New Friends in Tuscany

Our first evening in Montalcino we met Bob and Missy Huggins from Atlanta who were also staying at the same B&B. They travel often to Tuscany and were great fun to talk with. Bob and Missy generously offered to include me on their second day of driving around the countryside to explore the wineries. Sherman didn't feel up to the ride on windy, unpaved country roads and it was certainly the right decision for him.

It was a beautiful drive with the countryside a riot of Fall colors. Many of the wineries were closed for the season. If we'd been a month earlier we'd have had more luck. Still it was a great day. We stopped off at this monastery, San Antimo, reputed to have been founded by Charlemagne around 800. The structure itself dates from the 1100s and was as simple as Siena's Duomo was ornate.

One winery we found open was Banfi owned by Italian Americans from New York. This was a large and beautifully appointed site which included a large tasting room, friendly staff and a glass museum as well as a restaurant where we could enjoy the goods along with a great meal.
This map gives you an idea of the number of wineries in the Montalcino Consortium. Don't know if you can see all the tiny red dots signifying wineries but they are also listed on the left side of the map. Another good reason to come back - perhaps in October.

K Q:-)