The Best Wineries in Tuscany to Visit

Chianti Classico is the historic core of Tuscan wine — the original zone designated in 1716, marked by the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) seal. It sits between Florence and Siena along the Chiantigiana (SR222), and its estates range from medieval castles to invisible modern cellars built into the hillside. This is the easiest region to base a first Tuscan wine trip around.

1. Castello di Ama

   A restored hamlet near Gaiole that produces some of the most highly rated Chianti Classico in the world — and doubles as an extraordinary contemporary art park, with site-specific works woven through the cellars and vineyards. Book the tour, the tasting and lunch at Il Ristoro di Ama.

   Nicole's Tip: You cannot drop in — tours, tastings and lunch must be booked in advance, often days ahead in high season.

2. Antinori nel Chianti Classico

   The Antinori family has made wine for over 600 years, but their headquarters is a masterpiece of modern architecture, built into the hillside and all but disappearing into the land. The Tinaia tour is superb, and the rooftop restaurant Rinuccio 1180 has spectacular views over the olive groves.

3. Castello di Brolio (Ricasoli 1141)

   The birthplace of the Chianti Classico recipe, devised by Baron Bettino Ricasoli in 1872. The castle is vast and imposing, ringed by 240 hectares of vineyards, and the private tours take you through the family rooms and gardens before a tasting of their flagship Gran Selezione.

4. Badia a Coltibuono

   An 11th-century abbey turned organic estate near Gaiole — tranquil, deeply historic, and a pioneer of organic viticulture in Chianti. Book the winery tour through the ancient monastic cellars and stay for a long, communal-style lunch in the romantic garden restaurant.

An hour south of Siena, Montalcino is the home of Brunello di Montalcino — 100% Sangiovese, aged for years, and among the most age-worthy red wines in Italy. The hilltop town itself is tiny and walkable, which makes it a wonderful, low-pressure base; you can taste Brunello by the glass in the town's enotecas without driving at all.

1. Biondi-Santi

   The estate that effectively invented Brunello in the 19th century. A visit here is a pilgrimage for serious wine lovers — austere, historic, and profoundly moving, with library vintages that have aged for decades. Reserve well ahead.

   Nicole's Tip: This is a bucket-list estate — book several weeks in advance, especially for the library tastings.

2. Castello Banfi

   A grand, beautifully run estate with a castle, an excellent restaurant and a glass museum. It is polished and welcoming, making it one of the most comfortable places to begin understanding Brunello as a solo visitor.

3. Il Poggione

   A traditional, family-run estate producing benchmark Brunello of remarkable consistency and value. The tastings are unpretentious and generous — exactly the kind of place that rewards travellers who want substance over spectacle.

4. Enoteca La Fortezza di Montalcino

   Inside Montalcino's medieval fortress, this enoteca pours a deep range of Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino by the glass. The easiest, most relaxed way to taste several producers side by side without booking a single estate — ideal when you're travelling alone.

East of Montalcino, the handsome Renaissance town of Montepulciano gives its name to Vino Nobile di Montepulciano — a noble, Sangiovese-based red that is often gentler on the wallet than Brunello. It is less crowded than Chianti or Montalcino, and many of its historic cellars run directly beneath the town itself, so you can taste without ever getting in a car.

1. Avignonesi

   A biodynamic estate known for both its Vino Nobile and its extraordinary Vin Santo, aged for years in tiny barrels. The tours and tastings are among the most thoughtful in the region, and the setting is gloriously peaceful.

2. Cantina Contucci

   One of Montepulciano's oldest producers, with cellars carved beneath a palazzo on the main square. Tastings here are free, warm and gloriously informal — push open the door, wander down to the ancient barrels, and chat with whoever is pouring.

   Nicole's Tip: A perfect solo stop in the centre of town — no car, no booking, just a quiet conversation over the wine.

3. De' Ricci Cantine del Palazzo

   Atmospheric Gothic cellars beneath Palazzo Ricci, descending deep below the town. The setting alone is worth the visit, and the Vino Nobile is serious and well made.

In a region dominated by red, San Gimignano pours Tuscany's great white: Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG — crisp, floral and faintly almond-scented. The famous towers make the town a magnet for day-trippers, so arrive early; the Vernaccia producers cluster close to the walls, making this an easy half-day even without a car.

1. Montenidoli

   A legendary organic producer whose Tradizionale and Fiore bottlings are prized for texture and minerality. This is Vernaccia at its most serious and age-worthy — proof Tuscany's white deserves a place beside its reds.

2. Panizzi

   One of the great modern names in Vernaccia, producing elegant, age-worthy Riserva. Look for their wines by the glass in the town's enotecas — a textured, refined introduction to the grape.