Montalcino is the hill town that gave Brunello its name, and wine still sets the rhythm here. The town sits high above the Val d'Orcia, with stone lanes, fortress walls, and views over vineyards that have become some of the most valuable agricultural land in Italy.
It would be a mistake to treat Montalcino as only a tasting stop. The fortress is one of the best viewpoints in southern Tuscany, the Museo Civico e Diocesano has serious Sienese art, and the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo lies in a quiet valley below town.
That said, Brunello is the reason many people come, and there is nothing wrong with that. Taste carefully, leave time for lunch, and do not try to drive a full circuit of wineries after drinking. Montalcino works beautifully with Pienza and San Quirico d'Orcia, but it deserves more than a rushed photo stop.