Tuscany winery tours embark on a wonderfully varied journey into the world of wine, encompassing everything from the marvellous Mediterranean take on the classic Bordeaux grape varieties of the legendary Super Tuscans to the subtleties of Sangiovese from many different terroirs, with some expressive whites to cool the palate in between.
At Wine Paths, our local expert organize tours that pay attention to the decisive details that make wineries in Tuscany so special, enabling wine lovers to discover all its considerable charms by checking out some of best wineries in Tuscany to visit. They will help you to traverse the verdant and rolling countryside by taking you directly to the vineyards to discover the source of Super Tuscans like Ornellaia and Sassicaia on prime coastal sites around Bolgheri and into the Chianti Classico DOCG heartland, as well as solving the rest of the complicated Chianti jigsaw – there are eight Chianti DOCG subzones and each have their own unique set of characteristics. A top Tuscan winery is able to channel the power of this terrific terroir and transport it to the glass.
Our local experts will take you to some of the best wineries to visit in Tuscany, including those that produce Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, made from the Sangiovese clone of Prugnolo (a clone of Sangiovese), which was actually the first Italian wine to be labelled under the most prestigious DOCG classification. Wineries to visit in Tuscany also include those of Brunello di Moltalcino DOCG, who work with you guessed it! – Brunello, which is yet another Sangiovese clone, and behind uber complex wines of Brunello di Moltalcino that just keep getting better with age. The combination of sandy soils and a more southerly location sees Brunello ripen before its regional rivals, as well as ripen fully, and it often avoids the rains that can blight the harvest elsewhere. While in Montepulciano and Montalcino, look out for the lighter and fruit-forward Rosso di Montelpulciano DOC and Rossi di Montalcino DOC wine, which only need to be aged for a year before release.
Note that many of the best wineries in Tuscany make a range of wines from up and down the length and breadth of Tuscany, while some of the best Tuscan wineries only work in a single appellation. White wine lovers should not miss out on Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, which is fresh, floral and complex thanks to the high altitude of the vineyards and the wide diurnal temperature range and it can be found at many wineries. Tuscany may only have Vernaccia di San Gimignano as its sole white DOCG, but some very nice Vermentino can be found on the coast.
The best winery in Tuscany is in Bolgheri for lovers of Bordeaux-style blends with a Mediterranean twist, and for others it is in Chianti Classico DOCG, the oldest official wine region in Italy, if not the world, which celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2016. Despite its long history, the Bordeaux varietals are allowed into the Chianti Classico blend.
Tuscan wineries to visit can also include those in the southern slice of Maremma and Morellino di Scansano, where the next generation of Super Tuscans hail.
Note that some of the top wineries in Tuscany also produce their own olive oil and grappa, while some also offer accommodation surrounded by vines among the vineyards.
