Italy's Highest Prices, Its Lowest Classification
Home to the Super Tuscans and some of Italy's most collectible reds, Tuscany combines centuries of family winemaking with a willingness to reinvent itself entirely.
CLIMATE
Ornellaia's coastal Bolgheri vineyards benefit directly from maritime influence, moderating temperatures and helping ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to full maturity, a meaningfully different climate from Tuscany's more continental interior around Chianti Classico.
TERROIR
Tuscany's terroir varies dramatically across the region, from clay-rich coastal hills to limestone slopes further inland, each shaping a distinct style of wine. Masseto's Bolgheri vineyard sits on a rare, dense pocket of Pliocene blue clay, while nearby, Tenuta San Guido's gravelly hills reminded founder Mario Incisa della Rocchetta of Bordeaux's Graves, prompting his choice of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
1. Fiesole's High Altitude Bibi Graetz's red-wine fruit comes from high-altitude sites around Fiesole, Chianti Classico and Siena, with poor, stony soils central to the house style.
2. Chianti Classico's Limestone Antinori's Tignanello and Solaia vineyards sit on limestone- and marl-rich soils in Chianti Classico, distinct from Bolgheri's coastal gravel.
HISTORY
Tuscany's wine identity is inseparable from Chianti, first demarcated in 1716 to cover just three villages, Gaiole, Castellina and Radda. Baron Bettino Ricasoli, later Italy's prime minister, codified the modern recipe of mostly Sangiovese in 1872. A century later, producers working outside those same regulations created an entirely new category, the Super Tuscan, redefining the region's international reputation.
REGION SNAPSHOT
Key Sub-Regions
Bolgheri, Fiesole / Chianti Classico / Siena
Key Varieties
Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Classifications
Toscana IGT, Bolgheri DOC Superiore, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC
PORTFOLIO ADVICE
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