BRUNELLO MONTALCINO WINE TOUR

The town has been made incredibly rich and famous by its Brunello wine, one of the world's best and most appreciated Italian wines. Montalcino was already well-known for its fine red wines during the 15th century. However, the precious formula of the fantastic Brunello was invented in 1888 by Ferruccio Biondi Santi, who first had the idea of leaving out the grapes used in the traditional Chianti recipe, such as Canaiolo and Colorino, and using only the Sangiovese variety. Montalcino is not just wine, it is also very rich in artistic treasures. The historical center is dominated by the mighty and imposing Rocca or fortress built in 1361 to mark the passage of Montalcino under the domination of Siena.

LA ROCCA :The Rocca di Montalcino is today the privileged set for many events such as concerts, wine tastings and dance shows. In fact, the prestigious Jazz & Wine Festival, came at the 20th edition, a series of jazz concerts with internationally known musicians, that enliven summer evenings.

This festival is traditionally held in July,  checking the official website to know more about the program : www.montalcinojazzandwine.com.

ABBEY OF SANT'ANTIMO: The origins of this church are shrouded in legend. The Abbey, a jewel of medieval mysticism, is situated 9km from Montalcino, in the valley of the Starcia torrent (that flows from the Orcia River), near the town of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in an ancient Roman style, which also has elements of the French and Lombardy styles. According to ancient legend, the abbey was founded by Carlo Magno, who, returning from Rome with his followers along the Via Francigena.  The Emperor stayed there until the threat of plague was over, and to give thanks, he founded the Abbey of St. Antimo.