Tuscany (Toscana in Italian) is perhaps the most famous of all Italian wine regions. This fact has no doubt been perpetuated by the romance of the region's endless rolling hills and cypress-lined country roads, but it is nonetheless home to some of the world’s most prestigious wines.
Situated in central Italy, Tuscany's neighbors are Emilia-Romagna to the north and Umbria and Lazio to the south and east. It also shares a short border with Liguria as it stretches up the Tyrrhenian coast, and Marche as it pushes eastwards towards the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea on the other side of the Italian Peninsula. As is the case with almost all of Italy's 20 regions, Tuscan wine has a rich, diverse history and origins which can be traced back as far as the fifth century BC.
Today, Tuscany is at the forefront of oenological excellence and offers the world an array of internationally acclaimed wines such as the archetypal Chianti, as well as the renowned Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Alongside Piedmont and Veneto, this region houses a strong complement of DOCGs (there are currently eight) and more than 30 DOCs, including the likes of Rosso di Montalcino, Bolgheri and Pomino. Key to the area's prestige is its distinctive terroir. Several factors contribute to an ideal environment for the cultivation of grapes: coastal and mountain climates, a mixture of well-drained and dry soils, predominantly rich in sand and clay, moderately hilly terrain extending towards the Apennine Mountains and excellent topography.
The warm temperatures coming off the coast, combined with the cool breezes from the hills, create a multitude of microclimates. The vineyards planted on hillsides at altitudes of 500–1600ft (150–500m) enjoy increased diurnal temperature variation, thus helping maintain the grape’s balance of sugars, acidity and aromatic qualities. One such variety that particularly thrives on these hillside vineyards, performing best in direct sunlight, is Tuscany’s signature red grape Sangiovese.
