Tuscany is one of the Italian regions synonymous with prestigious fine wines. With approximately 60,000 hectares as surface planted with vines, 18 DOCG (the highest certification), 50 DOC and 6 IGT, it is one of the most productive and well known wine regions in the world.
In addition to talented winemakers, the reason for this success lies in the environment. Tuscany’s beautiful region has a temperate climate, with cool summers, mild winters, and little rain. The great majority of the countryside is hilly and it is here that viticulture is practiced, favoring the quality of the highest level, with peaks of absolute value.
Tuscany is predominantly a land of great red wines: about 70% of the production comes from red berried grapes, such as Sangiovese (and its variants), Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. Among white berried grapes, there are Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca, Vernaccia and Ansonica.
Let’s explore the most famous jewels and the hidden gems of Tuscany.
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino is the king of Tuscan enology. The production area of Brunello di Montalcino is limited to the town of Montalcino, near Siena, which contributes (because of the limited area planted with vines) to its world-wide popularity. It is made with a variety of Sangiovese grapes known locally as “Brunello” because of the dark color of berries (“bruno” means dark in Italian).
It requires long periods of aging before being released on the market: five years from the moment of harvesting (which become six for the “riserva” version)
