Buzzed on Brunello, Smitten by Olive Oil

Date: November 26
Location: Montepulciano and Trequanda
Weather: Quite chilly – about 45 degrees, partly sunny

Today was our first official off-site wine tasting of the trip. We were meeting Bruce, Brenda, Stan, and Ali at Tenuta Fontecornino around noon. I was especially happy for another slow morning so I could blog about the previous day. And even better news – Isabella’s calls from yesterday had worked. The morning was perfectly still and blissfully quiet. Ahhh… peace had officially returned to sweet little Castelmuzio.

Just as I was thinking I’d make coffee and scramble a few eggs, a text popped up from Bruce: “Good Morning, fresh quiche is awaiting you! Delivered at 8:30am.”

I checked the time – it was literally minutes earlier. By now, this had become our routine. Deliveries would appear downstairs, and Bruce would text: Fresh croissants, quiche, etc. are down here. Two little baskets every time. It felt like Christmas morning in pajamas. We were fully “family in a big house” mode now – no need to get presentable before heading downstairs.

I carried the quiche upstairs, beautifully wrapped in cloth. I didn’t think Carla would be into quiche, but knew she would appreciate the presentation of it all. I sliced off a generous piece and savored every bite with my morning coffee. I had officially mastered the latte on the DeLonghi machine too – rhythm achieved.

Soon enough, we were driving back to Montepulciano, heading to the De’ Ricci Cellars, which was our meeting point. When I reached one of the city gates, I hesitated. Am I really supposed to drive into Montepulciano? That felt like a risky move. I’ve made this mistake before on a previous trip… yet here I was again, inching forward. A few corners later, there we were – our tiny car wedged into a full-blown Renaissance village.

A little panic set in. I’m definitely not supposed to be here.

I glanced back at the instructions – sure enough, at the very bottom it read: Park outside the city. Oops. Now I had to get myself out of this situation.

Just as my heart started racing, like an angel sent from heaven, a man appeared at my window.
“Are you here for the tasting?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, let me move my car so you can park here. I’ll also text my dad – he’s a policeman – and give him your license plate so you don’t get a ticket for driving inside the walls.”

Problem solved. Bless this man.

Turns out, he was also our sommelier for the tasting. Once everyone arrived, he drove us out to Tenuta Fontecornino for a wine tasting paired with lunch. We sampled five or six varietals, focusing mostly on Brunello di Montepulciano – not to be confused with Brunello di Montalcino. I had always lumped them together in my mind. Today, I finally learned the difference.

Lunch was delicious and thoughtfully paired with each wine. A standout was the Pici with veal – so different from the ragu and cacio e pepe versions from the night before. We laughed because Bruce who also eaten Pici for lunch before the Pici class the day before, was officially on a full Pici streak. Dessert was a rich flourless torte that wrapped everything up perfectly.

After the tasting, they drove us back into town for a tour of the historic Cantina De’ Ricci. Our bellies were full and most of us had a nice little wine buzz going. Bruce and family opted out of the cellar tour, so only Carla and I stayed behind.

The tour was short and sweet – no long technical wine lecture, which was perfect post-lunch. What made it especially memorable was the descent deep into the caves beneath the city, carved by the Etruscans around 400 B.C. The Ricci family took over in the 12th century and began winemaking here in the 1300s.

We also learned a great story: back in the 12th century, a man in Montepulciano could predict the weather with uncanny precision and was accused of sorcery. To avoid the Inquisition, he revealed his “secret” – he watched how a hedgehog reacted to the sun. The man earned the nickname Riccio (hedgehog), becoming the ancestor of the Ricci family. History with personality – my favorite kind.

After the tour, we headed back to the villa to rest before dinner. That evening we had an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) tasting at 6 p.m., followed by an EVOO-paired dinner. I’d done this tasting a few times before, but wanted to join for the shared experience.

Once back in our rooms, Carla and I both passed out in our rooms for about an hour without planning to. No discussion. No coordination. Just unconscious vacation naps. The best kind.

I woke around 6:10 p.m. and went to check on Carla. There she was, cocooned in blankets.
“Still want to go to the EVOO tasting?” I asked gently.
It’s hard to rally when it’s cold outside and you’ve sunk into a late-day nap…but we did. And we arrived right on time.

That night’s tasting was led by someone new – Alessandro. I hadn’t met him before and was looking forward to a fresh voice. And wow… he was cute and charming. All-over adorable. If someone were to ask me what my dream man looks like – this might be it. He had the kind of tummy that suggests he truly enjoys his food – like me – but not overly so. He was passionate about EVOO, animated, and completely captivating. I was so taken by his energy that I forgot to take even one photo.

And of course… married. With a son. There goes my dream of meeting my Italian soulmate over olive oil. Still, I learned so much – especially the myth about EVOO’s smoke point. Contrary to what we hear in the U.S., true extra virgin olive oil actually holds up beautifully at high temperatures and preserves its health benefits.

After the tasting, we moved upstairs for an EVOO-paired dinner. My favorite surprise? Olive oil gelato. Drizzled with – yes – more olive oil. Heavenly. He also suggested drizzling olive oil over orange slices with a pinch of salt for breakfast. I am here to say… I would drizzle EVOO on anything Alessandro suggests and was looking forward to trying that for breakfast.

At the end of the night, I walked up to him and said,
“I’ve done many EVOO tastings here, but none came close to yours. You are a wonderful teacher.”
He hugged me, took my hand, and kissed it lightly.

All right then… EVOO Prince Charming. Thank you for making me Cinderella for just one Tuscan night. I won’t soon forget you.