Val d' Orcia drive

Hello, we plan to drive around the Val d'Orcia next summer, and are very interested in replies to your post. I have found some useful information on another site, particularly the very long third response to the OP:
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/most-scenic-tuscan-drive-any-suggestions.cfm

Here is a web link that may prove helpful:
Valley of the Orcia River (Val D’Orcia)
http://www.parcodellavaldorcia.com/en/itinerari.asp

You should drive from Montalcino to Montepulciano it's just spectacular, you drive through the "Val D'Orcia" (part of the UNESCO Heritage, the scenery where the gladiator movie was recorded) Pienza, town of the Pecorino cheese, to the end up in Montepulciano. Here the program as follow.

Wine tasting around 10.30 at "[Capanna][1]" Winery in Montalcino (the whole experience it takes around 1 hour and half, you can book with a quick phone call 0577 848298 or email at info@capannamontalcino.com). The winery also ships the wine back to the States at incredible prices, please do not let them know about it :-).
Little light lunch in Montalcino town around 1.00pm (only 5-10 min driving from Capanna winery) I would recommend Le Logge or Osticcio for something a little more fancy.
Heading towards Pienza around (40 min driving) 2.00pm (I would recommend to stop along the way to take some pictures beautiful scenery). Once in Pienza where you can either walk a little bit into town and purchase some aged pecorino, or if you prefer you can also stop at Cogusi cheese farm (in-between Pienza and Montepulciano), over there they organize cheese tastings and pic-nics definitely worth it. Then heading toward Montepulciano 10 min from Pienza.

-Around 4.30pm/5.00pm I would dedicate the entire evening relaxing and wondering around Montepulciano, a well-hidden gem at the end of the Val d’Orcia. Porta da Bacco (I think this was the name of the restaurant) offers good traditional Tuscan food and tours of the cellars underground cellars.

This is what we have done in a day it may seems to much, but it has been so exciting that we never felt tired

Thank you for some great ideas. I would also like to find out where we could do a picnic? We have been married 33 years and this will be a 'Honeymoon" trip...to us a romantic thing would be a picnic with some fresh food and wine :) Maybe someone can point us to some romantic spots ..thanks I did look up the winery but not enough info on the website in regards to prices. We are visiting a winery already in the beginning of our trip but another would not hurt!

Another internet source: http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/southern_travel_guide.htm

Susanne: Consider checking out Bagno Vignone, where there are a few spots you might picnic at if you walk down to the old Roman bath ruins where the streams run overlooking the valley. Speaking of Bagni (pools): If you like rustic natural scenes and don't mind a short but bumpy hike, take in Bagno San Filippo, where there is an un-developed nature trail, you can soak in natural thermal pools, view the amazing calcium deposits and even have a picnic, all for free. Not too far a drive away is the small and non-touristy town of Campiglia D'orcia, which also boasts an absolutely wonderful and inexpensive restaurant/B&B, I Tre Rioni. My wife and I celebrated her birthday with a delicious lunch here, and we will never forget it.

We enjoyed some of the less tourist-oriented towns and villages in the Val D'Orcia. We stayed for a week at a very beautiful and inexpensive agriturismo, Agriturismo Le Case, near the village of Castiglione D'Orcia. The hosts, Valeria and Fabbio, were helpful and charming, spoke English, and the village, a scenic 15 minute walk away, was unspoiled. The village alongside Castiglione D'Orcia is Rocca D'Orcia, where you can climb up a huge and impressive historic defence
tower, Rocca di Tentennano, and get an absolutely splendid view of the valley. There's a charming and inexpensive restaurant, La Cisterna, on the way back though this little town. Buon viaggio!
--Gerry