Montalcino— Regional Features Update
2022 Update :
After having climbed the Fortezza di Montalcino with sunset views over the town and hillside
I recently revisited Montalcino, in the heart of the Val d’Orcia, and I found it as charming as during my last visit, over 10 years ago. As recommended in this previous post, I revisited the Enoteca La Fortezza and restaurant the Taverna di Grappolo Blu. I enthusiastically stand by both recommendations. I should add, do not miss the opportunity to climb the stairs of the fortress. There is a small fee, but you can walk around the entire parameter, taking in views of the Val d’Orcia on the exterior and the courtyard of the fortress on the interior. We managed to go just before sunset, and the fortress was quite empty. See the picture taken above with my father down below!
My father in the courtyard of the 14th century fortress; the unique pentagonal shape is clearly visible from the bird’s eye view angle!
Historical buildings in the center of Montalcino
The Enoteca La Fortezza is an excellent place to try and buy wines, especially from the Tuscany region, and especially Brunello di Montalcino. Check out their well-organized and informative website to whet your palate and see what is on offer.
The city felt relatively empty at blue hour when we walked the narrow streets, golden lights illuminating the 13th century Palazzo dei Priori with a commanding clock tower and the Loggia (a kind of Renaissance era ‘porch’) nearby.
Views descending the stairs to reach the restaurant La Taverna di Grappolo Blu
La Taverna di Grappolo Blu is part of a picturesque Tuscan experience. You must descend the stairs, and at this special time of day, you will be able to take in the fittingly rich blue background above a sliver of the characteristic rolling hills of the Val d’Orcia as pictured at right.
The interior of the restaurant is as cozy as I remembered it. The staff was memorably kind and personable, and the owners have kept the place quite authentic, rather ‘low tech’ in a completely satisfying and refreshing way. The menu is filled with Tuscan classics so you cannot go wrong. I would suggest going for the classic pici all'aglione. The long ‘pici’ form of pasta is dressed with punchy cherry tomatoes and BIG cloves of garlic (aglio + ‘one’ which is traditionally added to the end of italian words to aggrandize the subject.) These large cloves of garlic (so-called aglione) are a rare varietal that have been grown in the region (specifically the Valdichiana) for centuries. The Valdichiana is a neighboring ‘valley’ to the Val d’Orcia. Both valleys form the landscape that characterizes the region of Tuscany at large.