Recommendation for a trip to Siena in late February

I am spending two weeks in Italy with a bunch of friends. We’ll spend a few days in Rome (where we fly in to and out of), but the majority of the time will be spent at a villa in Siena. Everyone will have bicycles and will do some riding each day, but I’m the one who is most interested in wine.

Are there any recommendations for wineries, tasting rooms, restaurants in or around Siena? I have very little experience with Italian wines, but I know that area is pretty rich. I’d like to try to do some tastings while I’m there and maybe bring back a case. But my tasting experiences are limited to California, so I don’t know if you need to make reservations, or if the wineries are open for tasting or something else. Any advice would be appreciated.

Any cycling ideas are welcome too.

Thanks,
-Joe

Hi Joe
Normally, it’s very much a question of reservation only, however the amount of tourists that hit Tuscany aka Chiantishire, means you’ll be in one area where you can get by without.

One easy option is Montepulciano, and the best way to get there from Siena is by bus (though if you have a car, that is just as easy). The bus goes from a fairly central location between the Palio and Enoteca Italiana IIRC. It takes 1.5 hours and drops you off at the bus station in Montepulciano, which gives you a 10-30 minute walk up one of the more gentle slopes to get to the town plus wineries / tasting rooms. Many are drop in affairs, but useful to book into one with old cellars for the experience. I’m told Contucci are as visitor friendly as anywhere - they prefer to sell direct and are the oldest operation in town. The style of wine is a little leaner / grippy than Brunello - I prefer Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to Brunello, but it’s very much a personal preference thing. The ease of just popping into tasting rooms can be very appealling, however IIRC they do the usual Italian thing of closing ~ 12:30-3:30, so factor in a good lunch, plus some photos of the views, and put the tasting either side.

I know other towns in Chianti region are similarly tourist friendly, but others will have specific recommendations.

In Siena, there is a small but exceptionally good farmers market in the old market square near the palio on Friday mornings. The wednesday market is huge and takes over much of the city, and is much more humdrum, but might interest. This place was surprisingly good, being so close to the tourist milking in the Palio, but on a quieter little alley, seemed to avoid the easy tourist trade.
Dolceforte , via Calzoeria 12, open 10am – 11pm 0577 282526 www.dolcefortesiena.it

Regards
Ian

Thanks for the info Ian!

-Joe

If you are staying in Siena you are close to everything so it really depends where you want to go Chianti , Montalcino etc…
If you want to go to a winery with a a tasting room Felsina is a good option, only 15 minutes away.
For restaurants in Siena go to Le Logge and La compagnia dei Vinattieri, both great wine lists at good prices.

I start every recommendation with a Rick Steves clip. LOL. I’ll get a bunch of my thoughts jotted down tomorrow.

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Thanks folks, I appreciate all the replies.

-Joe

For restaurants in Siena, +1 on Osteria le Logge. Also consider Antica Osteria da Divo .

Okay, I’m back. Just a bunch of random thoughts.

We stayed in Siena for a week as base camp for Tuscany. There’s lots to explore in the city so make sure you bring good walking shoes.

Surprisingly, the wine in restaurants is very reasonably priced. More than fair from an American perspective so we always purchased a bottle at the owner/waiters recommendation.

Osteria La Mossa - Right in the corner in Piazza Del Campo. Excellent food and small joint. Right next to it is a great place for drinks outside looking at the Campo but probably not something for winter. I got the Tuscan traditional dish, pici con cinghiale, pasta with wild boar ragu. OMG

San Paolo Pub - best place to watch the happenings in the Campo. It’s a tiny bar on the second floor with small balcony that seats about 8 uncomfortably. Amazing view. Perfect for grabbing a drink.

La Vecchia Latteria - Best gelateria in Siena. I tried them all.
https://goo.gl/maps/8uLQak7yGSS2

La Proscuutteria - Funky hipster place in a 500 year old building with stairs that go down, down, down… Check it out for a beer, wine, and meat and cheese plate.

They do a decent pizza in Siena and there’s a pizza joint on every corner. We typically would hit up a place off the beaten path when we’d run across a building with a door, oven, and only enough room to stand. They were the real deal.

You’ll need a car if you’re going to cover distance (Montalcino and Montpulchiano) and there’s a Hertz near the train station. We would just walk down and grab the car and take off.
https://goo.gl/maps/C6aeGEBxypL2

There is NO parking in Siena. I’m not kidding… Can’t even drive a car into the city unless you have a pass. There is ONE free parking lot and it’s call the Free Parking Lot or the Penny Market Parking Lot because there’s a Penny Market across the street. If you park there then you’re either walking back up to the city or there’s a bus stop right there that will get you to the top.

https://goo.gl/maps/RVD6SoWd6VG2

You’re gonna want to get to Montepulciano, depending out how much you guys ride you could actually bike it. Take the back roads, probably want too stay off the main “SR” roads and they’re not very pretty. You could also ride to San Giamgiano, amazing! Riding out to the southeast towards Asciano, Tuscan postcard type roads and scenery.