UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

La Ciarliana Revisited ~ A Sparkling Gem In Montepulciano

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The glorious San Biago stands at the base of Montepulciano

In the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, outside the gated enclave of Montepulciano, a few miles down La Strada di Vino Nobile, you will find La Ciarliana winery.  This little crown jewel is a small, family run winery, gently situated on 22 acres, that produces very notable Vino Nobile wines.

La Chiesa di San Michele, Ciarliana, a 9th century ruin across the fields from La Carliana   The winery’s logo pays tribute to La Chiesa di San Michele’s famous bell tower, which lay in ruin in the distance.  The founder of La Ciarliana was Santo Pellegrino Frangiosa, who was born and raised on the podere (farm), just a stone’s throw from centro Montepulciano.   Santo Pellegrino was one of the first wine pioneers in the valley to plant the famed Prugnolo Gentile, otherwise known as Sangiovese, in the early 1960’s.  

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Villa S. Anna’s “Softer” Touch

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Villa Sant Anna ~ Abbadia di Montepulciano
Villa S. Anna ~ Exceptionally Feminine
Abbadia di Montepulciano

Good ol’ Francesca, also known as my faithful GPS, was in prime working condition.  She guided me directly to Villa S. Anna Winery in Abbadia di Montepulciano upon my arrival at Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Firenze (Florence) that bright sunny Saturday afternoon.

Waiting for me was Simona Fabroni Ruggeri, the owner of Villa S. Anna. I had contacted Simona a month before my trip to Tuscany to arrange a meeting.  I was fascinated with the idea of meeting Simona,  and touring the lovely “feminine” winery that she fondly calls Villa S. Anna.

Barrel Room - Villa S. Anna
Barrel Room – Villa S. Anna

The vineyards have been a part of the Contini-Ruggeri family for over 200 years and had a stellar reputation for producing very fine Tuscan wines.   The family estate  was bequeathed to Simona from her grandfather, “Poldo”, whose name is honored on the estate’s best Vino Nobile wine to this day. [Read more…]

Tenuta Valdipiatta – Montepulciano DOCG

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Grapevines as far as you can see...
Sangiovese grapevines as far as you can see…

While there are many excellent tasting rooms and wine cellars in the historic town of Montepulciano itself, I wanted to experience an “authentic wine cellar tour” in the heartland of the famed Vino Nobile wine growing region.

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As there are over 72 bottlers in the Montepulciano wine consortium,  who better to ask for a winery recommendation than the hostess at The Consorzio del Vino Montepulciano?  As hoped, the hostess was more than happy to arrange a same day, private cellar tour and wine tasting at a boutique winery called Tenuta Valdipiatta, just outside the medieval walled town.

 

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Roughly translated, Tenuta Valdipiatta means Estate in the Flat Valley….in other words, miles of wide-open rows of gorgeous Sangiovese grapes!   Several winding roads later, our GPS led us down a long dusty dirt road toward Tenuta Valdipiatta in the wine-growing area known as Gracciano. [Read more…]