Road to Pitigiliano

 

Up to this point we really hadn’t utilized our GPS system very much at all.  The route planning I had done before arriving here in Tuscany was proving very worthwhile.   I’d purchased a detailed road map, and used a highlighter to mark the route.  Using the Internet I researched the hill town’s, city’s and villages throughout Tuscany, deciding upon which ones I wanted to visit, then planned the entire trip keeping us off the autostrada, using only side roads.  It had taken me two whole weeks to put the trip together, the biggest problem had been deciding upon which places to visit, as everywhere throughout Tuscany is stunningly beautiful, also Edi had mentioned places that we should not miss. I had a long, long list, and only five days in which to do it. 

So, here we were leaving Siena at four O’clock in the afternoon, with yet another list of villages and towns that we just couldn’t miss, and only a couple of hours before dark!  We both agreed that we absolutely had to see Montalcino, and after that we would set my map aside and use the GPS to take us the fastest route to Pitigiliano.

It was a glorious afternoon as we headed down the S2 through Monteroni d’Arba, and Bunoconvento turning off briefly in the town to try and find a ‘ferramenta’ (hardware store).  I left my converter plug back in the UK and the batteries on both my phone and my computer were almost flat.  Unfortunately the only ferramenta  we found did not have any.  We continued on to Montalcino, another lovely picturesque drive winding past sunflower fields, olive groves and vineyards.  What I find immediately striking and fascinating about the Tuscan countryside are the lines of Cyprus trees everywhere; I think of them as Tuscany’s signature.

Arriving at the walled mountain town of Montalcino is a breathtaking experience.  This beautiful little medieval town sits isolated but well protected by the mountains of Amiata in the south, the Orcia valley to the south and east, and the Ombrone valley to the west.  These natural barriers provide protection from the intemperate weather keeping the area the most arid of all Tuscany’s wine regions

Montalcino is best known for its fabulous wine, ‘Brunello di Montalcino’.  The original vineyards were decimated back in 1930 when phylloxera arrived, and completely wiped out the vines.  Then between World War 2, the depression and the poverty following the postwar period, Montalcino was left impoverished, and totally dependent upon its agricultural production.  This period of poverty and isolation very nearly wiped out the area’s previous reputation for its wine.  In the 1950’s a handful of producers began bottling their own wine, known then as Chianti Colli Senesi, which at that time had a greater value and stronger market image than the Brunello.  Gradually over the next couple of decades Brunello di Montalcino regained its reputation as a fine wine.  Between 1950 and 2009 the market, vineyards and producers grew extensively, today in Montalcino there are around 190 producers, and over 1,300 hectares under vines.  Approximately four million bottles of Brunello are produced each year.

Enough about the wine, although for those of you who know me, you know very well my passion for good wine.

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to stop and explore the town, but I luckily spotted a ferramenta as we drove through, I was able to pull up outside while Angie ran in to see if they had any converters, to our amazement they did; she bought three and we were quickly on our way again. 

I couldn’t help smiling to myself when I thought of telling our tale of visiting one of the worlds most beautiful and best wine producing towns and our only purchase was an electrical converter! 

However, there was no time for shopping or exploring, it was getting late and I was concerned about finding our destination on these roads in the dark. My planned route would take us through small off the beaten track roads that wound up and down the sides of the mountains, and we obviously didn’t have time for that so Angie keyed the address in Pitigiliano into the GPS and once again we set off, but this time with “Lulu” (Angie’s nickname for the GPS) as our guide. 

This is where our trip became a little scary; we had expected Lulu to take us on the road to Lama where we would join the S2 again, but the roads here are not signposted well, they are very narrow and windy in places and come to three and four way junctions with no signs at all, “take the third left at the next junction”, when there were only two choices, or  “turn second right at the roundabout” when there was no roundabout, I was quickly becoming panicky.  We had to admit for the first time we were lost, I was secretly having visions of us spending the night in the car lost on some mountain road, but we had no choice other than to continue to follow the directions Lulu was giving us.  The directions took us down dirt path roads through fields, and lanes barely wide enough for the car, and then through a tiny village; where cars were obviously not catered for, even tiny cars like ours.  At one point we had to drive under a bridge where the walls were so close to the car we couldn’t have opened the car doors to get out if we tried.  We were both giggling and making light of the situation, but I know behind the humor Angie was as concerned as I was.

I’m still not sure exactly where we finally joined the S2 again, our relief was so great, but back on a major road I was able to fully test the top speed of the Fiat as we sped along the highway.  Lulu had brought us through the mountains, fields and villages and delivered us safely back into civilization. 

A violet haze hovered over the mountains and the late afternoon sunlight kissed the treetops as if by the brush of a Renaissance painter.  Cyprus trees lined the highway screening the vineyards and fields of sunflowers; the air was laden with a heady aroma of fresh herbs and flowers. 

How I wished I could have just stopped right there with my paints and a canvas.  There never seems to be enough time in life to just stop and do whatever you want, even this amazing trip is governed by the agenda that I put together to see as much of Tuscany as possible.  On my next trip I will pick one place and just lazily tour from that location and back each day.