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We get up late and spend some time looking at routes for the next few days. Siena was an option but we've had three days of cities so we go for something less hectic. We service the van and leave site at 12.50. This site, which looks quite new, has been good generally; large fully serviced pitches, friendly helpful staff with good English and very good washblocks. It is a bit pricey at €28 but wi-fi is included and it's close enough to an all-day bus route to be convenient for the city. A family rover ticket for 24 hours is €6 and all buses are wheelchair accessible. Finally checkout is anytime before 15:00 so it would be easy to sneak an extra morning in Florence if desired.
Leaving Florence we detour back to Michelangelo parking. This elevated viewpoint puts us at eye level with the top of the Duomo and gives sweeping views over the whole of Florence, the Arno and beyond. All the famous images of Florence's skyline have been captured from here in print, film, chalk, pencil and paint and on a clear, sunny day like today, it is truly beautiful.
Once we escape the Florence traffic [the Firenze Frenzy] we have a good few miles on dual carriageway through dense woodland until we by-pass Siena, then once we leave the D-C we are into true Tuscan scenery. The dry clay soil is almost white with a hint of tan. On the flatter ground there are sunflower fields, some still in flower. Rolling hills stretch for miles, punctuated every so often by a large mound on which sits a house, village or town depending how big the mound is. Buildings are simple rectangles, sometimes with a bit of embellishment, built of the same tan clay or stone. Long rows of vine, much wider apart than those we saw in Sancerre, march up these mounds to the farm, around which will be the trademark cypress trees. Some of the fortress towns are amazing, dominating the landscape from their raised position. We have a long climb to one such town, Montalcino, a 14th century fortezza. We see camper-parking signs and our chosen Fatorre Amico is only 4 miles away so we resolve to come and explore in the morning.
At 16:15 we arrive at the FA; Croce di Mezzo, producers of the region's revered wine, Brunello di de Montalcino. We wait for the short thunderstorm to abate then go in for wine tasting but it's very different tasting from our previous experiences. We are led to an iron legged marble table and given two glasses and a plate with some bread and their own brand olive oil. We are invited to first try the 2012 wine. As expected it is young and slightly yeasty but still a pleasant flavour although we don't drink the whole sample. Next we try 2007, a vintage year for this producer. It packs in flavour which lingers for ever, a small glass could last a whole roast beef meal, but at €30 a bottle it's not for quaffers like us. Next we're offered the blended, tasty but dry and still €25. We see a bottle a bit out of our normal range but would take one if any good, but when we ask to taste it we are refused as they don't have a bottle opened. In between pouring our samples we are left to talk to an American couple until they decide to pour another. We like to be courteous on FPs and FAs and buy a little of their goods, but hey-ho, even their olive oil is €40/litre so during a period of being ignored we leave and have a completely free night's parking.
Back in the van we enjoy a steak dinner with a lovely bottle of red wine bought on a France Passion that has aged nicely under the bunk for the last two weeks.
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