A lazy amble through the heart of Tuscany

I don't know whether this is still a honeymoon feeling or if it will last, but I'm still amazed at our ability to take trips like the one described here. "Let's take a drive through Tuscany next week," is all it takes. OK, it's not quite that simple, but it's as close as dammit. And for anyone that finds themselves in Florence or Siena, it's a very satisfying way to spend an easy day discovering the wine and landscape of the heart of Tuscany. For John (my South African friend) and me, it satisfied all the quintessential prerequisites – scenic, sedate, and scrumptious.

Winding our way south from Florence, the SS222/SR222 took us through the heart of the Chianti region and the centers of Strada, Greve, and Panzano (all referred to as “in Chianti”, just in case you were wondering). Tasting opportunities abound on this road, both at individual wineries as well as in the town cantinas. We threw a dart at the multitude of options and ended up at the delightful little village of Volpaia, which owes its existence to the vineyards that surround it . Consisting of a wine shop, café, two restaurants, and cooking school, the village produces some quality Chiantis, olive oil and honey, and commands sweeping views across the classic rolling hills. Reputed to be busy in season (Easter-October), we had it virtually to ourselves in late March.

Continuing south, our next destination was Montalcino, home of the highly regarded red wine, Brunello di Montalcino. Bypassing Siena, the most direct route is via SR2, but a wrong turn had us careening toward Grosseto on E78/SS223. This required crossing over on a number of backroads, ultimately approaching on a dirt road through a verdant forest with views into forever.

As if it were possible or necessary, Montalcino itself has even better views, with a 270° panorama from its bluff-like promontory jutting out into a sea of rolling waves of green. At its highest point, the 14th century fortress commands the best aspect, although we forewent the opportunity of climbing to its upmost ramparts in protest at the €3 fee, exorbitant in our minds given the already-generous price of the wine.

Cost aside, the Brunello di Montalcino – which has to be aged in oak barrels for at least 4 years to earn the title – and its “poor” cousin, Rosso di Montalcino, are delectable and worth paying the €10 tasting fee, with each one displaying its own distinct character. The 200-odd vineyards crammed into this small comune – 16km at its widest point – also produce Super Tuscans, which are up there with the Brunello but are classified differently because they break a few of the stringent rules along the way. Depending on the weight of your wallet, you can pay from €10 to over €100 for a bottle of this liquid ruby.

Lunch at the small L’Angolo, right in the center of town, was quite superb. We started (and climaxed) with a thick tomato-based vegetable soup, which smacked the sweet spot with an ecstatic “Thwop!” We followed with the strozzapretti (short, stubby pasta that translates literally as “priest strangler”) and frutti di bosco (fruit of the forest - mushrooms and the like), accompanied by a plate of over-roasted vegetables, fresh and local and coated in a light film of olive oil – extra virgin and cold-pressed, of course. A small carafe of the house white, an after-meal espresso, and we were ready for the afterlife.

By the time we had eaten and peeled out a few blue euros for the bottles of Rosso, it was already after 4pm, and time to head ... to Le Marche, as it turned out (3-4 hours away). But from Montalcino it's less than 2 hours back to Florence, and within 60 minutes of Siena. After such a day you'll arrive full of the pleasures of life, sated, spoiled, and smiling ...