It’s no secret that a Siberian cold spell has Europe in its icy grasp.
Montalcino’s mayor closed the school on Wednesday and every day since then, conveyed by a flurry of midnight text messages from mother to mother. There’s no… Read the rest Posts tagged as:
Montalcino
It’s no secret that a Siberian cold spell has Europe in its icy grasp.
Montalcino’s mayor closed the school on Wednesday and every day since then, conveyed by a flurry of midnight text messages from mother to mother. There’s no… Read the rest 
2012 is already an exciting year for Il Palazzone. The cellar is nearly finished and we have two new members in our team. Let me introduce these two SuperTuscans:
Gianni Petricci, or Osso as he is known, has fifteen years… Read the rest 
The days are crisp and clear, with startling blue skies and beautiful sunsets. We have been working the soil around the vines so that any and all winter rains will be fully absorbed by the land. These water reserves may prove useful… Read the rest 
2011 was a funny old year – there’s no two ways about it.
It’s mid-November now and while the nights are bitterly cold, around midday, temperatures could still pass for summer in some countries.
In the wake of the March… Read the rest 
I’d like to think that visitors to Il Palazzone never forget our wines but the reality is that few people who drive to the property ever forget the rollercoaster white-knuckle ride that it takes to get to us. We… Read the rest 
It’s that time of year again; to pick or not to pick? Shall we, shan’t we? Who has, who hasn’t?
This year many producers in Montalcino began harvest at the beginning of September, particularly the low-lying properties. Historically harvest… Read the rest 
The name of the town Montalcino in all likelihood derives from the Latin toponym, “mons ilex,” meaning the mountain of the holm oaks. The town crest, embossed on lamp-posts and manholes in town, shows a solitary oak on a symbolic mountain.… Read the rest 
Every February, Montalcino fills with excitement for Benvenuto Brunello, when the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino announces its evaluation of the most recent vintage (more information can be found here). In addition to this announcement is the unveiling of… Read the rest 
On the main street in Montalcino is Osteria Osticcio. Owned and run by affable Tullio Scrivani, and his sparkly-eyed wife Francesca this is an incredibly well-stocked enoteca with a definite preference for organic and natural wines. They also serve beautifully… Read the rest 
This week we are doing the second cimatura or topping of the vines. We are cutting back the suckers and tendrils in order to reign back the vines’ force and to increase penetration of sunlight to the fruit. Although there… Read the rest 
Lavender attracts butterflies and bees and it’s wonderful perfume mixes with the jasmine that is everywhere in Montalcino. The butterflies at Il Palazzone are a testament to our responsible vineyard practices. A sidenote: everyone should try lavender honey at least… Read the rest 
Montalcino is full of music in July. On 3rd July at 18.30, an 80 piece Swiss youth orchestra is giving a free concert in the Fortess. They will be performing some Fellini film soundtracks and a couple of numbers from The Nutcracker and The Magic Flute.
The… Read the rest 
Another 10 cm of rain fell in Montalcino between Sunday 5th and Wednesday 8th June but today it is bright, hot and clear. We can see the sea from the property, less than 40 km as the crow flies.
Last… Read the rest 
We are gearing up to dropping some fruit next week with our first green harvest of the year. The vineyards have all been “zappate” – hand-hoed – so that the soil can absorb whatever water comes their way. Bear in… Read the rest 
On Monday 30th May there was a members’ meeting at the Consorzio del Brunello. A vote was passed to further reduce yields per hectare. Now only up to 6.000 kg of grapes can be harvested per hectare for the production of Brunello, rather… Read the rest 
Recently I enjoyed reading a post by Elizabeth Minchilli in her blog about “the good stuff in Italy.” It was about her foraging inferiority complex and included a recipe for some greens she had ended up “picking” off the… Read the rest 
Rose bushes at the end of each row of vines are a common sight in wine areas in both the Old and the New World. Montalcino is no exception, at least on those vineyards that are adjacent to public roads,… Read the rest 
Tuscany is emerald green. The hedgerows are hazy with biancospino and the hillsides have splashes of colour with apple, almond and cherry trees all in bloom. Primroses and wild violets nestle together on the banks and soon there will be purple irises along every… Read the rest 
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