Photo © Roberto Cicio, Unione Comuni Ambito Val d'Orcia

The flavors of the Val d'Orcia, a tasty land

A UNESCO Heritage Site where food and wine excellence is born, the child of traditions and values of simplicity, authenticity and genuineness

by Val d'Orcia

The Val d’Orcia is an authentic and genuine land, as the excellence to which it gives life. Among the hills dotted with cypress trees and cottages, you can immerse yourself in a world of traditional flavors and recipes that speak of seasonality, passion, and respect for the land.

The landscape, with long stretches of rows of vines where grapes ripen in summer, anticipates the taste experience: it is here that the red wines famous throughout the planet are born, such as the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and DOC Orcia, the latter called "the most beautiful wine in the world." The wineries and the events celebrating them open theri doors wide open to a universe of flavors, with stories, tours and tastings, in which each bottle tells a story.

Pecorino of Pienza - Credit: Unione Comuni Ambito Val d'Orcia

The typical chopping boards, the emblem of Tuscan style, are enriched with fragrant varieties of honey and cheeses, the best known of which are the Pecorino Toscano DOP and the pecorino of Pienza, starring every year in the Fair of the Cacio cheese.

If saffron production amazes with its colors and delicate flavor, the prized truffles fill the air and dishes with an unmistakable scent as deep and enveloping as the woods where it grows.

Truffle of the Val d'Orcia - Credit: Unione Comuni Ambito Val d'Orcia

The discovery of the flavors of the Val d'Orcia also passes through museum itineraries that tell about its gastronomic identity. Among the museums in Montalcino, the Temple of Brunello offers an immersive experience made up of smells, sensations and virtual reality, while the Truffle Museum in San Giovanni d'Asso winds its way through an itinerary of legend and history, sensory experiences and techniques of use.

Fairs and festivals are ideal times to immerse oneself not only in the flavors of the land, but also in its most authentic spirit. Events such as the Orcia Wine Festival in San Quirico d’Orcia and the Benvenuto Brunello in Montalcino are a tasting paradise for wine lovers, while Castiglione d'Orcia celebrates the autumn fruits of the forest, such as mushrooms and chestnuts. Oil, the Tuscan prince of every meal, is the star of the event of the same name in San Quirico d'Orcia.

To live this World Heritage Site also means immersing oneself in its authentic tastes, often rooted in a peasant tradition that can still be found on the tables.