After a fantastic tasting at Poggio Antico, we made the short trip to the quaint village of…read moreSant'Angelo In Colle. After parking down below and making the five minute stroll up the hill into town, we arrived at Il Pozzo. The people were kind, attentive and humored my questionably passable Italian which must be a chore.
We each had a glass of a Brunello, which was preserved and poured with the Coravin system. Many of the great wineries in the area recommend Il Pozzo to their visitors, and you can tell that the restaurant has a great respect for the region's incredible wine.
The pinci al ragu had a perfect chewy texture and the beef sauce was rich and aromatic. Pinci is like a slightly plump spaghetti and you can tell that they take local pride in making it by hand. When in Tuscany, you have to have some wild boar, so unsurprisingly we ordered the cinghiale alla cacciatora (stewed wild boar) which herbaceous and less gamey than you might imagine.
On the side, we ordered the facioli cannellini all'olio - white beans in extra virgin olive oil. While this isn't the most exciting dish compared to everything else, the beans were nicely cooked and the bath of oil and cracked pepper gave a pleasant, simplistic flavor that helped balance the otherwise tomato-biased selection at our table.
Finally, the gnocchi. Perhaps the best thing that we ate during our two weeks in Italy. Light, fluffy, pillowy texture with just the slightest chew. A sauce that checks all the boxes of being savory, bright, aromatic, yet simple enough to be nostalgic. Absolute perfection. You'll have dreams about this gnocchi.
If you are anywhere near Montalcino, make time to come here. The town is charming, the people are friendly, and the food is delicious.