Do you want to taste wine in Tuscany? You made the right choice! Tuscany is a top destination for wine-lovers around the globe. From Sassicaia and Chianti, the reds, whites, and dessert wines are all outstanding. The rolling hills and lush landscapes of the Tuscan vineyards are simply breathtaking.
What are the best places in Tuscany to taste Tuscan wines? These are our top regions and vineyards to enjoy wine tasting in Tuscany. Plus, learn how to plan a tour or wine tasting!
Our top picks for wine in Tuscany
It is a wonderful place to produce top-quality wines. However, it can be difficult to find the right spot for you to taste them. These are our top picks for wine regions to help get you started.
Bolgheri –Super Tuscan lovers – Bolgheri is the perfect place for you, just off the Tuscan coast. The area is home to mouthwatering, full-bodied wines from sangiovese grapes, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Bolgheri Sassicaia is a highly sought-after, expensive wine made from cabernet sauvignon or cabernet franc.
White wine lovers will appreciate the acidic, fruity vermentino that is available at many wineries in the region.
Chianti Chianti is one of the most famous Italian wines and the first wine to be exported. It’s a must-try when in Tuscany. Although Chianti vineyards can be found all over Tuscany, we recommend that you visit the Chianti wineries.
Greve in Chianti is a beautiful place to visit, less than an hour away from Florence. It has miles upon miles of vineyards, and stunning castles. Chianti classico is a medium-bodied red wine made from 80 percent sangiovese grapes.
Montalcino – For the best sangiovese experience go to Montalcino. There you will find the Brunello di Montalcino, the most famous wine entirely made from this light and acidic grape. This full-bodied wine is expensive. Its four-year-old aging process makes it more expensive.
Rosso di Montalcino and Moscadello are two other wines from this region. They are sweet wines made from moscato grapes.
Montepulciano – The city center of Montepulciano houses stunning renaissance towers and churches. The real draw for wine-lovers is Montepulciano’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This dry, full-bodied red is a great choice.
Vino Nobile is the “noble wine” that many believe was once the only drink available to the local nobles. What we do know is that the historic wine is made of dry prugnolo gentile grapes, a Sangiovese variation. Red grapes are added to increase its strength (up to 20%), and then aged for a few years in oak barrels. It’s also delicious.
Rosso di Montepulciano is a lighter wine (and therefore less expensive).
San Gimignano Vernaccia is found in the vineyards around San Gimignano. This town is one of Tuscany’s most visited. Vernaccia, Italy’s first white wine is well-known for its floral notes and golden hue. It is also home to San Gimignano Rosso (both red), Chianti Colli senesi (rose), and Vin Santo, a dessert wine that’s often paired with cantucci, which are classic Tuscan desserts.
How to get to a Tuscany wine tasting
These wine regions are less than two hours away from Florence and Siena. They can be visited as either a day trip, or an overnight stay. We recommend renting a car as buses and trains can be difficult to connect to the countryside where there are many wineries.
You don’t have to plan an itinerary or drive the car yourself. Instead, rely on our local knowledge: We arrange half- and full day excursions to the best small vineyards, farms, and wineries in Tuscany. This includes experiences such as our , or our full-day Tuscan drive from Montepulciano to Montalcino.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the time to travel to the countryside. You can still enjoy the best Tuscan wines in cities like Florence and Siena. You can find local wines in restaurants and bars, but we recommend going to an enoteca, which is an Italian wine bar that offers light meals and a wide selection of wines for a degustazione (tasting).
Our food tour to Florence includes wine tasting
Our Food Tour in Florence includes traditional food tastings and a wine tasting at an authentic enoteca.
You can go it alone but there are many wineries available, including large, historic producers. Reservations are often required.
The average cost for tasting three wines and light snacks is 10 euros. Tours and tastings last between 30 and 2 hours.
One last tip: Visit Italy in autumn if you are a fan of wine. You can even get a glimpse of wine making during the vendemmia (grape harvest), in September and October.
Our includes how to read wine labels and what DOC actually means.
