vineyards to visit in tuscany

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The Best Wineries to Visit in Tuscany

Few wine regions have the instant name recognition of Tuscany 's Chianti, first legally defined in 1716 (but recognized as a wine region as early as the 13th century). Some of Chianti's most acclaimed wines, however, don't carry its name. Only reds based on the Sangiovese grape can be called Chianti. Ambitious, rule-breaking Super-Tuscans, most often based on international grapes such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah, carry the humbler IGT Toscana designation. Vintners near the town of Montalcino make Tuscany's greatest wine, Brunello di Montalcino, from a local Sangiovese clone, Brunello. Here, the best wineries to visit throughout the region. — Richard Nalley

Antinori Chianti Classico

Arguably the most widely known name in Tuscan wine around the world, Antinori's showplace winery in Bargino offers a wealth of visitor experiences, in addition to a "taste-your-way across Tuscany" lineup of wines in the tasting room. Book ahead for the various levels of guided tours and tastings, which include a short film, cellar visits, the art museum, and of course, wine tasting. The rooftop Rinuccio 1180 restaurant offers glass-wrapped views of the countryside. antinori.it

One of Italy's oldest wineries, dating to the mid-16th century, Montepulciano's Avignonesi has been rejuvenated since coming under new ownership in 2009 (among other things, the estate's 345 acres have converted to organic farming). The winery offers a broad range of bottlings — including its famous Vin Santo and Vino Nobile — plus a slate of tour, tasting, and dining opportunities. Closed January and February. avignonesi.it

Badia a Coltibuono

A former monastery, this impressive Chianti Classico estate is devoted now to the secular pursuits of wine and food (among other things, producing wonderful olive oil). Visitors here can choose from a menu of agro-tourism options, including stays in the comfortably refurbished ancient monastery (with a pool), wine courses, and a cooking school. The formal gardens are worth a stroll, too. coltibuono.com

Barone Ricasoli

Italy's oldest wine estate — 900 years and counting — is the one that essentially invented Chianti wine as we know it: The "Iron Baron" Bettino Ricasoli proposed it as a Sangiovese-based wine back in 1872. The Ricasoli family's imposing Brolio castle opens its gates these days for a variety of experiences, from drop-in tastings at the wine shop to elaborate tours and gourmet dinners. There is also a lovely and private house on the estate for two-night minimum stays. ricasoli.com

Biondi Santi, Tenuta Il Greppo

The history of the noble Biondi Santi family is inextricably bound up with the Brunello wines of Montalcino — it was an ancestor of the current proprietor, Jacopo, who isolated its revered Sangiovese Grosso grape clone in the 19th century. This most famous of Montalcino estates comes down on the side of tradition, producing monumental, long-lived wines for collectors. This extraordinary estate offers a range of tasting options with cellar visits, but it's a must to book ahead. biondisanti.it

This is the flagship property of Carmignano, and often its trendsetter — the first to introduce Cabernet Sauvignon to its blends, for instance. The excellent wine lineup here ranges from affordable everyday drinking, like the Barco Reale, to the muscular Super-Tuscan Ghiaie della Furba. The noble Bonacossi family offer their visitors an array of options, including guided tours with a tasting and lunch (book a terrace table at the Vinsantaia restaurant), and a culinary school. The estate also offers accommodations in two historic buildings, one a former hunting retreat of the Medicis. capezzana.it

Capo d'Uomo

These vineyards, painstakingly terraced on the sea cliffs of the Argentario promontory, are among the most spectacular anywhere. The wines are proprietary blends, two reds and a white, named for the winds that sweep across the vineyards. A stylish, personal-scale winery that also offers sea-view accommodations. grimaldisavelli.com

Castellare di Castellina

Media magnate Paolo Panerai's Chianti winery is one of Tuscany's most acclaimed estates, for its top-of-the-line Super-Tuscan I Sodi di S. Nicolo, its Chianti Classicos, and Vin Santos. Its vineyards are located in a natural amphitheater at some of Tuscany's highest altitudes. Book ahead for customized tours and picnics that take advantage of the estate's grounds and commitment to biodiversity. castellare.it

Castello Banfi

The Long Island-based Mariani family imports Italian wine to the U.S. — including such stalwarts as Riunite, Cella, and Bolla — and became vintners themselves 1978, buying up major holdings in Montalcino and across Tuscany. Today their portofilio includes an entire hamlet surrounding a medieval fortress they named Castello Banfi. This is a major wine tourism destination, which provides tasting opportunities for Banfi's extensive range of wines, plus restaurants, a boutique hotel, a glass museum, and a balsameria, where fine vinegar is made according to ancient methods. castellobanfiwineresort.it

Castello di Ama

Book ahead, and allow plenty of time, for a tour and tasting at this grand, deep-pocketed estate near Siena and its charming village. These wines, including the high-end Merlot L'Apparita and the Chianti Classicos, are highly regarded, with prices to match. You can also taste them at the wine bar L'Enoteca, in the village, or at a terrace table at Il Ristoro di Ama for lunch, but then you'd miss the impressive gardens, buildings, and 14 art installations on the estate's grounds. castellodiama.com

Castello di Nippozano/Frescobaldi

One of five Tuscan estates owned by the 30th generation of the Frescobaldi family, a Tuscan wine dynasty, and the region's largest vineyard owners. Wines like the wonderful Chianti Classico Riserva and the Mormoreto blend are enough of a draw here, but the atmospheric castle's picturesque perch above Pelago is added incentive, as are the comprehensive tours, tastings, and customizable private events. All of the Frescobaldi estates are open to visits (book ahead for tours). frescobaldi.com

Castigion del Bosco

The Ferragamo family (of fashion fame) founded this luxury resort on a 5,000-acre property in Montalcino's Val d'Orcia, whose history stretches back to 600 BC. Things have been considerably updated, with a top-notch Brunello di Montalcino winery, restaurants that source from the estate's own gardens, high-end accommodations (the resort is managed by Rosewood), and an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf golf course that takes full advantage of the rolling terrain. castigliondelbosco.com

Fattoria dei Barbi

The Colombini family has been making wine in Montalcino for 700 years, and its Brunellos and Morellino di Scansanos are among the region's best. A visit to the hilltop winery includes a museum devoted to the family and the wines of Montalcino. Stay on for a meal at the taverna, which serves local specialties, including the roasts that so perfectly complement these wines. fattoriadeibarbi.it

Fattoria La Loggia

Just south of Florence, this one-time Medici estate dating to 1427 is a complex of ancient stone buildings, walls, towers, and cellars overlooking a panoramic view of the Chianti hills. The estate's wines, including the Nearco Super-Tuscan and a celebratory spumante, share pride of place at this stylish agro-tourism destination with the owners' notable art collection. fattorialaloggia.com

Fattoria di Lamole

Welcoming and rustic, this non-boutique-ified winery and farm complex outside Greve occupies a lovely hillside surrounded by painstakingly stone-terraced vine-rows, silvery olive trees, and deep forests of chestnut and oak. The Chianti here, like the agro-tourism accommodations, is traditional and easy to enjoy. fattoriadilamole.it

Nestled in a picture-book setting in Chianti Classico's amphitheater-like Conca d'Oro (Golden Shell) valley, this is a large estate in Chianti terms, practicing organic and sustainable agriculture that extends not only to its vineyards, but to olive oil and cattle as well. The all-Sangiovese Flaccianello IGT is deservedly the star here, but the relatively more affordable wines down the line are sought-after, too. There are three guesthouses available for wine-country stays. fontodi.com

One of Tuscany's most familiar labels, Ruffino is also one of the most consistent of the large Chianti producers, turning out a vast selection of wines sourced from growers across the region. The firm owns numerous estates in Tuscany and typically receives visitors at Poggio Casciano, a 14th-century Tuscan villa just outside Florence with lovely grounds and a showplace barrel tunnel. Open weekdays only, by appointment. ruffino.com

Visitors interested in biodynamics and sustainability — not to mention soft-textured, full-flavored Vino Nobile di Montepulciano — should prioritize this exceptional estate southeast of Siena. It is open year-round for tours and tastings, with a kitchen that serves locavore lunches — the seasonal black truffles are from the estate — at the lovely terrace restaurant with its picture-window views. Another bonus: the multi-lingual guide staff. salcheto.it

Tenuta San Guido

The Marchese Mario Incisa's odd desire to duplicate First Growth Bordeaux on his swampy backwater estate in western Tuscany in the 1940s not only lead to arguably Italy's most famous wine, the much-imitated Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc Sassicaia, but also touched off a land rush to the once-obscure northern Maremma reaches of Bolgheri. An appointment here is something of a pilgrimage for wine lovers, and there is also the allure of Italy's oldest nature sanctuary and the estate's historic buildings. tenutasanguido.com

Val delle Corti

Owner Roberto Bianchi is known as a traditionalist and Sangiovese loyalist — no Merlot here — and his organically farmed vineyards near Radda are at some of Chianti's highest elevations. "The Hut," a charming and well-appointed guesthouse on the property, offers both privacy and proximity for area touring. valdellecorti.it

Villa Pomona

A "heart of Tuscany" experience near Castellina, this lovely property produces worthy Chianti Classico (and fine olive oil) but enchants visitors with its age-old, rambling stone buildings and acres of diverse woodlands. Two guesthouses allow visitors to marinate in it all and to swim in the panoramic-view pool. fattoriapomona.it

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