Montalcino/Brunello wine

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Note to self, do not use the Apple mapping app going forward! It took us to an open field in the hills of nowhere ,so we headed to Montalcino, had lunch and used Google Maps to find our way thereafter. perfettamente’ ! Russ did a fantastic job navigating the very hilly terrain..Oh yes Russ is typing this blog. LOL. Our hotel is an old Castle called Castello di Velona which has 24 rooms and sits on top of a hill overlooking Brunello wineries. The Castle was used by the people of Sienna to protect them from the people of Firenze back in the Middle Ages. The views are amazing and the roof top which has 3 pools is terrific. We finished the night at the spa with a Turkish bath-“emotional shower” with different temperatures and water sprays, aromatherapy, followed by hot tub, ice bath, sauna ,steam room, and another “emotional shower.” The only emotion is “Oh Dang! That’s cold!”

On Wednesday, we spent the day cooking with an Italian family on their local organic farm to table location with a small group of 7 other people. We made and formed fresh pasta, boned and stuffed chicken legs, and made Tiramisu. We toured the herb garden, listened to stories of their family, took notes on eating fresh flowers and using herbs in different ways, made our own lunch from scratch, and drank their family-owned wine. Simply an awesome experience!

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Photos

Pasta pasta
Russ is a champ!