there, the Grappolo Blu has a cross-fertilisation arrangement with the Cesira (although we didn't realise it while we were there), and that's how we found it. One of its specialties is stinco all'aceto balsamico, and another insalata lenticchie, and they're both to die for -- so probably the whole menu is !
CS just had to put up with NOT drinking Brunello; there's no way I could manage even a glass of it, and he couldn't finish almost an entire (decanted, always !) bottle on his own. But we enjoyed -- me particularly -- the Montalcino Rosso by Fattoi that we drank on both occasions of our being there, and Luciano was far too polite to tell us what he thought of our wine selection.
I was also lucky enough to lunch, in Montalcino, on the best penne al pomodoro I've ever eaten -- at the Enoteca Les Brassiques on the via Mazzini.
This town is as pretty as a picture, and has certainly the best and most environmentally friendly commercial laundry I've seen anywhere in Italy. Its fairly recent 'fame' through another Aussie's book has lent a touch of ... not quite sure
CS just had to put up with NOT drinking Brunello; there's no way I could manage even a glass of it, and he couldn't finish almost an entire (decanted, always !) bottle on his own. But we enjoyed -- me particularly -- the Montalcino Rosso by Fattoi that we drank on both occasions of our being there, and Luciano was far too polite to tell us what he thought of our wine selection.
I was also lucky enough to lunch, in Montalcino, on the best penne al pomodoro I've ever eaten -- at the Enoteca Les Brassiques on the via Mazzini.
This town is as pretty as a picture, and has certainly the best and most environmentally friendly commercial laundry I've seen anywhere in Italy. Its fairly recent 'fame' through another Aussie's book has lent a touch of ... not quite sure
what, but I don't think it's positive. I think the problem for me is that Montalcino is now entirely tourist-oriented, and that's not something we're used to in our choices of stayover. I prefer to be where any Italian upon whom I practise my version of his or her language will beam with delight and launch into conversation; in a place like Montalcino they are fairly sanguine about tourists, and not a lot regarding us fills them with joy. And if I lived there, I would be the same: tourists in large and continuing numbers are awful. But, once having made their 'career choice', as it were, the Montalcinesi are obliged to live with it.
The Palazzina Cesira has been restored absolutely beautifully, and is just as good-looking as its Website describes. Its padroni are friendly, polite and very helpful, and breakfast was something I looked forward to (and Lucilla would put the leftovers in a paper bag for la merenda; we preferred to eat only fresh rolls with her divine array of home-made jams, and so had the subsequent benefit of wondrous goodies from Mariuccia's for later !).
The Palazzina Cesira has been restored absolutely beautifully, and is just as good-looking as its Website describes. Its padroni are friendly, polite and very helpful, and breakfast was something I looked forward to (and Lucilla would put the leftovers in a paper bag for la merenda; we preferred to eat only fresh rolls with her divine array of home-made jams, and so had the subsequent benefit of wondrous goodies from Mariuccia's for later !).
