Montepulciano has a long and storied history dating all the way back to its Etruscan inhabitants in the third century BC. Its position on a ridge between the Val d’Orcia and the Val di Chiana was highly coveted by Siena, Perugia, Florence and even Rome back in the day. After a long standing alliance with Florence, Montepulciano regained its freedom in 1511. This fact is inscribed inside the door of the town hall.

My history with Montepulciano began in modern times on a month-long Italian vacation when I needed to regain my freedom and sanity from traveling in the car with our 7 and 9 year old boys. It was time for lunch.

We needed to relax, we needed a glass of wine and I had decided – we needed a burger (the boys had succeeded in eating only pizza for an entire month). I google searched for the perfect stop as my husband drove and we choose a restaurant in a town, then unknown to us, which was strategically positioned just north of Orvieto, but not too far from Rome (where we were due that evening to check in to our last hotel before departing Italy).

Of course that town was Montepulciano.

After being revived by the most delicious burger and a glass of vino nobile di Montepulciano, we had a new perspective on life.

We decided to explore a little before getting back in the car. We hiked to the top of the town near the Fortezza (no ordinary medieval fortress, these days it has new life as an enoteca and coffee bar) and found a park where we let the kids run wild a bit. We sat just about as far away from them as was probably legal and took a breath. The air was cool, the park was quiet, except for the shrieks of our children and another group of kids and teachers. But nonethelesss, it was peaceful, if not a bit sleepy even.

After about 20 minutes, my husband and I looked at each other and decided in the same moment to stay there for the night. We could wake early and head to Rome to catch our flight. We booked a hotel, checked in, explored some more, and did a little wine tasting.

After dinner at Osteria Del Borgo, we were rewarded with a massive thunderstorm that we watched under the covered terrace of Palazzo Ricci. I don’t know if my kids ever heard thunder or saw lightning before that evening (the things we suffer living in San Diego). But it was a magical display of mother nature’s power. It was over as quickly as it began and the final showstopper was an incredible sunset over the Val d’Orcia.

Sunset from Palazzo Ricci, Montepulciano

The next morning we were on our way to Rome before the sun was up. I felt wistful as we drove out of town.

Since that visit, I’ve returned to Montepulciano many times for various reasons including language school, visiting friends, getting my fill of pici all’aglione and just stopping in to enjoy a glass of wine and the glorious views to the east and west.

There’s no question I’ll be back again and again.

Montepulciano: love at first sight

Il fiume Cefalino