In the 15th century, a humble Tuscan town perched above the Val d'Orcia ... which is Italy's best region for wine, especially in the nearby wine-production towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano.

In addition to the wine culture, Montalcino is also quintessential Tuscany: Set in the picturesque ... was known for its wine as far back as the 15th century, although its most famous blend ...

Cathrine Todd is a New York City-based writer who focuses on wine. As he arrived in Montalcino, a hillside town in Tuscany ... was seen as the vintage of the century at the time, that is, until ...