Tuscany is one of the most productive Italian regions in the wine sector
Tuscan vineyard – Tuscany with 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres) of vineyards joins Piedmont as one of the most productive Italian regions in the wine sector.
Loved in Italy and adored abroad, Tuscan wines owe their success to the hilly landscape which is extremely productive.
Tuscany with its wine roads leads tourists on a food and wine experience, being able to enjoy traditional dishes combined with prestigious labels while also enjoying the charm of unmissable historic villages.
The Chianti vineyards
Probably the best Tuscan vineyard.
The green of the hills originated by kilometers of vineyards, olive groves and other trees, this is the panorama that accompanies the roads of Chianti.
The Chianti vineyards, grown at an average height of 400 meters above sea level, are dense. The rows are arranged along the hill and follow its curves, creating wonderful optical games.
If you pass through the vineyards of Chianti Classico, which extend into the hills of the provinces of Siena and Florence, you will meet the ancient villages, castles and medieval villas typical of the Tuscan countryside.
Like the village of Greve in Chianti, whose history is linked to the castle of Montefioralle that stands above the town.
Around the thirteenth century, Greve was the market square of the fortress, which was built at a crossroads of three fundamental routes for trade: the Chiantigiana, the road to the Valdarno and that to the Val di Pesa.
Here, the meeting point of the three streets is today Piazza Matteotti, the center of Greve in Chianti. The three sides are all arcaded and characterized by small shops, where it is possible to stop and have a glass of good Chianti and taste the typical products of the area, including oil in bruschetta, another Chianti excellence.
In Greve in Chianti you can visit the Wine Museum, a place that collects the history and tradition of this land. A journey into the flavors of Chianti, along corridors and rooms once set up by large vats used for harvesting grapes to start the winemaking process.
Proceeding south-west, crossing the wonderful landscapes of vineyards between Florence and Siena, you arrive at Castellina in Chianti, a medieval fortress of Etruscan origin which, located at a height of almost 600 meters, overlooks the suggestive valleys of the Pesa, Arbia and Elsa.
These too are dominated by vineyards symmetrically arranged along the sinuous lines of the hills.
The vineyards of Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana
On the same line, moving westwards, you leave the Chianti area to go up towards the medieval castle that encloses the town of San Gimignano.
The vineyards continue to be the constant of a landscape to be discovered in its smallest details.
The colors that characterize them are lighter, even in autumn: San Gimignano is the home of Vernaccia, for the production of which white grape varieties are used. The historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, is surrounded by a wall interspersed with towers dating back to the 15th century.
In Val d’Orcia, southeast of San Gimignano, the vineyards are interspersed with scenarios in which the yellow of the wheat fields, the green of the cypresses and, in spring and summer, the red of the poppies predominate.
Often the surrounding environment is sparse, especially in winter, when the autumn colors are less awaiting the spring flowering, but absolutely fascinating.
Not surprisingly, the landscape of the Val d’Orcia, kept in the park of the same name, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Here grow the vines of Brunello di Montalcino, one of the most important and precious wines of Italy known all over the world, which rise among the most famous medieval villages, such as Montalcino and Pienza.
Adjacent to Pienza is Chianciano Terme, a famous place of well-being and relaxation for its thermal waters. Autumn, in addition to being the season of the beauty of the vineyards, is also the best time for a bath in the spa.
Following the colors and the waves of the vineyards, you can reach the province of Arezzo. Here, between one valley and another, stands the wonderful Cortona, a medieval fortress and home of the Etruscan and Roman civilizations.
Tuscan vineyard of the Maremma between the mountains and the plains
Following the province of Siena along Monte Amiata, we arrive in the Grosseto area. Among beech and chestnut woods, you descend to the slopes of the mountain along vineyards of enveloping beauty.
The different heights of the hills, which lead from the mountain to the plain, leave room for different wine-growing crops: Montecucco, produced in the Amiata area at higher altitudes, and among the most famous Morellino di Scansano, whose production concerns the Maremma.
The best red wines of Tuscany
Tuscan red wines are among the most loved in the world, so much so as to be successful and earn prestigious awards confirmed year after year. Among the most famous in the world is the Brunello di Montalcino produced in the homonymous village of Montalcino.
This wine is particularly appreciated for its intensity and references to cherry and spice aromas but also for the dry, warm and harmonious flavor that is persistent.
Another particularly appreciated wine is Chianti which is produced in the provinces of Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Pisa and Prato. With its lively ruby red color and an intense aroma it conquers the most attentive palates for its balanced, slightly savory and tannic flavor.
Carmignano is also highly appreciated and is one of the oldest wines in Italy. The first evidence of the alcoholic drink dates back to the Etruscan era and since then, the lively red with a harmonious and velvety flavor is used in combination with roasted red meats and game.
Another excellence is produced in the province of Grosseto, Montecucco Sangiovese is a DOCG wine with an intense ruby red color and a fruity aroma that is harmonious on the palate.
The best white wines of Tuscany
Tuscany is famous in the world above all for the production of red wines but also in white vinification it knows how to amaze with excellence of unparalleled quality.
Among the regional DOCGs, a single white stands out, Vernaccia di San Gimignano. With its pale straw yellow color and a penetrating and fruity aroma on the palate it conquers for its dry, fresh and harmonious flavor giving the best of itself in combination with fish dishes.
The Ansonica Costa dell’Argentario is produced in the Province of Grosseto, a DOC wine that owes its unique taste to the always sunny position, the dry climate and the high temperatures that favor the correct ripening of the grapes.
For lovers of bubbles, the Bianco di Pitigliano Spumante DOC is a must try: with a straw yellow color, a delicate aroma and a slightly bitter and dry taste, it conquers even the most demanding palates.
The most expensive wine in Tuscany
Tuscany is home to luxury wines, true jewels come from tuscan vineyard, coveted by collectors from all over the world. In particular it is the Brunello di Montalcino to win the title of one of the most expensive and prestigious wines of Tuscany.
The price and its value grow hand in hand, so much so that even the lands of the hilly area of Montalcino arrive at record prices. Recently, a $ 1.6 vineyard sold for $ 6 million was nicknamed “the golden tuscan vineyard”.
