Speaking of Tuscan wines, it is de rigueur to start with Chianti. Well, before becoming the name of a wine, Chianti is the name of a territory, that runs from the south of Florence to the north of Siena, between two important communication routes: the Florence-Siena motorway to the west and the A1 motorway to the east. The wine produced in this area is Chianti Classico DOCG, recognisable by the Black Rooster logo on the label. Chianti Classico DOCG is a young red wine, at least 80% of which comes from the Sangiovese variety, with the remainder being made up of both native and international black grapes. It can vary in terms of freshness and softness, but it does, however, have a medium structure, it should therefore be drunk within 4-5 years of harvesting. Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, on the other hand, is an evolved wine. It is only placed on the market after two years of ageing, usually in wooden barrels. It is structured, complex and designed for prolonged ageing. Last but not least, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG is the flagship wine par excellence for a winery. It is the wine that identifies the territory or the winery of origin. True to say that it is produced with only its best grapes and is aged for longer than the Riserva version. 

Chianti DOCG refers to a wine that partially follows the style of wine produced in the Chianti area, but is made in different areas, from Pisa to Arezzo. At least 70% of the blend used to make Chianti DOCG is Sangiovese, but up to 10% of white grapes may be used. Chianti DOCG wines come from various areas outside the Chianti Classico district. The designation includes subzones which, if they appear on the label, pinpoint the origin of the wine: Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Montespertoli and Rùfina. 

In the province of Arezzo, Syrah is widely cultivated on the hillside of Cortona. Cortona DOC Syrah wines are powerful and fruity. The DOC, however, also includes Sangiovese, Merlot and white wines.

Legend has it that vineyards of Cabernet grapes were planted on the Medici estate west of Florence (now in the province of Prato) following the marriage of Catherine de' Medici to Louis XIV, the Sun King. Thus, Cabernet became a complement of Sangiovese. In fact, Carmignano DOCG wines are made from Sangiovese with a part of Cabernet that enriches its aroma with balsamic nuances, and its taste by bringing out its tannic structure.

In the province of Siena, there are other important designations made with the Sangiovese grape variety. In Montalcino, Sangiovese has found unique and unrepeatable microclimate and soil conditions that promote excellent phenolic maturation and wines suitable for prolonged ageing. Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is 100% Sangiovese, aged for over 4 years, at least two of which in wooden barrels. It is a complex wine with a robust structure, that expresses the elegance of Sangiovese with aromas of cherry, blood orange, violet, tobacco and an intense and persistent taste, characterised by pronounced tannins in the early years but always dynamic and snappy, thanks to its lively acidity. Rosso di Montalcino DOC is a wine obtained from the same vineyards as Brunello, 100% Sangiovese, available after only one year of ageing. It has medium structure and less complexity than Brunello, with the advantage of being immediately drinkable and less expensive.

In Montepulciano, Sangiovese is called Prugnolo Gentile and is the base for the renowned Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG; Sangiovese must make up at least 70% of the blend and is often supplemented with some Merlot, or local varieties. It has a soft, rounded character, thanks to the more sandy and clayey nature of the soil. The Val d'Orcia between the hills of Montalcino and Montepulciano produces red (and white) wines that are generally less structured and complex, but still pleasant to drink. In Orcia Rosso DOC wines, Sangiovese must make up at least 40% of the blend.

On the Tuscan coast, Sangiovese survives in the Morellino di Scansano DOCG and Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG designations, both of which are in the province of Grosseto. Morellino di Scansano DOCG are fruity, smooth wines from vineyards that respond to the hot, dry climate of the Maremma. Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG wines grow on the slopes of Mount Amiata and are warm and structured.

In a region of reds, the hill of San Gimignano has been home - at least since the time of Dante - to a native white grape variety from which a wine of the same name is produced: Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. It is a light, fresh white wine when young, but in its Riserva version, after a further year of ageing, it can become a great white wine, complex with strong mineral notes.

The white wines produced in the hills of Lunigiana on the border with Liguria are also excellent. Colli di Luni DOC Vermentino are fresh wines with mineral notes and distinct floral and citrus aromas. The Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario DOC whites are, in contrast, softer and fruitier.

Starting in the late 1960s, there was an upsurge, in Tuscan oenology, of experimentation and innovation, which led to the creation of wines never seen before. Two wines, Sassicaia and Tignanello, can be considered the symbol of the start of this new revolution. On the coast new designations were created based on international grape varieties; inland, wines of the finest level were developed, without any kind of designation. They were dubbed the Supertuscans. 

Sassicaia, harvested in 1968 and first put on the market in 1971, is a wine produced from Cabernet in Bolgheri, on the coast of Livorno, and aged in barriques. It soon found its place, thanks to journalists and experts, among the world's greatest Cabernets. As a result of its success, the designation scenario on the Tyrrhenian coast began to change radically, starting with Bolgheri. Bolgheri DOC wines are modelled on Bordeaux wines but are the product of a very favourable Mediterranean climate. They are soft wines with a medium structure, fruity and immediate. Bolgheri Superiore DOC wines are obtained from the best grapes of the harvest and aged longer, resulting in complex, robust and long-living wines. But the coast is not only Bolgheri, there is also Suvereto DOCG, Rosso della Val di Cornia DOCG, Terre di Pisa DOC, Terratico di Bibbona DOC, Capalbio DOC, Maremma Toscana DOC and many more. These designations now include international varieties, which may or may not be blended with Sangiovese.

In the Chianti area, Tignanello demonstrated that product specification constraints were restricting the expressive capacities of the winemakers. When Piero Antinori produced Tignanello from the 1971 vintage (released in 1974), it was downgraded from a Chianti Classico to a table wine, because it did not contain white grapes (a mandatory requirement at the time). There was no category to classify wines like this, produced outside any existing product specifications and traditions, but of superior quality. So they were called Supertuscans. Today they are classified as IGT wines (Indicazione Geografica Tipica - Typical Geographical Indication) for which there is no tradition as a reference, but which are an expression a winemaker’s creativity.