The history of Montescudaio:
The name Montescudaio comes from the Latin word 'Mons Scutorum', which means 'mountain of shields' or 'mountain of squires' - this is due to the important military missions that occurred in the city until the end of the medieval ages. An urn from a funeral feast during the villanovian period and a spilled basin in which wine and water were mixed by the Greeks both come from early Montescudaio. In 1846, a strong earthquake destroyed the agglomeration of the old castle houses, including the abbey-church Santa Maria. With the help of the residents, the village had new life after just 10 years, thanks to the large support from the grand duke. Since 1861, Montescudaio has followed the development of the history of the Italian kingdom in the region. The city arms consists of a 5 edged crown on a shield with 3 mountains. The crown illustrates the county of Della Gheraldesca and the 3 mountains represent the 3 castles belonging to the family.
Montescudaio and wine:
For ages, Montescudaio has been a synonym for wine, whose cultivation goes back to the Etruscan times. The region is the main representative of Montescudaio Doc and belongs to the founders of the national federation 'Strada del vino Costa degli Etruschie' (wine street), which, since 1976, contains the 7 regions (Montescudaio, Casale, MontecatiniVdC, Guradistallo, S. Luce, Castellina). The first condition of the DOC Montescudaio was a copy of Chianti-authenticity: for red wins, the authenticity was a strong taste of San Giovese combined with a scent of Trebbiano, Colorino and Canaiolo. The authenticity of the white wines was ensured by the combination of Trebbiano with Malvasia and Vermentino. In 1999, new conditions were dismissed following the success of the 'super-Tuscan'. The Montescudaio DOC wines are now such a diverse selection and the San Giovese finally gives room for innovative grape varieties like Cabernet, Merlot...
Events:
A few dates are organized in Montescudaio, along with countless music events and cultural initiatives that enrich the event calendar every month. In May, the 'national holiday of the small communities' occurs; in June there is the 'Festival of the most beautiful places in Italy' along with festivals organized annually by the national association 'city of bread'. Music festivals and cinema performances play in July, while the national association 'Cittá del Vino'has the event 'Calici di Stelle' in August. Since 1967, there has been a wine festival during the 1st weekend of October and this festival attracts thousands of guests. You should not miss the 'Montescudaio Olea' during November - this is the event of the 'bread and oil from the oil mills'. In December, manger scenes are built in the most charming corners of the village.
