Montalcino and Pienza: 11 January

Today we went to the beautiful villages of Montalcino and then Pienza. On the way we visited a winery to taste Brunello di Montalcino wine. This region is famous for Brunello wine, unlike north of here which is famous for the Chianti wine. Before the Brunello wine is ready, it must age for a minimum of five years, two of which mist take place in oak barrels.

Both Montalcino and Pienza are hill towns in the province of Siena in Tuscany.

With a population of around 5000, the medieval town of Montalcino is surrounded by a full circle of fortified walls, and watched over by a mighty castle of medieval perfection. The fortress has remained practically intact since the Middle Ages and the the town has scarcely changed in appearance since the 16th century.

The tiny village of Pienza in southern Tuscany has a population of around 2000 and is even more beautiful than Montalcino in our opinion. The Duomo or Cattedrale dell'Assunta hosts very fine paintings by the most renowned artists of the Renaissance period. As you walk through the church you notice the uneven floors, the unsettling cracks making their way across the floor and walls. The architects didn't calculate the effect of the weight of the cathedral and its impact on the foundation of the church, and now the hillside that it is built on is starting to give way.

Pienza is also the city of cacio which means cheese!! The Pecorino of Pienza is a tasty cheese made from sheep's milk, renowned worldwide and delicious which depending on its age, goes from a delicate flavour to a strong flavour.

Overlooking the amazing Val d'Orcia Valley, we think Pienza is beautiful, and I'm sure you'll agree!