The wines of Tuscany were famous long before Leonardo da Vinci described them as “bottled sunshine,” and they are at the forefront of the remarkable renaissance of Italian wine over the past 30 years. In this groundbreaking new book, Nicolas Belfrage shares his insider’s knowledge acquired as a specialist wine trader and writer. Mindful of the region’s fascinating past, Belfrage brings its story up to date, discussing such subjects as geology and geography, grape varieties, and the latest research into Sangiovese, the variety used in the top wines of Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. He also clarifies the regulatory framework and follows the recent controversial developments in viticulture and winemaking, including the rise of the Super-Tuscans and the ongoing “Brunellogate” scandal that broke in 2008. At the heart of the book are in-depth, illustrated profiles of more than 90 of the most interesting producers, large and small, with insightful notes on the essential character of their finest wines. The author also offers a comprehensive review of vintages and selects his top 100 wines in ten different categories, while wines of special quality or value are indicated throughout.

In this intimate and uproarious story, two daring New Yorkers convert an ancient, abandoned farm into a world-renowned winery.

The head of Italy’s "first family" of winemaking reflects on the Antinoris’ six-hundred-year legacy and a life of good food and drink in the hills of Tuscany. If you know wine, you know the name Antinori. Since 1385, this noble Florentine family has produced some of Italy’s finest wines. The Hills of Chianti tells the story of the Antinoris and the Tuscany they call home, through seven iconic bottles that define their legacy. From the Tignanello that ushered in the era of Super Tuscans to limited-edition vintages, these wines embody a way of life and will excite oenophile readers and lovers of Italy alike. In this family memoir Piero Antinori reveals the passion, tradition, and love of craft that have driven twenty-seven generations of vintners: from the first ancestor who signed up to the winemakers guild in the fourteenth century to Antinori’s own three daughters, poised to carry this most celebrated family of artisans into the future. But The Hills of Chianti is about much more than wine. At its heart the Antinori story is about "Tuscan-ness": a connection to the land, an appreciation for good food and drink, and the quintessentially Italian love of hospitality that make this one of the world’s most inspiring and memorable destinations.

Ten years of research by this award winning Master of Wine yields the most comprehensive and delightful reference on this increasingly popular area. The key producers and their production methods for the famous Brunello de Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Carmingnano, Pomino and others are fully detailed. Illustrated in color with scenery and maps. A glossary and how to interpret Tuscan wine labels are helpful.

World-renowned wine expert Hugh Johnson's elegant tribute to Tuscany is now available in paperbacka richly rewarding volume in prose and image for those who enjoy the region's exquisite marriage of wine and food, beauty and history. Traveling from town to town, from hilltop to farmland, Johnson not only explores the Tuscan geography and wineries, but also shares the culture and sitesfrom a stunning cathedral in Siena to a good place for a relaxing glass of wine in Monte Amiata. Poetic, illuminating descriptions combine with over 100 atmospheric photos to capture the essence of Tuscany and bring the author's passion for the regions distinctive grape varietals to life. Glass of Brunello in one hand, Tuscany and Its Wines in the otherperfect armchair reading!

This book tells the story of the ancient land named Chianti and the modern wine appellation known as Chianti Classico. In 1716, TuscanyÕs penultimate Medici ruler, Cosimo III, anointed the region of Chianti, along with three smaller areas in the Florentine State, as the worldÕs first legal appellations of origin for wine. In the succeeding centuries, this milestone was all but forgotten. By the late nineteenth century, the name Chianti, rather than signifying this historic region and its celebrated wine, identified a simple Italian red table wine in a straw-covered flask. Ê In the twenty-first century, Chianti Classico emerged as one of ItalyÕs most dynamic and fashionable wine zones. Chianti Classico relates the fascinating evolution of Chianti as a wine region and reveals its geographic and cultural complexity. Bill Nesto, MW, and Frances Di Savino explore the townships of Chianti Classico and introduce readers to the modern-day winegrowers who are helping to transform the region. The secrets of Sangiovese, the principal vine variety of Chianti, are also revealed as the book unlocks the myths and mysteries of one of ItalyÕs most storied wine regions. The publication of Chianti Classico coincides with the three hundredth anniversary of the Medici decree delimiting the region of Chianti on September 24, 1716.

Nicolas Belfrage concludes his two-volume tour of Italian wine with a look at the outstanding varieties from Tuscany to the south. In "Barolo to Valpolicella," Nicolas Belfrage demystified northern Italian viticulture, discussing dozens of wines ranging from the highest-quality vintages to affordable selections that can be enjoyed every day. Now, with "Brunello to Zibibbo," the second of his two-volume survey of Italian wine, Belfrage considers the wines from Tuscany to the south, again concentrating on the regions' indigenous vines and the unique grapes that make Italy's wines so exceptional. The book offers extensive coverage of the vines and wines of Tuscany but also assesses the emerging wines of the south, on which, to date, little has been written. From the Sangiovese, or Brunello, of Tuscany, to the Zibibbo, or Alexandrian Muscat, of the island of Pantelleria off the Tunisian coast south of Sicily, this book is an authoritative primer on the wealth of Italy's vineyards and a discerning guide to the regions' best bottles.