The best of Florence, Italy: Wine and cheese tasting in Tuscany
Florence, Italy, must be one of the best destinations to explore wine and cheese tasting in Tuscany. Located in central Italy along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is home to some of the world’s most notable wine regions. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are primarily made with Sangiovese grape whereas the Vernaccia grape is the basis of the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Tuscany is also known for the dessert wine Vin Santo, made from a variety of the region’s grapes. Tuscany has forty-one Denominazioni di origine controllata (DOC) and eleven Denominazioni di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). Between 1969 and 1979, a brand new class of wines emerged in Italy and is known in the wine industry as “Super Tuscans”.
The Sangiovese grape is Tuscany’s most prominent grape; however, many different clonal varieties exist, as many towns have their local version of Sangiovese. Cabernet Sauvignon has been planted in Tuscany for over 250 years but has only recently become associated with the region due to the rise of the Super Tuscans. Other international varieties found in Tuscany include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah. Of the many local red grape varieties Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera, and Mammolo are the most widely planted. For Tuscan white wines, Trebbiano is the most widely planted variety followed by Malvasia, Vermentino, and Vernaccia.
Wine and cheese tasting including the “Super Tuscans” of Florence, Italy
Your wine tasting in Tuscany will not be complete until you have tasted some of the “Super Tuscans”. A Super Tuscan is generally a red wine from Tuscany that does not restrain itself to indigenous Italian varieties but embraces international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create complex premium single-varietal or blended wines. Tignanello is one of the early Super Tuscans.
In addition to wines based on the Sangiovese grape, many well-known Super Tuscans are based on a “Bordeaux-blend”, meaning a combination of grapes typical for Bordeaux including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These vines are not originally from the region but imported and grown in Tuscany. The climate in Tuscany has proven to be ideal for these grape varieties.
Discover the sweet “Vin Santo” of Tuscany
While Tuscany is not the only Italian region to make the “passito” dessert wine called Vin Santo or “Holy Wine”, the Tuscan versions of Vin Santo are well regarded and sought by wine connoisseurs, globally. The best-known version is from the Chianti Classico and is produced with a blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca.
Taste the best cheeses of Tuscany
Italy is the country with the highest variety of cheeses in the world, with over 2500 traditional varieties, among which are about 500 commercially recognized cheeses and more than 300 kinds of cheese with protected designation of origin.
Tuscan cheese production has a really long tradition. In Tuscany, sheep farming is widespread, but the highest concentration is located in the provinces of Siena and Grosseto. If you are a cheese lover and turophile, you will find a wide variety of cheese in the amazing region of Tuscany. The most famous of the Tuscan cheeses must surely be Pecorino. There is a large selection of fresh and aged Pecorino cheeses available, and all can be sampled on a cheese-tasting tour of the region starting in Florence. There are many different versions of Pecorino which vary according to the zone, the pasture grasses, and the cheese-making method used.
Join us on a cheese tour of Tuscany and taste the world-famous Pecorino DOP, Pecorino delle Crete Senesi, Pecorino di Pienza, and Pecorino Baccellone. Tuscany also produces wonderful Ricotta, Raveggiolo, and the well-known goat’s milk cheese, Caprino.
