Val d'Orcia: Brunello & Montepulciano Wine Day Trip

4.66

(354 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the way the morning light hit the hills outside Florence—soft, kind of golden, like someone had turned down the world’s contrast. Our driver, Luca, was already joking before we’d left the city. He pointed out cypress trees lined up like little soldiers as we rolled into Montalcino. I could smell fresh earth when we stepped out at the first winery—a family place where Nonna waved from her kitchen window and the barrels felt cool to touch. Tasted Brunello for the first time there (I tried to swirl it like they do on TV—spilled a drop on my shoe, classic).

We wandered through Montalcino’s fortress after that. It’s smaller than I’d pictured but you can see forever from up there—vineyards stitched across the valley, some old guy fixing his bike in the square below. By lunchtime we were in Pienza, eating pecorino and pasta in what used to be a convent garden (the waiter said April to October is best for sitting outside—inside was still cozy though). The cheese shops smelled sharp and sweet at once. I tried to say “cacio” right; Luca laughed and shook his head.

The last stop was Montepulciano’s underground cellars—dark stone tunnels with dust motes floating in shafts of light. There was this moment where everything went quiet except for our footsteps and someone uncorking a bottle somewhere nearby. We tasted Nobile di Montepulciano at street level after climbing back up; it tasted warmer than I expected. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave yet but traffic waits for no one, so yeah… if you go, take your time with each glass.