also recommended  a small family run hotel and right in the middle of Town Il giglio. 

 

Dining in Montalcino

Right in the he heart of Montalcino with an amazing view of the beautiful, medieval Fortress. Excellent wine list and wall to wall bottles of Brunello.
 Il Leccio Sant’Angelo in Colle
You must book in advance , the food in this restaurant is sensational, a must do in the area.IMG_3453
Starters zuccini stuffed with tomatoes riccotta.
Delicious.  Deep fried tempura style, amazingly light & crisp. Egg plant riccotta cheese and tomato. Ravioli in sage butter so delicate.
Mains grilled veal fillet chianina.Sliced Veal Scottata (rare steak) green peas fried onions. So good we returned after our great lunch with Col d’Orcia.
A charming restaurant in the heart of Montalcino. Extensive wine list, an encyclopaedia of back vintages. A delicious starter of Gnocchi with nettle and Fresh ‘Spring’ Truffle. Homemade ‘Pinci’ pasta with bread crumbs and Olive Oil. Main-Medium rare Bistecca Alla Fiorentina. Sheep cheese ‘Selezione’ from Crete Senesi area – beware these cheeses are dangerous.

La Pieve is a hamlet set among a picturesque landscape just nine kilometres from  Montalcino. Brunello vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. We fell upon this country resort with a guesthouse, restaurant, wine bar and chapel with serendipity on our cycle ride. There is a wonderful outdoor area right next to their own vineyard with wonderful views. I think we were kept away from the main restaurant on account of our lycra and perspiration ! Wonderful fresh local food , traditional ‘Pinci’ Pasta and cured local meats.

Other Recommendations

For creative and exclusive wine tasting and Events or if you are planning to get married , we highly recommend Claudia Moritz base in Montalcino info@claudiamoritz.com.Italy is a joy in every way . Fresh delicious sublime food. Exceptional wines. Views and scenery which stay with you forever. Wonderful warm hearted and friendly locals. This area of Tuscany exemplifies it all.Please contact us for any more information .

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