Tuscany

The most famous vineyards are those of Chianti on the west coast where the Sangiovese grape dominates. At their best, and particularly in the sub-zones of Chianti Classico and Rufina, the wines can be very fine indeed - medium bodied, cherry-fruited and with a distinctive tang that renders them so well-suited to food.

Since the 1980s, other wines have justifiably shot to prominence too. Brunello di Montalcino is a dense, muscular wine, also made from Sangiovese (or Brunello as it's known around the town of Montalcino). Its wines, so distinctive and impressive, eventually gained their own DOCG (Italy's highest quality equivalent of the French AOC).

Nearby is the hilltop town of Montepulciano surrounded by vineyards growing Prugnolo Gentile (the local name for Sangiovese) and other Chianti grapes. The wine is the rather majestic-sounding Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and it is often described as a halfway house between Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino.

Tuscany's best value for money however is often to be found in some of the less famous areas: we think Morellino di Scansano and Rosso di San Gimignano are well worth investigating. Due to the soils and climate, red wines from here tend to be fuller and rounder than in Chianti.

The region also produces some outstanding (and often very expensive) Vini di Tavola IGT wines (see under ‘Italy') often from Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot or even a blend of these grapes with Sangiovese. The original ‘Super-Tuscan' (as they are known) was the 1968 vintage of Sassicaia, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown by the Marchese Rochetta, Piero Antinori's uncle. For many years it remained a humble Vino da Tavola, despite its demanding price.