Has anyone spent time in Montalcino? Have you read the book Vanilla Beans and Brodo?
 

Hi All,

After spending a much too short hour in Montalcino about 5 weeks ago, I absolutely fell in love with the place, the scenery, the tranquility, etc. And I cannot stop thinking about planning a long-term return trip there.

So I would like to know if any of you "Italy-lovers" have recently been there? How long did you stay? During what season were you there? Where did you stay? Are there apartments there for rent or do you have to stay in a hotel? And any suggestions as to where to start my research/information-gathering about this?

Also, has anyone read Vanilla Beans and Brodo written by a woman who has been living there with her husband for some time? Is it a handy book to read before going to Montalcino, i.e. does it really give you some insight or is it just commercialism?

Many thanks to any info.

We stayed in Montalcino in early October of 2005 for 3 days. We had visited it before and vowed to come back. We love the place.
We stayed at Il Giglio http://www.gigliohotel.com/en/aboutus/
and enjoyed that also. Nice place, has a restaurant also. It's right on the main drag and they park your car for you. Wandering around the town late in the evening, looking at the lights of homes far below, was really great. Very nice views from the fortezza.
The town has several good restaurants and places to taste and buy wine.
The following site is from Castello Banfi's website and lists a lot of places to stay. http://www.castellobanfi.com/montal_stay.html
We visited Altesino Winery which is about 15 minutes from Montalcino. We were there 3 hours for the tour and tasting. We tasted Brunello, Rosso, and a Super Tuscan. For 12 Euros, we got the wines, and about 2 lbs of pecorino romano and prosciutto, and crusty bread. We also tasted grappa and Grappa Riserva. Nice place. There are a LOT of wineries around and of course Brunello is king.
We haven't read the book but we will.
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Thanks 2Italy for the quick and informative response. I will check out the sites you listed. We also visited the Altesino winery on the day we were in the area (with Luca Garapa - did you use him too?) and loved their olive oil more than anything else!!

Flame,

We have visited Montalcino several times in the past few years and really enjoy it.. though we have stayed in town on one occasion, now we stay in San Quirico and day trip in for lunch after mass at Abbey di Sant'Antimo or dinner after wine tasting...

I have tried numerous times to purchase the book you speak of and actually was in touch by e-mail with her husband after waiting forever and never receiving it from Amazon. He informed me that they had been trying for months and months to distribute in the USA and had not been successful...this was three or four months ago, and the issues may have been resolved. He told me the book was available in Montalcino, in both English and Italian, and if I had a problem finding it on my upcoming trip, to "just stop at the house" and they would get me one....he also offered to mail it to me if I wanted it before October. I don't know if you have had better luck than I have in finding it...She has a second book as well, and I am eager to read them both...

I purchased both books a long time ago from www.amazon.co./uk

I also visited Montalcino in the dead of winter years ago and it was magical at that time of year. It was very very cold and misty but that added to its charm and ambiance.

After you read those books you will want to visit even moreso.

www.amazon.com/uk is the correct website. I can find books easier on the UK site than on the US site of Amazon.

Hi SeaUrchin, your info about the Amazon UK site is interesting. Do they charge more to ship a book from the UK site? I was wondering if the books are shipped from the UK or from the US. Thanks!

SeaUrchin,

Thank you for that information..I have never ordered from Amazon/UK and have wondered what shipping and lead time are like as I am in the USA.....shipping here is usually free and books arrive in a week...what happened with "Vanilla Beans" is that I ordered early last fall and they just kept pushing back the expected ship date until almost three months had passed which is when I e-mailed the Dusis directly...

I have not yet tried to order the book. I hope I will not have any trouble with amazon, etc. For those that HAVE managed to get it and read it, can you please answer my questions with regard to it? Thanks.

Flame,

If you are successful getting it from Amazon, I'd appreciate you posting you've received it...then I can try again!! The problem I had was they showed the book and took the order, just never could deliver it...Thanks!!

In December I ordered a dvd and a book for 6.39 and 4.08 british pounds and paid 9.97 british pounds for shipping.

It comes to more money I am sure and it does take a little longer for delivery but it is worth it if I really want a book or cd or whatever that I can't get here in the US. I purchased Annie Hawe's books on the UK site long before they were released in the US.

I just write it off as a necessary splurge, which I give myself once in a while, well, more often than not, really!

I did like both of her books, she goes into alot of explanation of history, wineries and daily life of the town, which is interesting if you are interested in that sort of thing (I am).

I noticed in her second book she is a little more settled since she has lived there for a while and she has made her friends and contacts. In the first book she had the townspeople up on such pedestals that she seemed unsure of her own abilities, imho. In the second book, too, she seems just more relaxed in her new life and actually stands up for herself a bit.

I would recommmend the books, they are not like the usual "I moved to Italy" books where the author can be condescending to the locals, in fact just the opposite, I think.

Hi, LI.

SeaUrchin,

Thank you for the information..I've just decided I don't want to wait until October!! I'll look into ordering it...

Hi Flame123

We too stayed in Montalcino at the Il Giglio for 5 days in late September. The book is for sale in a couple of shops in Montalcino and was also available through our library. We did a walk through the town that the author described in her book and it was delightful, through small alleys and hidden paths with breathtaking views.

Montalcino is a great town. We enjoyed the many restaurants(Grappolo Blu and Rei di Machi) and the wine bars & shops. The town is nicely situated for day trips to Pienza, San Quirico, Montepulciano, Siena, etc. Don't miss the Abbey at Sant'Antimo and the little town above it.
The book gives you a great insight into the history of the town and the various quarters that make up the town.

Do plan a trip - you won't be disappointed.

Hi flame,

I stayed in Montalcino for 3 nights this past Sept. I was very happy at the Hotel Il Giglio and my room had a fabulous view!

Loved wine tasting at the Fortezza, dinners at Grappolo Blu, where I was treated VERY well by Luciano and Mariapia. The people of Montalcino were very nice and very interested in talking to a solo traveler.

I read "Vanilla Beans and Brodo" years ago when it was mentioned here on Fodors. A very enjoyable book, well written and interesting. Down to earth and gives you a real insight into the live of this small town. Isabella Dusi includes Grapollo Blu, Luciano and Mariapia in her story. They have well used copies of both books in the taverna.

Ciao

Isabella actually has 2 books--the other being BEL VINO. I am not sure you can buy the 2nd book on the US Amazon---she mailed it to me.
Montalcino is my favorite hill town and we have been there 3 times. However, I am afraid it is becoming too popular--like Cortona and Hallstatt. The curse of books.

I spent a week in Monalcino at the Il Giglio last October and enjoyed it very much.

I ordered the book from Amazon months before my trip, but had the same experience another poster had, Amazon kept pushing the delivery date and I finally canceled the order shortly before I left. I would have bought it if I'd seen it in Montalcino, but had forgotten about it by the time I got there. I'll try to find it now that I've been reminded.

If you decide on the Il Giglio, request a room with the panoramic view.

Hi Flame,

We also spent a glorious hour in Montalcino a couple of years ago, and have been dying to back! I just booked 2 rooms with balconies and valley views for 3 nights at the Dei Capiaoni, which is in the town AND has a nice pool for our teens. It has good reviews on this site and on tripadvisor.

I ordered Vanilla Beans and Brodo "used" from Amazon a couple of months ago and received it right away. It's in great shape, and I just read the prologue yesterday!
I just now looked at amazon, and their new books take 3-6 weeks to ship. There were several "used" books in "new" condition that ship in "1-2 days".
I would go for it. I"ve ordered several things used from amazon, and they've been great. (I always order the ones in "new" or "excellent" condition)

Good luck!
Dina

Many many thanks to everyone who posted and answered my questions. I can see that many of you have been to Montalcino, enjoyed it very much, and Il Giglio seems to very much be the place of choice to stay.

Bob - you write that you have been there 3 times. May I ask for how long and where did you stay? What do you mean by writing that it has gotten too popular lately? Too many tourists and not being the nice quiet isolated place that it looked like to me?

Dina4- when are you going? I would love to read a review of the hotel you have booked once you get back please. Many thanks.

My husband and I stayed in Montalcino in April of 2004 and it was absolutely magical. Flowers were blooming everywhere and we ate the best food in the WORLD! Thanks to all the posters here (including Bob! I owe you a long time thanks for all your advice) we also stayed at the Il Giglio and were very happy with it. Make sure to ask for one of the rooms with a view. Grappolo Blu was our favorite restaurant, but we also enjoyed Trattoria Sciame near the Fortezza (the best tiramisu I've ever had in my life!). The entire town is storybook charming. The Brunello goes down like velvet. You will fall in love with it.

I found both books quite enjoyable, mostly for the dynamics and the rivalries between the different divisions of the town.

I spent less than an hour in Montalcino last month - probably because of too much time spent tasting Brunello at a nearby vineyard. I must go back, if only to look again at the views.

http://www.microbes.plus.com/Siena/s...ontalcino.html