20th April 2007
My bella sorella has been staying for a few days and today we went to the lofty town of Montepulciano with it’s glorious array of renaissance palazzi and churches. We went in search of good wine and we weren’t disappointed. Up and up the narrow streets we went, pausing only for a few tastes of wild boar salami on the way. The tall one is learning a poem for school and our ascent is accompanied by the repetitious strains of ‘Nel cielo le nuvole giocano…..’, which is quite charming, to begin with. At last we reach the theatrical Piazza Grande, pass the mellow stone lion and griffin well and go into the dim interior of the Palazzo del Capitano where promising smells of must, cork and ageing wine envelop us.
First we try a Vino Nobile 2002. Dad, God bless him, was a wine importer so his girls have always been partial to a little ‘swirling and slurping’. Then we try an Avignonesi Vino Nobile Riserva 2004. A well remembered tip from Dad, “if a wine tastes good, don’t spit it out!”
We don’t.
After a few more sips we decide on 2 cases of Riserva, one for us and one for sis. She’ll be paying excess baggage on that then.
Best thing I ate today:
Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Riserva 2004. One of the classic Tuscan wines. Sip this wine and roll the soft sensual flavours around your mouth. Sun baking on dusty white roads…ripe fruit falling from the tree. Sip this wine and feel glad that God invented the grape.
Where to get it;
Some good supermarkets and enotecas but by far the most civilized place to procure it is Palazzo del Capitano, Montepulciano.
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