Montalcino and the hunting season

The center of this small town offers a perfect example of the architecture of the late Middle Ages. The nearby Musei Riuniti (Civico and Diocesano) contain pieces of a wooden cross painted by an unknown artist in the twelfth or thirteenth-century -one of the oldest Senese works. Wooden Annunciation sculptures from the early fifteenth- century and a Madonna done in Robbian terracotta are also worth a visit.

Montalcino is famous in the world for its Brunello and Vino Nobile. Brunello is a full bodied and aromatic wine perfect with game and grilled meats. The red, called vermiglio, played a small role in the siege of 1553. Legend has it that the garrison commander, tense and hungry, rubbed it into his cheeks, to simulate a healthy complexion and reassure his troops.

On the second Sunday in September don't miss the TOURNAMENT FOR THE OPENING OF THE HUNTING SEASON, a Middle Ages "must do" among the nobility.
The FEAST OF THE THRUSH, on the last Sunday of October is the most important hunting event of the season. If you are not a hunter, you can still "shoot" pictures of the colorful celebrations!