HTT - Hill Towns Tours

With its ideal location between the Valdichiana and the Val D’Orcia, its Medieval characteristics, and its internationally renowned wine, Montepulciano is an absolute must see while visiting the heart of Tuscany. Resting at 605 meters above sea level, the town overlooks valleys with land of unmatched beauty with its orderly vineyards and olive groves, soft rolling hills, and magical way the cypress trees line the horizon.

Montepulciano is of Etruscan origin, most likely founded around the 4th century b.C. , however it was during the time of the Roman Empire that it was made a military base, created for the purpose of defending the ancient Roman roads. In the 12th century the Republic of Siena wanted to take over the prosperous town, which led to a series of battles that the Poliziani (inhabitants of Montepulciano) faced with the help of Perugia, Orvieto, and most importantly, Florence. In fact, this period of the town’s history was defined by alternating alliances and strong internal differences. This continued until around 1390 when a definitive alliance with Florence was formed and political stability was finally reached. With this newfound stability came a period of artistic and cultural flourishment that continued even when the city later came under Sienese rule in 1559. In addition, the mercantile activities began to profit enormously thanks to the city’s advantageous location directly on a main axis of movement between the Val D’Orcia and the Valdichiana, as well as between Rome and Florence.
The heart of the city can be no other than Piazza Grande, where you can find the Palazzo Comunale (town hall) that seems like a smaller version of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, the Duomo (1592-1630) with its unfinished façade, and the splendid Palazzo Tarugi (16th century) that represents one of the most beautiful examples of civil architecture from the 1500’s.
The church of St. Augustine is of notable artistic interest, constructed in 1427 by the Renaissance architect Michelozzo. This artist, mostly known for his work in Florence, was the one who added the tower to the original gothic façade of the Palazzo Comunale. Also worth mentioning is the Palazzo Bucelli (1648) with its Latin and Etruscan base reliefs, collected in the 17th century by then owner Pietro Bucelli, an antiques dealer.
Lastly, just outside the city walls, isolated on the lower slope of the hill, rises the church of San Biagio, so named for its monumental presence that is almost like a temple. Construction of this structure, a jewel from the Renaissance, was begun by Antonio da Sangallo in 1518 and he continued work on it until his death in 1534. Work then continued under other supervisors until completion in 1580. Its most distinguishing elements are its Greek cross building plan, its travertine surface, and its bell tower rising up from the left hand side.
Apart from its artistic beauty and its breathtaking views, Montepulciano is well known worldwide for its prestigious red wine. In this area, vine growing dates back to Etruscan times. During the Middle Ages the production of excellent wine on Mons Politianus was constant, and already by the middle of the 1300’s the city had established rules to regulate trade and exportation. Halfway throught the 1500’s Sante Lancerio, wine expert and cellar master to Pope Paul III Farnese, deemed the wine of Montepulciano as worthy of the tables of the nobles, even if the older labels only had the simple name “Chosen Red of Montepulciano”. This wine continued to receive praie well into the 1800’s, but in the first

years of the 1900’s the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was considered a thing of the past. Then in 1933 at the first presentation of local wine in Siena, the Cantina Fanetti, one of the wine cellars still active in Montepulciano, presented a valuable red wine that received widespread approval. It was decided then in 1937 to establish a social wine cellar with the intent of creating a structure where even small wine producers could market their product. At this time, oddly enough, most of the wine produced was actually Chianti, while the quantities of Nobile were quite small. Instead today the social wine cellar produces the majority of bottled Vino Nobile.
To be more precise, it wasn’t until the 1970’s that a new interest was rekindled in the production of Vino Nobile as opposed to Chianti, thanks to contributions made by the Italian government and the CEE (European Union) that made it possible for many producers to convert back to Nobile production. The very important recognition as a DOCG wine came in 1980 for the Vino Nobile, and in addition the DOC Red of Montepulciano was also established. This wine is distinguished from the Nobile through the productive capacity of the land, alcohol gradation, and aging time, though the area of production is the exact same. It is entirely up to the wine producers which of the two they choose to make based on technical elements that they themselves will examine and then judge.
In conclusion, among the many events that take place throughout the year in Montepulciano, one of the most characteristic is the Bravio delle botti which take place on the last Sunday of August. On this occasion the eight city districts compete by pushing the large oak barrels used for aging wine up the main street in town.

HTT - Hill Towns Tours HTT - Hill Towns Tours HTT - Hill Towns Tours