Today we are looking forward to spending the day in the beautiful Tuscan town of Montepulciano! This small medieval town sits high on a ridge overlooking the Val di Chiana and is filled with some impressive Renaissance architecture. And then there is the wine! The six of us all enjoy wine and this town represents some of the best Italy has to offer. Roy and Cheryl are from California and this is their first trip to Italy, so we are very excited to have them experience some fabulous wines today. Our dear friend, Andrea Contucci from Contucci Wines will be giving us a tour of their cellars and a tasting today, can’t wait!

We decided to take the route to Montepulciano which passes along Lake Trasimeno, it’s a pretty day and the views are great. The route is a two lane road but no one is in a hurry and it is very scenic. One of the best ways to discover new places is to stay off the highway and be open to adventure. Roads are pretty well marked, just follow the arrows to the next town

This particular route takes us to the lower end of the town, where there is public parking close to the gate into the old town. The view greets you the minute you turn the corner. We can’t wait to reach the highest point of the town, the Piazza Grande, to compare the views. This is where we will meet Andrea later this afternoon. Upon entering the gate you are surrounded by taste rooms and shops. The main road leads you though the center of the town up to the Piazza Grande. Taste rooms, shops and restaurants can be found on both sides of the street. The road is steep but we take our time. There is a a shuttle bus that you can catch just inside the gate that will take you to the top for €2 per person… we may decide to take it back down later!

On the way up we stop at Caffè Poliziano. This restaurant opened in 1868 and has a fascinating history full of famous people who have spent their free time there. We have lunch on the terrace overlooking the Val di Chiana. This is one of our favorite places to visit.

After lunch we walk the rest of the way, and meet Andrea at Cantina Contucci. His family has been making wine for 41 generations – over 1,000 years! Andrea, Antonietta, Adamo, and the rest of the staff always make everyone feel welcome, and the wine is extraordinary. We take a tour of the cellars, then enjoy a tasting and buy a few bottles to take home (you can also have the wine shipped). We catch the shuttle bus back to the bottom, and make one more stop – Fattoria Pulcino – to buy a couple of bottles of their Vin Santo.

Then it’s back home in time for the sunset and a relaxed dinner at L’OCA. Great day… a domani!