Wines of Tuscany

The breathtaking beauty of the Tuscan landscape is something to behold. Its patch work of woods, olive groves, fields, rampart wildflowers and vineyards are breathtaking. Tuscany is famous for Chianti Classico, Vernaccia and Brunello wine. There is nothing more satisfying after a day walking to celebrate your achievement by sitting in a piazza with a glass of fine local wine or maybe sampling the varieties from the choice of Enotecas in the village.

Sangiovese is the grape variety that dominates the red wines of Tuscany forming the backbone of not only the well known Chianti but also Vino Nobile Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, and numerous other wines. In broad terms there are two sub varieties Sangiovese Grosso and Sangiovese Piccolo, the former is so called because its berries are bigger. The Tuscan DOC's and DOCG's with the single exception of Brunello di Montalcino allow for a blend of grape varieties, and, consequently considerable flexibility in the style of wine. One of the key flavours characteristics of Sangiovese is certain astringency, a vivacity, which is often called una energia

The first written record of Chianti in fact describes a white wine in the papers of the Prato merchant Francesco di Marco Datini. A century later the red wines of the Chianti area began to acquire a reputation in England.

In 1932 came the first recognition of the various zones where vino denominato del Chianti could be produced. There were no precise regulations on the blend of grape; that would not come until the creation of the system of Denominazione di Origine Controllatta or DOC in 1963. Even these regulations were not enough to restrict the exploitation of the fine Chianti name with poor blends particularly in the 1960's and 1970's. Things finally began to improve with the introduction of the stricter regulations of Denominazione di Origine Controllatta e guarantee or DOCG. Both percentages of wine variety and yields were strictly controlled.

Following the lead of some of the best wine makers from the area, in 1996 a change in regulations finally legalised Chianti Classico being made from Sangiovese alone.

Further south around the hill town of Montalcino, the famous Brunello began to appear in the early 1800's. Four families all claim to have been the first to use the name although the Biondi Santi have succeeded in convincing the market they created this unique style of 100% Sangiovese wine. Today wealthy Americans and Europeans have pushed the price of most vintages to over $100 per bottle.

West of Sienna, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a white wine is the most well known variety outside of Sangiovese. With its origins around the middle ages, the soil composition of the vineyards of San Gimignano favours white wine with tufa and yellow sandstone mixed with clay.