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DESTINATION<br />
Photography provided by (previous page) ©iStockphoto.com/ ROMAOSLO, (these pages, clockwise, left to right) ©iStockphoto.com/ LuisPortugal, ©iStockphoto.com/ Shaiith, ©iStockphoto.com/Pasticcio, ©iStockphoto.com/ Perseomed.<br />
winemakers formed a consortium, Consorzio del Vino Nobile<br />
di Montepulciano (consorziovinonobile.it), and opened a tasting<br />
room in the piazza. The consortium has also been a sponsor for<br />
the annual Bravio celebration of—what else —wine. The<br />
Bravio is a competition and a showcase for the eight Contradae<br />
(districts or neighborhoods). Every August, the event culminates<br />
with the barrel race where young men, each sporting<br />
jogging shorts in the colors of their district, roll heavy wooden<br />
wine barrels up steep cobblestone streets, past cheering fans.<br />
Montepulciano has only about 14,000 residents, but surprisingly<br />
there is enough to see and do for several days. Stay<br />
a few days in town at a hotel and then escape from the crowds<br />
to a villa. Don’t worry about being in the countryside—most<br />
everyone speaks English. Staying in a villa provides a great opportunity<br />
to make friends with locals, who often have vineyards<br />
on their properties. If you ask, they’ll be happy to teach you<br />
how to make pici. Similar to thick spaghetti, pici is made with<br />
just flour and water (and occasionally an egg depending on the<br />
family recipe), rolled with the palm of your hand on a wooden<br />
table, and served with a spicy tomato garlic sauce. They<br />
will be sure to have olives plucked off the trees in their<br />
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A Tuscan valley hidden by the morning<br />
fog. Montepulciano vinters use supplies like these (and other more<br />
modern conveniences) to create their renowned wines. The “Street<br />
of Love” in nearby Pienza is a romantic attraction.<br />
backyard. And if you’re lucky, they may be serving salami or<br />
pastrami made from the Cinta senese, a local wild boar that is<br />
considered a delicacy.<br />
You can visit Napa, France, Spain, South Africa, and other notable<br />
wine regions around the globe and you will taste some great<br />
wine. But if you want to experience the rich history of people<br />
who have lived with their terroir, you must visit Montepulciano.<br />
“Wine is like life,” one vintner told me. “You make a bad decision<br />
and you have to live with it for years to come.” Instead, make a<br />
good decision and visit Montepulciano, Italy.<br />
Montepulciano is a great place for your home base<br />
during a trip to Tuscany, as it’s perfectly situated in<br />
the region. Although it’s within driving distance to<br />
Siena, Florence, and Rome, consider exploring<br />
some of the small neighboring villages with—wait<br />
for it—great wineries! Valiano is home to the<br />
Avignonesi Winery, where perfectly sculptured<br />
cypress trees bordering the rows of vines, earned<br />
the slogan “Healthier wines for healthier people,<br />
but also a healthier environment to pass on to<br />
future generations.” There are still tourists here, but<br />
there are also many locals prowling the boutiques<br />
and wine cellars downtown. In these small villages<br />
you can still find handmade items such as hats,<br />
peddled by the artisans. Other nearby villages include<br />
Montefollonico, Pienza, and Sarteano. You<br />
never know what you’ll find in their boutiques but<br />
you are always guaranteed to find great wine!<br />
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