Tuesday, we made the 40-minute drive to the town of Cortona which sits on a 1700-foot hill. The majestic views from Cortona are of the surrounding flatter vineyards and farms of both Umbria and Tuscany.
Cortona has several small piazzas from which neighborhood alleyways connect. Each street has its own neighborhood flags lining the ancient walkways. Shops and cafes line the main walkways, and again, flowers abound. Cortona was a little more crowded than Pienza, as it is larger and closer to Florence
We split up for some time, looking for a spot for lunch. Two of us visited the Duomo, where an American couple was rehearsing their upcoming wedding ceremony. The elegant duomo was filled with side chapels and ornate artwork, but a lovely altar.
We regrouped and had lunch in the Piazza Signorelli, not easy to find outdoor seating for 7 and a high chair!
Later, I had booked a tour and tasting at a winery 20 minutes away, so off we went! The Avignonesi Winery is a very large and established winery between Cortona and Montepulciano. A certified biodynamic vineyard, Avignonesi owns 481 acres which are spread over both Cortona and Montepulciano.
We had a tour of the vineyard and manufacturing areas. We then tasted 3 reds and one white wine, along with olive oil and bread. The reds were mostly from the local dominant grape of the Vino Noble, which is a Sangiovese grape.
We returned to the villa and relaxed in the gardens. Dinner was “in” for us, while our traveling companions enjoyed the night views and restaurants of Montepulciano. Wednesday, we will travel to Siena, a beautiful Tuscan city Bob and I first visited in 2011, during our first Italian trip.