In Tuscany, Italy you will taste a lot of good wine. These will include Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. But where does all of this good wine come from? 

When visiting Tuscany, you should definitely find out more about the Tuscan wine and vineyards. You can visit many of the wineries in the Tuscan hills including the Chianti Wineries. 

What is Chianti Wine? 

Chianti wine is a renowned Italian red wine that holds a special place in the hearts of wine enthusiasts around the world. Its rich history, distinct characteristics, and the captivating region it hails from have contributed to its popularity and global recognition. The Chianti region encompasses a vast area in central Tuscany, stretching from Florence to Siena. It is further divided into several production areas, with Chianti Classico being the most renowned. Chianti Classico is a subzone within the Chianti region that is known for producing some of the finest Chianti wines. It is distinguished by the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) emblem on its labels.On the palate, Chianti wine offers a harmonious balance of acidity, tannins, and fruit flavours, making it incredibly food-friendly. 

Chianti Winery Tour and Tasting

We took a Chianti Winery Tour where we visited 2 authentic wineries in the beautiful Chianti Hills. There we met local winemakers, walked through stunning vineyards, and sampled local wines and products. 

How many wines do you get to taste during the wine tasting? 

During the Chianti Winery Tour we got to test a total of 7 to 8 different wines including red, white, rose and sparkling wine. 

What is the experience like in the Chianti Hills?

At the first location, Tenuta Torciano, we got to try 4 different wines accompanied with a plate of salami, cheese, bread and crackers. During the tasting we got a rather simple explanation about the wine and the taste of the different wines. There were 2 wine glasses per person which were not changed during the tasting. They also served their homemade olive, truffle and spicy chilli oil, as well as their aceto balsamico. The truffle oil with the crackers were definitely a highlight. After the tasting which started off with a white wine, went on with a red chianti classico followed with a super tuscan red wine and ended with a rose, we got to walk a little through the wine garden and take pictures of the beautiful countryside. 

Afterwards we took a 15 minute ride through the hills and then arrived at our second location, Poggio ai Laghi, a family owned winery where we were greeted by a lovely tour guide. The wine tasting was held in a little intimate room with a view over the countryside. Here the table had been set with 4 different glasses for the 4 wines as well as a little snack plate. First the tour guide taught us how to properly hold and taste a good wine. It was very well structured and every wine and housemade oil was well explained. Afterwards we also got the chance to buy the wines of this winery, as well as their different oils. The tour guides were really nice and forthcoming.

Overall we really enjoyed the tour and would really recommend it as a day trip when in Tuscany. However, we liked the second wineyard better since it was structured better and felt more intimate, while the other one was rather quick and more about a fun experience than the wine itself. Poggio ai Laghi was a perfect combination of both, fun and wine.

How much does the trip to the Chianti wine hills cost?

We paid 49€ per person for this trip, which we booked over GetYourGuide. Included was the bus ride to the hills starting at Piazzale Montelungo bus stop, which is only 5 minutes away from the main train station. The tasting of 7-9 different wines and different tuscan food specialties. They will advertise it as if you will get a lot of food, which is not the case, it is simply two different snack boards and not like a meal, but perfect to go along with the different wines.

Tips and Info for the wine tasting in the tuscan vineyards

• Bring Water
  Especially during the hot summer days we really recommend bringing some water on the trip. They will provide water at the wineries but the bus dive is 30 minutes, so better safe than sorry.
• Be at the Piazzale Montelungo bus stop 10 minutes earlier
  be earlier than the time says because it might get very busy and confusing at the bus stop because a lot of different tour will start from there and you will have to register with a tour guide before the tour starts.
• Piano Piano with the food
  There will be the different tuscan specialities when you arrive already set on the table. If you really want the full experience you might want to listen to the guides because the will tell you when to eat what which they do not make clear at the beginning. They will also give out the oils and aceto balsamico throughout the tasting which you will not able to enjoy as much if all your bread has already been eaten.