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Bel Vino: A Year of Sundrenched Pleasure Among the Vines of Tuscany
Bel Vino: A Year of Sundrenched Pleasure Among the Vines of Tuscany
Bel Vino: A Year of Sundrenched Pleasure Among the Vines of Tuscany
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Bel Vino: A Year of Sundrenched Pleasure Among the Vines of Tuscany

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Isobel and Lou moved to Montalcino and became Isabella and Luigi ten years ago and they have now been embraced by the locals and immersed in their antiquated customs and age-old feuds. In BEL VINO Isabella takes the reader on a winding journey to discover the true aristocratic orgins of the world-renowned wine Brunello di Montalcino on whose vintage the fortunes of many of the Montalcinesi depend. Taking us through the seasons of the wine harvest, Dusi weaves a path that brings in the local white-hooded monks who have lived in the Abbey of Sant' Antimo since at least 814; the last remaining local shoemaker; the harvesting of mushrooms, olives and truffles; an archery contest with a local village at which passions run high; and the fight to save a 1000-year-old church with no foundations. As an insider, Dusi is able to portray Tuscan life with all its idyllic charms whilst also giving an intriguing insight into the daily workings of the ancient village of Montalcino.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 13, 2014
ISBN9781471134821
Bel Vino: A Year of Sundrenched Pleasure Among the Vines of Tuscany

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A decade ago, Isobel and Lou moved to the village of Montalcino and became Isabella and Luigi. Their immersion is now complete in the busy life of this town, and their acceptance by the people means that they are part of the fabric now. In this second book Isabella writes about the events that take place over the course of a year,

    She writes about the inter village archery competition, and tensions are high as Montalcino has not won for a number of years now. The local church has been condemned as it has no foundations, but has sat unmoved for 1000 years. Luigi is a big supporter of the local football team and the passion that the supporters have is undaunted regardless of the successes and failures of the team. Even travelling to the matches is an event. A substantial amount of the book is taken up by unravelling the origins of Brunello di Montalcino, a wine that the fortunes of many of the Montalcinesi depend upon.

    The centre of the village is the cafe, and almost every day starts with an espresso, before her travels take her across the local landscape; bringing us encounters with monks whose order has been around for 1200 years or so, the hunt for the elusive mushrooms. The food there is magnificent, the richness of the dinners served and consumed, the abundance of the olives and tomatoes are conveyed with mouth watering descriptions.

    I had really enjoyed her first book, set in this beautiful part of Tuscany, when I read it over a decade ago, so I was looking forward to this. Dusi manages to convey the beauty of the landscape, the smells of the food, the atmosphere of the event and passion of the Italian people as she walks and travels around the village. Generally it is a good book, but I felt that it was too long and drawn out and didn’t have the clarity and sharpness of the first. The search for the origin of the wine was long and drawn out too. That said, the picture she paints of the stunning landscape, the evocative food and the way of life there is just fantastic. Worth reading for lover of anything Italian.

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Bel Vino - Isabella Dusi

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