You may have heard of Montepulciano's famous wines. The grapes are grown in the vineyards around the area. Maybe that's one in the view below.
The town is made up of neighborhoods called contrade, each of which is represented by its own flag.
You know when you've crossed into a different contrada when you notice the change in flags.
The contrade compete each year in a bizarre uphill wine barrel-rolling contest called the Bravìo delle Botti. Afterwards there is a procession in 13th-century dress. We weren't there on race day, though. We enjoyed the sight of the flags anyway.
