Michael’s winery
“You can taste the Earth,” Michael tells Anna, as they sample Sangiovese grapes in his vineyard. Naturally, the sprinklers were set off, forcing Michael to take off his shirt, to protect Anna’s hair. “Val d’Orcia is an extraordinary place which has a fine balance between farming, forestry, architectural and natural elements,” Albanese says, “You can understand why, since Etruscan times, people have decided to settle in the area. There are not many vineyards though, since they mostly produce cheese.” Through a meticulous search, the production team was able to find and use the Sesti Estate in Montalcino which “had everything we could wish for.”
The barrel race
Toward the end of the film, cousins Matteo and Michael participate in a barrel race – pushing 80-kilogram empty wine barrels – which becomes an ugly showdown of machismo.
Bravio Delle Botti, a strenuous uphill barrel-racing competition that takes place in the narrow streets of Montepulciano, was filmed in Rome to allow for more spacious cinematography.
The family restaurant
Not only does Anna find romantic love in You, Me & Tuscany, but she also reconnects with one of her first loves: food and, by association, cooking. It turns out that for Anna, cooking is much like riding a bike, and she makes quite the impression in the family’s restaurant kitchen, whipping up an impressive polenta. Other mouth-watering shots feature sauteed Sicilian shrimp, yellow rice, bursting cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced prosciutto. While the exterior of this homey eatery was filmed in Pienza to match much of the rest of the film, the inside was filmed in Ristorante Coso in Rome. “An authentic Tuscan restaurant in Rome is difficult to find,” Albanese explains, “luckily, the owner had a passion for Tuscany, and the location had all the bones to be the perfect setting.”
