Of course we had to visit wineries while in Tuscany.
Along the way, we learned a tremendous amount of information about Italian wines.
Perhaps the most important thing we learned is that while US wines are identified by the variety (merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir), regardless of where the wine is made (California, Oregon, Washington), in Italy wines are identified by the region where they are made and not by the grape. So Chianti isn’t a type of grape but rather a region in Tuscany. Same for Brunello and Nobile and Chianti Classico. Virtually all Italian wine is based on the Sangiovese grape. But if that wine is made in a certain region and follows an exact formula for grape percentage, aging, etc., then it can use a special label. If it’s made in Montelcino and follows the rules it can be called a Brunello. If it’s made in Montepulciano, it can be called a Nobile. And if it’s made in the Chianti region it can be called a Chianti or, if it’s made in a very small area where Chianti was started, then it can be called Chianti Classico (and will always have a black rooster on the label). Then there are all of the certifications, with the highest being wine labeled DOCG (DOC wine is one step below). And if a winemaker does not want to follow the rules, they can make what they’d like but it can’t use a regional name (like those above). In that case it’s called a Super Tuscan (which can be anything the winemaker desires). Fascinating.
So off we went to Montepulciano. First stop here was a winery called Salcheto, which claims to be the first winery in Italy whose wine cellar is “off the grid.” The cellar is designed as a multi-tiered bunker that uses solar tubes for light, the natural cooling of the earth for temperature control, and burns old vines for electricity.
Pretty cool. And all of their wines are certified organic.
The wines, all called Nobile (or Nobile Riserva) were excellent.
We then stopped for a cheese tasting. Not only Is Tuscany known for wine, it’s also known for cheese. We stopped for a snack at a small cheese shop who produces all of their own cheese using their own sheep for the milk. Wow.
We so wanted to take home a wheel of pecorino toscano with an ash rind.
By far our new favorite cheese is pecorino Toscano, which is far less salty than the more well known pecorino Romano.
From there we went to the Boscarelli winery.
This is one of the oldest wineries continuously making Nobile that is all DOCG. Herr we also saw some of the more modern concrete aging tanks.
These wines were exceptional! In addition to trying the Nobiles, and a super Tuscan, we also had amazing Vin Santo, an Italian dessert wine. In Tuscany, Vin Santo is frequently served at dessert with a plate of cantucci (a Tuscan form of biscotti). You can dunk the cantucci in the Vin Santo, or eat and sip.
We also were able to stop in Chianti for a tasting of Chianti and Chianti Classico. We went to Villa Cerna, a winery owned by the Cecchi family.
Here we enjoyed a variety of Chianti and Chianti Classico (as they are in the Classico region).
They were delicious.
So much wine, so little time.