To many,
Tuscany is the quintessential Italy; the seemingly endless rolling hills dotted
with cypress and olive trees, the perfectly preserved fortress villages, the
food, the wine, the light, the renaissance treasures that seem to inhabit every
village. They all conspire to form an indelible and seductive impression on the
visitor.
In wine terms too, Tuscany is the quintessential Italian wine region, and
most wine lovers have had at least some contact with the region's most famous
wine export, Chianti. Beyond that popular image though, Tuscany has been the
staging point for a 'vinous renaissance' that has transformed the Italian wine
industry and ushered in a new era of quality and innovation that continues to
reverberate in every wine producing region in Italy. The most significant
variety is Sangiovese, and this forms the basis for the most famous wines of
Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montelpulciano; the
latter two being different clones, Sangiovese Grosso. Tuscany is also home to
the many famed so-called Super Tuscans, such as Sassicaia, Tignanello,
Ceparello, Camartina and many more.