Montalcino insider tips: retail opportunities

Following last week’s post about Agnese and her beautiful ceramics, here are two other places that are easy to miss in Montalcino. A local young illustrator sells her creations on the crest of Montalcino in Via Spagni. Carlotta’s shop (http://www.carlottaparisi.it/dovesono.htm) is not exactly on the beaten path but it is well worth finding. Carlotta’s sister Giuditta has created a Val D’Orcia version of the Game of Goose board-game which is a wonderful way to stay in touch with this area’s geography. Every square corresponds to a place or town, with local fauna and food, historical events and personages . I can’t imagine a better way to prepare a child for a holiday in this area.

If you need salami or cheese, or just a quick panino, make sure to stop at L’Angolo di Cesare. Its highly likely that you will see Marco there, in which case, please tell him to go home. This little delicatessen is in front of the Barlanzone wine store, opposite the Fortress. Its owner (Cesare) is known locally as L’Omo in Camicia because of the fact that he never wears anything more than a shirt, even in the depths of winter. He stocks the wonderful Cugusi pecorino, including the Gran Riserva 10 kg wheels that are aged for 18 months and treated with olive oil every 20 days.