If you are a wine-lover and you have ever considered Tuscany as a holiday destination then you are seriously in luck; the two couldn't possibly be more compatible. Over the years, we have written about the various incredible vineyards, wineries, shops, bars, experiences, and varieties of wines that you can look forward to upon visiting Tuscany but we thought it about time to compile a list of some of the most unique, interesting, and memorable wine experiences of all that can be had in this beautiful region of Italy...
1. Have Wine Handed Out To You Through A Window In Florence
Why go inside a bar when you can have a glass of wine handed out to you on the street? Wine windows, or “buchette del vino”, were once-ubiquitous features of palazzi in Florence that date back to the Renaissance when many noble families of the city had their own vineyards either just outside the city walls or off in the Tuscan countryside, as well as a grand palazzo in the city. At first, these families had to sell their wine to merchants or at markets but after a special decree from Cosimo de' Medici in 1559, they were permitted to sell directly from their own homes, allowing them to keep more profit from the sales for themselves. While wine windows were not a specific part of the decree, they soon caught on and many palazzi had these small windows that opened out onto the streets, at waist level for pedestrians, and connected directly to the storage rooms beneath the palaces. After passing a few coins through, people could buy a jug, flask, or bottle of wine through the opening and, later, other products such as olive oil, flour, vegetables, meat and more were also sold through these hatches. Most of the wine windows are now long gone and have been out of use for even longer but in the neighbourhood of Santo Spirito a restaurant called Babae opened in 2019, that not only offers culinary delights indoors, but also reopened their wine window and reinstated this ancient Florentine tradition. Just head there for the, “L’ora della Buchetta,” an hour a day (bar Mondays, when they are closed), during which they serve glasses of wine through the window and join the little crowd that can often be seen gathered outside the restaurant at this time.
Why go inside a bar when you can have a glass of wine handed out to you on the street? Wine windows, or “buchette del vino”, were once-ubiquitous features of palazzi in Florence that date back to the Renaissance when many noble families of the city had their own vineyards either just outside the city walls or off in the Tuscan countryside, as well as a grand palazzo in the city. At first, these families had to sell their wine to merchants or at markets but after a special decree from Cosimo de' Medici in 1559, they were permitted to sell directly from their own homes, allowing them to keep more profit from the sales for themselves. While wine windows were not a specific part of the decree, they soon caught on and many palazzi had these small windows that opened out onto the streets, at waist level for pedestrians, and connected directly to the storage rooms beneath the palaces. After passing a few coins through, people could buy a jug, flask, or bottle of wine through the opening and, later, other products such as olive oil, flour, vegetables, meat and more were also sold through these hatches. Most of the wine windows are now long gone and have been out of use for even longer but in the neighbourhood of Santo Spirito a restaurant called Babae opened in 2019, that not only offers culinary delights indoors, but also reopened their wine window and reinstated this ancient Florentine tradition. Just head there for the, “L’ora della Buchetta,” an hour a day (bar Mondays, when they are closed), during which they serve glasses of wine through the window and join the little crowd that can often be seen gathered outside the restaurant at this time.
2. Celebrate Tuscan Wine At The Orcia Wine Festival In San Quirico d'Orcia
Every year (bar this one, given the current circumstances) during the last weekend in April, the town of San Quirico d'Orcia plays host to the Orcia Wine Festival. an event that was created in order to promote and celebrate the excellence of the wine production of the Val d'Orcia. The festival and wine fair takes place in the beautiful eighteenth century rooms of the Palazzo Chigi in the historical centre of the town and boasts a timetable filled with events such as technical tasting sessions, food and wine tastings, cooking classes, specialist talks, a Gala Dinner, and the organising of visits to local wineries. If you want to really learn more about the excellent DOC wines from the Orcia Valley, including white, rosé and vin Santo wines from a production area made up of 12 towns in the area, and try delicious olive oils, white truffles, Cinta Senese salami, Pienza cheeses and other local culinary delights, while hearing from experts and other serious enthusiasts, this is the place in which to do it and a major highlight of the wine calendar in Tuscany!
Every year (bar this one, given the current circumstances) during the last weekend in April, the town of San Quirico d'Orcia plays host to the Orcia Wine Festival. an event that was created in order to promote and celebrate the excellence of the wine production of the Val d'Orcia. The festival and wine fair takes place in the beautiful eighteenth century rooms of the Palazzo Chigi in the historical centre of the town and boasts a timetable filled with events such as technical tasting sessions, food and wine tastings, cooking classes, specialist talks, a Gala Dinner, and the organising of visits to local wineries. If you want to really learn more about the excellent DOC wines from the Orcia Valley, including white, rosé and vin Santo wines from a production area made up of 12 towns in the area, and try delicious olive oils, white truffles, Cinta Senese salami, Pienza cheeses and other local culinary delights, while hearing from experts and other serious enthusiasts, this is the place in which to do it and a major highlight of the wine calendar in Tuscany!
3. Visit The Prettiest Winery In Tuscany And Enjoy Their Wines In A Picture-perfect Setting
While there is absolutely no shortage of stunning wineries in Tuscany, La Fabbrica di San Martino is probably up there among the most beautiful of all and makes for a picture-perfect setting in which to tour, taste, and learn all about their delicious wines. Located just north-west of Lucca, nestled in the lush rolling hills of an area called the Colline Lucchesi, a DOC wine region in Tuscany, this wine estate is home to an an eighteenth century villa surrounded by grounds that stretch over 20 hectares and encompass vineyards, olive groves, a forest, gardens and more. Bought by Giovanna Tronci and Giuseppe Ferrua in 1999, the estate was where Tronci actually grew up and along with Ferrua she decided to restore the villa, tend the vines, produce high-quality wine, and host delicious meals. Now this very pretty estate is where you can sample incredible wines on guided tours with Giuseppe, say hello to the cute animals on the farm, enjoy local produce and meals, admire the historic buildings, and more, all in a truly magical and utterly picturesque setting.
While there is absolutely no shortage of stunning wineries in Tuscany, La Fabbrica di San Martino is probably up there among the most beautiful of all and makes for a picture-perfect setting in which to tour, taste, and learn all about their delicious wines. Located just north-west of Lucca, nestled in the lush rolling hills of an area called the Colline Lucchesi, a DOC wine region in Tuscany, this wine estate is home to an an eighteenth century villa surrounded by grounds that stretch over 20 hectares and encompass vineyards, olive groves, a forest, gardens and more. Bought by Giovanna Tronci and Giuseppe Ferrua in 1999, the estate was where Tronci actually grew up and along with Ferrua she decided to restore the villa, tend the vines, produce high-quality wine, and host delicious meals. Now this very pretty estate is where you can sample incredible wines on guided tours with Giuseppe, say hello to the cute animals on the farm, enjoy local produce and meals, admire the historic buildings, and more, all in a truly magical and utterly picturesque setting.
4. Take In Art And Wine At The Famous Castello di Ama
Castello di Ama is a famous winery located in the picturesque medieval Tuscan village of Ama in the Chianti wine region that is almost entirely owned by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple who run the winery. The unique selling point of this rather pretty winery is that is combines wine and art in one place, with some of the world's most beloved and well-known artists having been invited to contribute works to the estate over the past fifteen years. While Castello di Ama is one of the main wine-producing estates in Chianti and covers 500 acres of land, 200 of which are meticulously cultivated vineyards, and its wines are excellent, for many it is the collection of contemporary art that is dotted around the grounds that seals the deal and makes them choose to visit this winery. The art collection includes works by artists such as Michelangelo Pistoletto, Anish Kapoor, and Louise Bourgeois, among others, and was started back in 1999 with the commissioning of a piece from Pistoletto called "Tree of Life"; a split tree trunk with mirrors inserted into its gut, creating refracted images. Kapoor's piece is a bowl cut into the floor of a centuries old chapel on the estate that glows a deep red against the gloom and Bourgeois' is a kneeling woman with the head of an artichoke. If you're an art-lover with a fondness for wine or a wine-lover with a fondness for art, this exceptional estate and its extraordinary wines and art collection is just the ticket!
Castello di Ama is a famous winery located in the picturesque medieval Tuscan village of Ama in the Chianti wine region that is almost entirely owned by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple who run the winery. The unique selling point of this rather pretty winery is that is combines wine and art in one place, with some of the world's most beloved and well-known artists having been invited to contribute works to the estate over the past fifteen years. While Castello di Ama is one of the main wine-producing estates in Chianti and covers 500 acres of land, 200 of which are meticulously cultivated vineyards, and its wines are excellent, for many it is the collection of contemporary art that is dotted around the grounds that seals the deal and makes them choose to visit this winery. The art collection includes works by artists such as Michelangelo Pistoletto, Anish Kapoor, and Louise Bourgeois, among others, and was started back in 1999 with the commissioning of a piece from Pistoletto called "Tree of Life"; a split tree trunk with mirrors inserted into its gut, creating refracted images. Kapoor's piece is a bowl cut into the floor of a centuries old chapel on the estate that glows a deep red against the gloom and Bourgeois' is a kneeling woman with the head of an artichoke. If you're an art-lover with a fondness for wine or a wine-lover with a fondness for art, this exceptional estate and its extraordinary wines and art collection is just the ticket!
5. Discover Modern Wine Innovations At Avignonesi
Located in the Montepulciano wine region of southern Tuscany, Avignonesi is named for the family that originally founded it and is an impossibly picturesque, sprawling estate that stretches over 200 hectares. While the complex is made up of different areas and the main estate of Le Capezzine is comprised of a traditional vinsantaia (a facility in which Vin Santo is made) and historic buildings housing the cellars and other service buildings and the traditional vineyards, there is also the renowned Vigna Tonda, an experimental vineyard known for its distinct landscaping with a section that is planted in a unique circular formation. The estate uses biodynamic and organic growing practices, places a huge emphasis on producing socially responsible wine, and hand-picks their grapes, making Avignonesi a place where tradition and the most interesting modern wine innovations co-exist in peace. Come and experience their tours, cookery classes, and other experiences to learn all about this fascinating place and their high-quality wines and products.
Wine is important to life in Tuscany and Tuscany is, therefore, one of the best places in the world for wine-lovers to vacation!
Located in the Montepulciano wine region of southern Tuscany, Avignonesi is named for the family that originally founded it and is an impossibly picturesque, sprawling estate that stretches over 200 hectares. While the complex is made up of different areas and the main estate of Le Capezzine is comprised of a traditional vinsantaia (a facility in which Vin Santo is made) and historic buildings housing the cellars and other service buildings and the traditional vineyards, there is also the renowned Vigna Tonda, an experimental vineyard known for its distinct landscaping with a section that is planted in a unique circular formation. The estate uses biodynamic and organic growing practices, places a huge emphasis on producing socially responsible wine, and hand-picks their grapes, making Avignonesi a place where tradition and the most interesting modern wine innovations co-exist in peace. Come and experience their tours, cookery classes, and other experiences to learn all about this fascinating place and their high-quality wines and products.
Wine is important to life in Tuscany and Tuscany is, therefore, one of the best places in the world for wine-lovers to vacation!
