Chianti for the Wine Connoisseur
The core of Tuscany's winemaking region is Chianti - located between Florence and Siena. Many visitors travel here with the express desire to visit the many different vintners and enjoy tastings of the renowned local wine. When staying in one of the gorgeous Chianti villa rental properties, you'll have the opportunity to create your own itinerary and visit some of the very best wineries of the region.
Where to Stay?
For the independent traveller, the very best way to get the full experience of the region is to stay in a traditional Chianti villa. Rental properties available for holiday letting give you the romance of authentic Italian living and the privacy and laidback ambience of the countryside. Most people who take up the opportunity to stay in a Chianti villa rental prefer it to hotels or B&Bs for the freedom it affords.
Identifying the region
Chianti is the iconic wine produced throughout the countryside of Tuscany, but the powerhouse of this wine region is the region of the same name between Florence and Siena - it is the historic heart of the wine's history. The distinctive Black Rooster label, or the gallo nero, represents the classico, which became the unofficial wine of the region in the 18th century after a decree from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo d'Medici III in 1716. The distinctive colour and flavours come from the regional sangiovese grape, the cultivation of which is undergoing a revival and moving back towards traditional methods and more ecologically responsible and organic cultivation.
The Best Wineries to Visit
There are so many wineries in the region that it would take weeks to see them all. But if you're staying in one of the Chianti villa rental properties nearby, the two included below make a good start.
Fontodi, Panzano in Chianti: Though many larger wineries charge for wine tasting, Fontodi is an exception to that rule. For a longer excursion, Fontodi is a great place to visit. Here the afternoons are slow and you can explore the beautiful hilly vineyards laced with barley, which the owner, Giovanni Manetti, uses to feed his 30 Chianina cattle - a local breed that is fast disappearing. He uses terracotta vats instead of wooden barrels as he experiments with taking his methods back to Greco-Roman times.
Val delle Corti, Localita La Croce, Radda in Chianti: A fitting introduction to the famous classico is to book an appointment with the owner of Val delle Corti, Roberto Bianchi, on his beautiful six hectare organic vineyard. Not swayed by guidebooks - which claimed that the sangiovese grape needed to be mixed with more €international grapes€ like the merlot in order to appeal to the global market - Bianchi continues to make wine the traditional local way.
Where to Stay?
For the independent traveller, the very best way to get the full experience of the region is to stay in a traditional Chianti villa. Rental properties available for holiday letting give you the romance of authentic Italian living and the privacy and laidback ambience of the countryside. Most people who take up the opportunity to stay in a Chianti villa rental prefer it to hotels or B&Bs for the freedom it affords.
Identifying the region
Chianti is the iconic wine produced throughout the countryside of Tuscany, but the powerhouse of this wine region is the region of the same name between Florence and Siena - it is the historic heart of the wine's history. The distinctive Black Rooster label, or the gallo nero, represents the classico, which became the unofficial wine of the region in the 18th century after a decree from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo d'Medici III in 1716. The distinctive colour and flavours come from the regional sangiovese grape, the cultivation of which is undergoing a revival and moving back towards traditional methods and more ecologically responsible and organic cultivation.
The Best Wineries to Visit
There are so many wineries in the region that it would take weeks to see them all. But if you're staying in one of the Chianti villa rental properties nearby, the two included below make a good start.
Fontodi, Panzano in Chianti: Though many larger wineries charge for wine tasting, Fontodi is an exception to that rule. For a longer excursion, Fontodi is a great place to visit. Here the afternoons are slow and you can explore the beautiful hilly vineyards laced with barley, which the owner, Giovanni Manetti, uses to feed his 30 Chianina cattle - a local breed that is fast disappearing. He uses terracotta vats instead of wooden barrels as he experiments with taking his methods back to Greco-Roman times.
Val delle Corti, Localita La Croce, Radda in Chianti: A fitting introduction to the famous classico is to book an appointment with the owner of Val delle Corti, Roberto Bianchi, on his beautiful six hectare organic vineyard. Not swayed by guidebooks - which claimed that the sangiovese grape needed to be mixed with more €international grapes€ like the merlot in order to appeal to the global market - Bianchi continues to make wine the traditional local way.