November 29. Spa and winery visits. We did spa treatments at the hotel; climbed into a kind of wet sauna chamber and got all covered in mud, had facials, got massages. What a treat. No pictures yet.
Knocked on doors in Montalcino and found a producer named Marcello Bucci from Collemattoni. Guy’s amazing. Father was a sharecropper on the property before he bought it out in the 80s. Some of the more impressive Brunello we have tried. This guy Marcello is an all-in-one; farmer, winemaker, marketer, salesman. His 2004 reserve Brunello won 97 points from Wine Spectator.
Met a woman in the wine shop there named Sylvia who turned us on to some other really wonderful Brunellos, and helped us to ship back Darren’s purchases.
Trip’s almost over. Meals back at Bagno Vignoni and taking it slow. Here I am with Raffaela at Osteria De Leone by the blackboard in the dining room with a quote from Ambrose Bierce, a favorite San Franciscan of mine. Weird. It says, loosely translated, " Abstetion: a weakness that gives in to the temptation to deny oneself a pleasure." We like that quote.
The town of Bagno Vignoni sits on natural hot springs that have been enjoyed by all travelers along the principal route between northern Europe and the Italian Peninsula since Roman times. The town is spectacular, remote, tiny, welcoming. Lots more pics this weekend.
The town of Bagno Vignoni sits on natural hot springs that have been enjoyed by all travelers along the principal route between northern Europe and the Italian Peninsula since Roman times. The town is spectacular, remote, tiny, welcoming. Lots more pics this weekend.
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