Ciao! I’m Giulia. To me, Italy is a map drawn in flavors, and if there is one place where the sun seems to concentrate all its energy into a single drop of liquid, it’s Cortona. Perched high on a hill overlooking the Val di Chiana, this ancient city isn’t just a film set for Under the Tuscan Sun; it’s a living, breathing kitchen where the soil produces some of the most intense olive oil and surprising wines in all of Italy.
You haven’t truly lived until you’ve tasted olive oil that’s so fresh it makes the back of your throat tingle—that’s the sign of real ‘pizzichino’, the high polyphenol content that we Italians crave. Today, I’m skipping the tourist traps and taking you straight to the family-run estates where the secret is in the ingredients and the warm, patient hands that tend to them.
The Liquid Gold: Cortona’s Olive Oil#
The olives around Cortona are mostly Frantoio, Leccino, and Moraiolo varieties. Because of the altitude and the stony soil, the trees have to work harder, and that struggle creates an oil of incredible complexity.
My nonna always told me that olive oil is like wine; it has its own vintage and its own personality. In Cortona, the oil is robust, with notes of artichoke and freshly cut grass. My favorite way to enjoy it is the simplest: Fettunta. Just a thick slice of unsalted Tuscan bread, toasted over an open fire, rubbed with a clove of garlic, and drenched in the new season’s oil. It’s a sensory experience that no five-star restaurant can replicate.
The Surprise of the Syrah#
While most of Tuscany is obsessed with Sangiovese (which I love!), Cortona has a special secret: Syrah. This grape has been here for over a century, likely brought back by soldiers returning from the Napoleonic wars, and it has found its perfect home in these clay soils. As Alessandro recently explored in his article about wine, there’s still much to discover in Tuscany’s wine scene - for instance, you might be interested in learning more about the different regions he visited on his 2025 Grand Tour, which can be found in Alessandro’s Grand Tuscan Wine Adventure.
Cortona Syrah is different from the spice-heavy versions of the Rhône or the fruit bombs of Australia. It is elegant, silky, and deeply connected to the earth. When you visit a local cantina here, don’t just ask for a tasting; ask to see the vineyards. Standing among the vines, smelling the wild herbs growing between the rows, you begin to understand why the wine tastes the way it does.
Giulia’s ‘Nonna-Approved’ Tips for Cortona#
- Look for the ‘Frantoio’: If you visit in late October or November, head to a local frantoio (olive mill). The smell of the first pressing is intoxicating, and many mills allow you to buy the oil directly—still warm and vibrantly green.
- Aperitivo at Sunset: Head to the Piazza della Repubblica. Find a small wine bar like ‘Enoteca Molesini’, order a glass of Syrah, and watch the locals do their evening passeggiata. The people-watching is almost as good as the wine.
- The Steiner Way: Some of the best producers around Cortona follow biodynamic principles. These wines have a vibrancy and a ’life’ to them that is truly unique.
- Food Pairing: Cortona Syrah is the perfect partner for Chianina beef. If you find a trattoria serving Bistecca alla Fiorentina from local Chianina cattle, don’t hesitate. It’s a match made in heaven.
Italy is best discovered through the senses—the smell of the crush, the taste of the oil, and the warmth of a sun-baked stone wall. In Cortona, these elements come together in a way that is honest, traditional, and deeply welcoming. Join me for a bite, and let’s find the soul of Tuscany together. Buon appetito!