Italian Wine Adventure: Montalcino

Welcome to the relaunch of this blog, formerly known as Wine with Dinner, over a year after I suspended posting due to the birth of my twin boys. All is well, and I am hoping that as the kids get bigger I will be able to find a bit of time to post periodically about wine, spirits, food, and anything else appropriate that comes along. In addition to checking the site and subscribing to its feed, you can now get updates on Twitter @ilove2drinkwine.

I will kick things off with a post that is long overdue. Back on May, 25, 2009, I wrote about our visit to Rome during our Babymoon. Well over a year later, I want to continue the discussion of Italy with highlights of two days in Montalcino and Chianti — Montalcino first. If you are going to visit these two classic wine regions, you will of course want to stay somewhere within driving range of both. I recommend La Suvera.

The Courtyard at La Suvera

La Suvera has beautiful grounds and comfortable rooms atop a little hill in Tuscany outside of Siena. It also boasts its own museum — dedicated to the historical patrimony of the Ricci and Massimo families – and The Oliviera Restaurant, where you can get a wonderful meal after a day of touring wine country. Alternatively, it is only a quick walk down the hill to the Ristorante Alla Pieve, which boasts an elegant menu and intriguing selection of wines both from Tuscany and abroad. We had such a lovely Tokaji there with dessert that we had to buy a couple of bottles (Oremus 2000 Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos).

The Grounds of La Suvera

Perhaps even more valuable than what La Suvera offers with its facilities is the knowledge of its staff. Upon booking our reservations at La Suvera, we asked one of its sales representatives to recommend a driver and guide for trips into Montalcino and Chianti, including stops at quality wineries. The result was two very enjoyable days with Massimo Daidone of Autonoleggio Daidone (e-mail me for contact information). On the first day we drove through the beautiful green hills and farms of Montalcino, stopping along the way at two of its finest wineries.

The Montalcino Countryside

The first stop was Poggio Antico. After a full tour and tasting, it was clear that Massimo knew what he was doing. The grounds are beautiful and the art of winemaking is at its height at this winery, which was established in the late 1970s. A tour takes you through the cellar of the winery, allowing you to view the huge, traditional Slavonian oak barrels in which Poggio Antico ages its signature Brunello di Montalcino, the star of tasting that followed our tour. Half a case of the 2003 vintage of this full-bodied and complex wine are aging in our basement now, along with 6 bottles of Poggio Antico’s 2005 Madre, the winery’s somewhat gentler and more “modern” Super Tuscan blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon. Click here for information on Poggio Antico distribution.

A Traditional Slavonian Oak Barrel at Poggio Antico

Our second stop in Montalcino was Caparzo, where we drove past the vineyard’s array of solar panels on the way to the winery. Caparzo was kind enough to give us, thanks to Massimo, a late tasting on a rainy day. As with Poggio Antico, Caparzo’s Brunello di Montacino was the star of the show, and we brought home a few bottles of its 2004 vintage. We also tasted and purchased their wonderful and spirited Grappa di Brunello. Click here for information on Caparzo distributors.

A Rainy Day at Caparzo

One can spend days — weeks — in Montaclino sampling its outstanding wines and taking in its lovely scenery. We had only one day, but made the most of it with a beautiful drive through the country, stops at two of its best vineyards, and a wonderful lunch at Trattoria Il Leccio. Still, if there is one part of Italy where I wish that we’d had more time, this is it.