We set off in September in search of Brunello. The famous Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's best-known and most expensive wines, grown in the...wait for it...Montalcino region of Tuscany.
We were not disappointed, either by the Brunellos or the beautiful small town of Montalcino itself. We easily canvassed the town on foot, walking past several
cantinas in search of the perfect tasting location. En route, we stopped to admire the gorgeous Tuscan landscapes and visit the 12th century fortress and clock tower in town. We eventually were drawn into a modern wine shop with a unique tasting system. The bottles (hundreds available) fed into a machine. We used the card that the proprietor gave us, inserted it into the machine, and for a small amount we received generous pours of the wine of our choice. We never made it to
aperitivo but walked away with a delicious Brunello that we realized we HAD to buy after going back for a third tasting!
Our big splurge of a meal ended up being in this small town. Osteria al Giardino was featured in our Italian guide to osterias as a slow food recommendation. We ordered the tasting menu and enjoyed a host of Tuscan specialities, often with an elegant spin, like these Tuscan white beans with shrimp. With the permission of the chef, Cooper sat in the restaurant throughout dinner and enjoyed the attention (yes, favorable, we had a corner table a bit set aside from others) of the staff. I think that, out of all of us, Coop might miss Tuscany the most!
We set off in September in search of Brunello. The famous Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's best-known and most expensive wines, grown in the...wait for it...Montalcino region of Tuscany. 
We were not disappointed, either by the Brunellos or the beautiful small town of Montalcino itself. We easily canvassed the town on foot, walking past several cantinas in search of the perfect tasting location. En route, we stopped to admire the gorgeous Tuscan landscapes and visit the 12th century fortress and clock tower in town. We eventually were drawn into a modern wine shop with a unique tasting system. The bottles (hundreds available) fed into a machine. We used the card that the proprietor gave us, inserted it into the machine, and for a small amount we received generous pours of the wine of our choice. We never made it to aperitivo but walked away with a delicious Brunello that we realized we HAD to buy after going back for a third tasting!
Our big splurge of a meal ended up being in this small town. Osteria al Giardino was featured in our Italian guide to osterias as a slow food recommendation. We ordered the tasting menu and enjoyed a host of Tuscan specialities, often with an elegant spin, like these Tuscan white beans with shrimp. With the permission of the chef, Cooper sat in the restaurant throughout dinner and enjoyed the attention (yes, favorable, we had a corner table a bit set aside from others) of the staff. I think that, out of all of us, Coop might miss Tuscany the most!
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