TRAVEL

What was it about Montalcino that appealed to you back in 1993 and made you choose it as your home?

I visited Montalcino as a 19 year old on a trip to Italy with my first husband. That was back in 1969. Subsequently, after my husband died and I had the chance to have a holiday in Italy with my daughter and Luigi, without them knowing my reasons, I brought them to Montalcino - a beautiful walled village in Tuscany. I was re living the joy of my youth and first love, revisiting secret memories. After our return from holiday, Luigi, who had lived in Australia for most of his life, wanted to return to live in Italy. With a short list of about five villages spread around Italy, which we thought we might settle in, on arriving in Montalcino and meeting friends Luciano and Maria Pia we both knew this was the place for us. There was no further discussion, nor further research, it was easy for me to agree. We found our home and have been living here for 14 years.


What inspired you to start writing?

In Australia, as an Interior Designer, I had become a hard headed business woman, controlling those around me, and banging board room tables. I worked hard and made sure I stayed in control of my life, leaving nothing to chance and protecting myself from hurt. But I was hurting on the inside. Arriving in Montalcino, a small village where, at that time, no other foreigners had ever permanently settled, and I did not speak a word of the language, it quickly became apparent that I had to take a secondary role. In a silent and often confusing situation, for two years, my world changed from one of control, to one of curiosity. My observation of the way of life of the new world I now lived in, moved me to record what I was feeling, what was going on around me, and to fathom the reasons their lives were so different, less complicated, than my own had been. The further I dug, the more fascinating the story became, and it turned into my first book, Vanilla Beans & Brodo, which is not about Luigi and myself, it is about the people of Montalcino, who have lived on this hill for centuries.


How do you balance the demands of your international career with taking an active part in this traditional community?

My international career takes me away from Montalcino for some weeks of the year, but I have never told any of my friends in Montalcino what it is that I do when I am away. It is important, in a village like this, to maintain a low profile and always to remain modest about endeavours and accomplishments. Nobody in Montalcino knows that I am on the international public speaking circuit. I am also frequently in Milan or London researching stories and writing for magazines - but that is a glamorous world and again is something the Montalcinesi do not know about. Interestingly, they would never presume to ask. Italians rarely feel the need to boast and this is something, as foreigners living in Italy, we have learned. Local friends know that I lead private tours in Italy for around 12 or 14 weeks of the year. I am overseas for various commitments, usually around 5 - 6 weeks a year - the rest of the time I am researching, writing and living in Montalcino, preparing for the away times! I am in Montalcino probably 30 weeks of every year. I relish the contrast of moving from a vibrant international appointment and returning to Montalcino. And I enjoy the fact that when I am here in Montalcino, I am just "Isabella" with no pretensions and no need for explanations about anything.


What changes have you noticed in Montalcino in the time you have been living there?

We arrived in Montalcino in 1993. No other foreigners lived here, and the village people would stare long and quizzically if strangers appeared in the piazza. Tourism numbers were very low and sometimes people would ask: "What have they come here for?" In 1995, with the release of the 1991 Brunello di Montalcino, the international wine world went crazy and journalists and wine experts began to arrive to explore this phenomenal wine. With the international fame of the wine came the realisation by the Mayor and the Comune, and the Wine Consorzio, that Montalcino was becoming an international destination. Every year, more and more visitors arrive. New services are needed to cope with visitors, who put a huge strain on water resources, garbage disposal and who want to be able to eat in nice restaurants while they taste Brunello. In 14 years we have seen Montalcino change from a tranquil village where folk left keys in doors and cars unlocked, to one that now has 23 Enoteca selling Brunello di Montalcino, a good number of tourist oriented shops, plenty of restaurants, a busy tourism office, pizzerias and gelaterias (which we never had) and which is transformed in April each year into an international destination, returning to itself in November, when we get our village back along with winter. Fortunately the Mayor, determined that Montalcino must never become a museum to tourism, took steps to ensure that the life and soul of the village, for the locals, including our quartiere, remained the same and intact - this is vital for the preservation of a medieval mountain village, so that the locals can continue to live in the village, and it has meant that Montalcino is not dependent economically solely on tourism - it has a life of its own whether the tourists are here or not.

Tell us a bit about the church you are raising money to restore?

The neighbourhood of the village in which the Church of San Pietro sits is called Quartiere Pianello. Documents confirm that there was a church on this site as early as the 800's, although the stone exterior of the present church dates back to the 1100's. During the 1200's the Companions of San Pietro, a pious and disciplined group of laymen, began supporting the Church of San Pietro leading a life of devotion, godliness and giving to the poor. These laymen were not priests, they were businessmen, including lawyers, doctors, accountants and merchants. Transgressions were not tolerated and self-inflicted flagellation seems to have been a common practice. A Companion could be dismissed from membership for many reasons, resulting in monetary fines and enormous loss of face, and usually the Companions willed all of their land property, and business and personal wealth, to the Church of San Pietro and other Companions. For hundreds of years the Companions maintained the Church of San Pietro. In the late 18th century, with the suppression of religious orders and cults, their occupation came to an end. They left behind a splendid church, beautifully structured, with a precious onyx altar, valuable organ and important artwork by artist Ventura Salimbeni. From that time on there was never enough money to maintain the church, especially as Montalcino had some 13 churches, and the modest money from offerings of the faithful needed to be shared around.

The last full time priest died in the late 1980's and since then San Pietro, suffering rising damp and urgently needing structural repairs to the roof and vault, has continued to deteriorate. In the year 2000 the Vatican offered the church to the Quartiere of San Pietro on the condition that it must remain a consecrated Christian church, and with the proviso that Quartiere Pianello undertake the repairs within a period of forty years. That was only 7 years ago, but it is now obvious that if work is not carried out immediately, the church will not survive another Montalcino winter because the roof tiles are broken and collapsing. If the roof collapses the church will become nothing but a ruin. We are at this minute preparing for the launch of an international campaign to raise the money for restoration. Our campaign is expected to take 3 or 4 years, but our young people have risen to the task and although the sum required is astronomical in their minds (E750,000), they have begun work, determined to take this cause to the wide world, calling on the Christian community around the world, people interested in history and concerned with preservation of ancient buildings and particularly valuable art works.

We will shortly be launching a dedicated web site: www.save-san-pietro-montalcino.com enabling us to accept donations from around the world. We are like four cats on a tin roof determined to do something extraordinary!


What is your most inspiring city in the world?

I have to respond with two cities. One is the ancient city, the ruined city, of Luxor on the Nile. For all it represents, historically, culturally and philosophically. I am fascinated with what man has constructed and decorated through the ages, and Pharoanic Egyptians left so much of their incredible life and culture for us see.

But my heart has to be in Rome. This is a melting pot of mankind, as it always has been. There is good, bad, beautiful and ugly wherever you wander in the eternal city. I adore the vibrancy, their style and carriage, but also the nonchalance of Romans; their arrogance is born of a city that civilised all of the known world. My bookshelves are stuffed with tomes, which cover every possible aspect of ancient Rome, her at times brilliant and at times insane rulers and her many enemies who sought to conquer the city of marble.


One thing you can't travel without?

Notebook and pen. I have them in every bag, handbag and carry on bag. I am always jotting.


What is your favourite way to spend a Sunday?

When Luigi takes himself off to the Sunday soccer, I can't wait to brew the biggest pot of coffee, and, with a jug of cream, will pass three hours on the sofa in silence. No TV, no music, no phones; just me, my notebook and pen, and usually about six books on a subject I am researching. I spend a lot of time talking, explaining, teaching so, when I have the chance, I enjoy the silence of my own company.


What's your favourite local dish?

Montalcino has its own style of pasta called Pinci. It is a thick hand rolled spaghetti shape made with flour and olive oil. There are no eggs so it is quite pale. The Montalcinesi dress the pinci with briciole - crumbled stale bread fried in olive oil - pass a few wisps of rosemary around the plate and you have the simplest dish that the peasant farming community could make, when there was no money for anything else. Luigi and I frequently order this at an Osteria in the village determined to serve only the simplest local dishes. It is truly Montalcinesi.


Visit Isabella Dusi’s website: http://www.vanilla-beans-and-brodo.com