Tuscany 2026:
11 day immersion: Chianti, Chianti Classico, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Bolgheri, Maremma
During this tour we delve deep into Italy's iconic and incredibly gorgeous wine region of Tuscany.
Few regions evoke such a feeling of longing as Tuscany. And indeed, this region is unique with its blend of history, incredible scenic beauty, magnificent wines, outstanding food and its "Dolce Vita".
Tuscany is located in Central Italy very roughly between Bologna and Rome and borders the Tyrrhenian Sea to the West with Florence as its most prestigious city and Siena, the historic Etruscan city. Tuscany is an absolutely beautiful landscape of rolling hills and incredible views. Most vineyards -except for the vineyards of Bolgheri and Maremma - are on relatively steep and abrupt hillsides. The hilly Tuscan vineyards are usually interspersed with Olive groves, and forests. Most wine estates are fairly distant from the main roads. The often very long winding and up and down access roads to the wineries are mostly dirt roads with a lot of potholes but the sometimes precarious drive getting there is always absolutely worth the effort. After having visited many Tuscan vineyards last year our car looked as if we had done a rally through the Sahara. It goes without saying that we will also dive into the incredible history of the region. Without having some understanding of the past we cannot fully appreciate the Tuscan culture and the wines of today.
- We will visit about 25 top-notch wineries in 6 different Tuscan appellations: Chianti, Chianti Classico, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Bolgheri, and Maremma.
- We will get intimate insights into a selection of Tuscany's best wine estates.
- We will learn about Tuscany's signature grape Sangiovese and other indigenous grape.
- We will get to know the regulations applicable to the different quality levels in the various Tuscan appellations.
- We will learn how to properly read the wine labels.
- We will have excellent, typical Tuscan meals at great restaurant, historical places, and at wineries with the owner/winemaker.
- We will bump into ancient Italian history and culture at every turn of our trip.
- We will meet the owners and/or winemakers, among them winemakers famous throughout the world.
- Expert guidance by Annette and Christian Schiller and Giuseppe Lauria, expert of Italian wines, well-known European wine critic and wine journalist, former editor-in-chief of the eponymous wine magazine 'Weinwisser', and owner of https://www.finewineguide.de
- We will get the inside track and will feel what the Italian way of life "Dolce Vita" is all about.
The region has about 210,000 acres of vineyards of which 75,000 are classified as DOC or DOCG. Tuscany is Italy`s most important wine region in terms of the combination of quality and diversity. The traditional wines in Tuscany are made from the Sangiovese grape but you find a range of styles from the lively freshness of a Sangiovese from Chianti Classico to the more rigid Sangiovese in Brunello di Montalcino. There are also several indigenous red grapes historically used in Chianti blends. The late 1960s saw the birth of the Super Tuscan movement. At this time it was completely illegal to incorporate a Bordeaux variety into a Chianti Classico even if it improved the blend. But times have moved on and these wines were brought into the regulatory fold of Italy’s appellation system: the Toscana IGT (Protected Geographic Indication). Technically the IGT represents a lower level of the DOC and DOCG classification, however, many producers very often feel they need to have an IGT among their portfolio to maintain their credibility. There is no vineyard classification system until now but more and more vintners are talking about their special plots they call “Crus” when showcasing their top wines. Tuscany also produces delicious white wines from the Vermentino and Vernaccia grapes, and also makes a Vin Santo, a sweet high alcohol dessert wine from dried white grapes Malvasia and Trebbiano.
