The territory Montalcino is the centre of what was once Etruria, as shown on the archaeological maps that indicate the primary settlements of the ancient italic civilisation. The mass of hills whose eastern balcony is home to its inhabited centre is extremely wide and easily defensible from the point of view of ancient colonies, dominating as it does the surrounding area for kilometres in all directions. The area is articulated among high hills, low, fertile plains and narrow valleys, down to the banks of the most important rivers of the Sienese province. It is reminiscent of a square, whose sides measure an average of 15 kilometres and are lapped by the waters of four different courses of water. The largest and most important is the Ombrone, a capricious and authoritative river, despite the modest dimensions of its riverbed. The Ombrone washes the buttresses of the Alcinese territory to the northwest. It meets the unpredictable Arbia creek, which flows north for a short distance and then turns east, giving its name to a wide, sinuous and low valley, which already had two intercity highways crossing it during ancient times: the Cassian road, of the ancient Roman period, and the Francigena road, which is a more recent tract that dates from late medieval times, used prevalently for religious pilgrimages. The two roads follow the valley for a long tract, joining at Borgo Torrenieri and continuing in the direction of the capital. The eastern side of the Montalcino quadrilateral meets the Asso creek, while on the south, the Orcia River flows through its valley, with numerous castles perched on the summits of the barren and rough foothills before the slopes of Mount Amiata. The mountain, which dominates the south, is an The eastern side of the Montalcino quadrilateral meets the Asso creek, while on the south, the Orcia River flows through its valley, with numerous castles perched on the summits of the barren and rough foothills before the slopes of Mount Amiata. The mountain, which dominates the south, is an authoritative volcanic mass that still shows signs of its glorious eruptive past, through the numerous thermal fountains that spring from its slopes. It is the mountain that dominates the Brunello territory and which guarantees protection from the scirocco tempests coming from the south. On quiet days, one can see the Tyrrhenian Sea in the far-off distance, along with the Lazio mountains and the tranquil waters of Lake Trasimeno and Lake Bolsena. It is a clear-cut, strong profile that emerges from the vast range of the sweet Alcinese hills. Montalcino is located about 40 kilometres south of Siena. Its territory is articulated over an area of 243.62 square kilometres (of which 29 percent is plains, 70 percent hills and 1 percent mountain) and is the most extensive territory in the Sienese province. Agriculture is specialised mainly in olive groves (8 percent) and obviously, winegrowing, with 11 percent of the cultivated land area occupied (of which 55 perc in the Brunello registry). The agricultural and therefore economic panorama thus concludes with 36 percent of the territory given over to sow-able crops, pastures and other crops, including orchards, with a prevalence of plums, which assume increasingly greater importance for the valley portions of the Ombrone. The Montalcino hill is 40 km from the sea as the crow flies (and it was covered with that sea millions of years ago) and, to the west, which looks onto the Grossetto Maremma, the incoming marine winds can be felt to a great extent, lowering the average summer temperatures and raising winter temperatures. The characteristics of the soil are extremely diversified, due to both its make up and structure: the lower areas are made up of terrain originating from the deposit of detritus, with a deep active quaternary layer, which is quite loose. Overlaying this, the terrain is enriched with skeletal elements, while the active layer is reduced, determining soils formed from the decomposition of the original rocks, especially clay and albite. The terrains present an average clay content, rich in limestone, mixed with large areas of tuff, which tend to be lean. Just a few hundred metres from each other, therefore, areas rich in limestone split with clay and albite coexist with vast portions of terrain with a greater clay content and fewer skeletal elements and areas made up of terrain formed from the influx of alluvial detritus, according to the variations in altitude from the mouth to the head of the valley. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with precipitation concentrated in the spring and autumn months (with an annual average of 700 mm) . In winter snow above the altitude of 400 m is not infrequent. The proximity of mount Amiata, 1.734 m high, guarantees a natural protection against climactic events of exaggerated intensity, such as rainstorms or hail. The hillside areas, where most of the vineyards are located, rarely experience fog, freezing or late frost, while the frequent winds guarantee optimum conditions for the state of health of the vines, mitigating any insurgence of fungus pathologies. The climate is prevalently mild, with a great number of sunny days, which ensures the gradual and complete maturation of the fruit. The presence in the territory of hillsides oriented differently, the marked modulation of the hills and the differences in altitude between the valley areas and the higher terrains (Poggio della Civitella — 661 m asl — located in the central area of the municipal territory) determines the cohabitance of climatic micro-environments that are very different from each other, which is a factor that contributes to the great difference between one Brunello and another, albeit they are produced in nearby areas.

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The territory
Montalcino is the centre of what was once Etruria, as shown on the archaeological maps that indicate the primary settlements of the ancient italic civilisation. The mass of hills whose eastern balcony is home to its inhabited centre is extremely wide and easily defensible from the point of view of ancient colonies, dominating as it does the surrounding area for kilometres in all directions. The area is articulated among high hills, low, fertile plains and narrow valleys, down to the banks of the most important rivers of the Sienese province.
It is reminiscent of a square, whose sides measure an average of 15 kilometres and are lapped by the waters of four different courses of water.
The largest and most important is the Ombrone, a capricious and authoritative river, despite the modest dimensions of its riverbed. The Ombrone washes the buttresses of the Alcinese territory to the northwest. It meets the unpredictable Arbia creek, which flows north for a short distance and then turns east, giving its name to a wide, sinuous and low valley, which already had two intercity highways crossing it during ancient times: the Cassian road, of the ancient Roman period, and the Francigena road, which is a more recent tract that dates from late medieval times, used prevalently for religious pilgrimages. The two roads follow the valley for a long tract, joining at Borgo Torrenieri and continuing in the direction of the capital.
The eastern side of the Montalcino quadrilateral meets the Asso creek, while on the south, the Orcia River flows through its valley, with numerous castles perched on the summits of the barren and rough foothills before the slopes of Mount Amiata. The mountain, which dominates the south, is an The eastern side of the Montalcino quadrilateral meets the Asso creek, while on the south, the Orcia River flows through its valley, with numerous castles perched on the summits of the barren and rough foothills before the slopes of Mount Amiata. The mountain, which dominates the south, is an authoritative volcanic mass that still shows signs of its glorious eruptive past, through the numerous thermal fountains that spring from its slopes. It is the mountain that dominates the Brunello territory and which guarantees protection from the scirocco tempests coming from the south. On quiet days, one can see the Tyrrhenian Sea in the far-off distance, along with the Lazio mountains and the tranquil waters of Lake Trasimeno and Lake Bolsena. It is a clear-cut, strong profile that emerges from the vast range of the sweet Alcinese hills.
Montalcino is located about 40 kilometres south of Siena. Its territory is articulated over an area of 243.62 square kilometres (of which 29 percent is plains, 70 percent hills and 1 percent mountain) and is the most extensive territory in the Sienese province. Agriculture is specialised mainly in olive groves (8 percent) and obviously, winegrowing, with 11 percent of the cultivated land area occupied (of which 55 perc in the Brunello registry).
The agricultural and therefore economic panorama thus concludes with 36 percent of the territory given over to sow-able crops, pastures and other crops, including orchards, with a prevalence of plums, which assume increasingly greater importance for the valley portions of the Ombrone.
The Montalcino hill is 40 km from the sea as the crow flies (and it was covered with that sea millions of years ago) and, to the west, which looks onto the Grossetto Maremma, the incoming marine winds can be felt to a great extent, lowering the average summer temperatures and raising winter temperatures.
The characteristics of the soil are extremely diversified, due to both its make up and structure: the lower areas are made up of terrain originating from the deposit of detritus, with a deep active quaternary layer, which is quite loose. Overlaying this, the terrain is enriched with skeletal elements, while the active layer is reduced, determining soils formed from the decomposition of the original rocks, especially clay and albite.
The terrains present an average clay content, rich in limestone, mixed with large areas of tuff, which tend to be lean. Just a few hundred metres from each other, therefore, areas rich in limestone split with clay and albite coexist with vast portions of terrain with a greater clay content and fewer skeletal elements and areas made up of terrain formed from the influx of alluvial detritus, according to the variations in altitude from the mouth to the head of the valley.
The climate is typically Mediterranean, with precipitation concentrated in the spring and autumn months (with an annual average of 700 mm) . In winter snow above the altitude of 400 m is not infrequent. The proximity of mount Amiata, 1.734 m high, guarantees a natural protection against climactic events of exaggerated intensity, such as rainstorms or hail. The hillside areas, where most of the vineyards are located, rarely experience fog, freezing or late frost, while the frequent winds guarantee optimum conditions for the state of health of the vines, mitigating any insurgence of fungus pathologies.
The climate is prevalently mild, with a great number of sunny days, which ensures the gradual and complete maturation of the fruit. The presence in the territory of hillsides oriented differently, the marked modulation of the hills and the differences in altitude between the valley areas and the higher terrains (Poggio della Civitella — 661 m asl — located in the central area of the municipal territory) determines the cohabitance of climatic micro-environments that are very different from each other, which is a factor that contributes to the great difference between one Brunello and another, albeit they are produced in nearby areas.