The antioxidants failed. There is only so much health providing goodness my liver can take and I am reluctant to drink even more wine.
I used all the firewood last night so there is no fire this morning.
I am ready to leave Le Pappe, it has been a beautiful place to stay, but I am ready for a change.
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
Andy Warhol
First, breakfast. I have decided a big breakfast will help my liver combat my antioxidant regime.
Its a two hour drive to Montepulciano, winding our way out of the mountains and into the valley. With only a few missed turns, and a few wrong turns, we eventually arrive.
Chianti is the expression of Sangiovese in the mountains. Brunello di Montalcino is the expression of Sangiovese in the rolling hills of Montalcino. Montepulciano di Nobile is the expression of Sangiovese on the steep slopes of Montelpulciano is Southern Tuscany.
A single grape variety, with over one hundred variations, Sangiovese is the king of Italian wine, despite Barolo and Barbaresco being literally called the King and Queen of Italian wine… I am off on a tangent here. The vineyards are ancient, as old as the Brunello vines of Montalcino. If everyone has heard of Chianti, and wine geeks chase Brunello, it is fair to say Montepulciano is the left out cousin.
“… dreamy Tuscan landscape whose peculiar spell is to make you think that it’s yours forever. That you’re here to stay.”
André Aciman
Montepulciano sits in the south of Tuscany, not far from Siena, and just up the road from Montalcino. It sits on a steep mountainside and has windy medieval streets and feels like a step back in time. Every second shop offers food and wine and I feel like this might be dangerous for my wellbeing.
“Drinking is an emotional thing. It joggles you out of the standardism of everyday life, out of everything being the same.”
Charles Bukowski
We dump our bags and head out to walk the city. It is a nice cool day and the steep streets are not taxing. We find the Museum of Torture and take a look through. A nice reminder of just how capable humans are of caring for each other. The religious were particularly loving throughout the middle ages, especially the inquisition. The Pear of Anguish was just the start.
“Of pain you could wish only one thing: that it should stop. Nothing in the world was so bad as physical pain. In the face of pain there are no heroes.”
George Orwell
We find the Christmas markets, some of the cheeses and salame looks incredible. I am not really a fan of craft things, but Shell doesn’t mind a look. We start to get hungry and fins a place nearby for a late lunch. La Vineria is packed, but we get a seat outside. The house wine is a Rosso di Montelpulciano and it is great drinking.
We decide to mix things up and order the exact same as we did yesterday with the exception of a stufato di fagioli e salsiccia. Fettuccine al ragù di cinghale (wild boar), Pici al ragù and the stufato di fagioli e salsicciato share. We finish with tiramisu and biscotto with vin santo.
We head to our place, Palazzo Carletti. Originally the mansion of a powerful political family until they fell on the wrong side of politics, it was then owned by a doctor before being converted to a music school. Now its very nice hotel.
Rachelle asks our host, Frederica, which is her favourite room. We are shown to a beautiful suite with mountain views from the balcony, a separate lounge area and a bathroom as big as our house. Moments later, after seeing the room we booked, the numbers are being crunched, the credit card is out, and we are in the suite.
“Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in this world.”
Cesare Pavese
We resist the temptation to open a bottle of wine. It is all too easy to settle in for the night. We head out to explore the city in the evening confident the wine will still be there when we return.
The city is beautiful at night, and while Jesus enjoys in the same play equipment as unicorns, elves and a flat earth, he does bring out in the festive spirit in people.
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Epicurus
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
We head home and open a bottle of wine. I searched all afternoon for the Dei Montepulciano di Nobile without any luck. Finally tonight, in the shop right next to our apartment, we found a bottle.
Over the next few days we will taste the three Sangiovese wines, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Montepulciano di Nobile. I undertake this tasting for research purposes and you can thank me later for the sacrifice.
Tonights wine –
2019 Dei Montepulciano di Nobile (Montepulciano, Italy)
Elegant and balanced, the wine took some time to open up. This is a velvet hammer, with cherries and violets on the nose. Great acid and silky tannins. If this is Montepulciano di Nobile, why is it so unpopular?
Complete notes here.
