The Brunello vineyards around Montalcino are the town's economic engine and its most famous landscape. Sangiovese vines cover slopes in every direction, with estates ranging from grand names to smaller family producers.
Book tastings rather than improvising endlessly from gate to gate, and appoint a driver if you are visiting more than one estate. The wine is serious, but the best visits are still relaxed: a view, a cellar, a few careful pours, and enough restraint to enjoy dinner later.