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Tuscany is best known for its famous reds like Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, but the Italian region makes a range of styles worth discovering. Today's selection showcases this diversity, alongside the aforementioned classics. The winemakers featured here also have varied backgrounds, from relative newcomers to longtime pioneers, including a family that has been making wine for 24 generations.
IL BORRO Toscana 2015
WS review: The black currant, black cherry and herbal aromas and flavors are well-balanced, unfolding to reveal cedar, iron, sanguine and tobacco notes that add depth and expression. Fine length. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Best from 2021 through 2030. 1,500 cases imported.
Why it's of note: A Bordeaux-style blend with a touch of Syrah, this wine hails from the Valdarno hills, which sit at an average of 1,000 feet above sea level. The Il Borro property dates to the 13th century, and was bought by the Ferragamo family in 1993 (of luxury-shoe fame). They refurbished the estate and became certified organic in 2015.
CAPARZO Brunello di Montalcino 2014
WS review: Bright, with cherry and raspberry fruit, this Brunello is elegant and charming. Accents of mineral and peppery greens—arugula, mizuna—develop on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2021 through 2032. 5,000 cases imported.
Why it's of note: In the late 1960s, a few Tuscan wine–loving friends purchased a Montalcino property with vineyards, and renovated it into what is now the renowned Brunello di Montalcino winery Caparzo. Celebrated winemaker Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini bought it in 1998. Sangiovese grapes from various locations around the appellation come together in this bottling.
SIRO PACENTI Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli 2014
WS review: This red shows complexity and depth to the plum, cherry, almond, graphite and tobacco flavors. Offers good grip and fine balance overall. Firms up on the finish, but lingers nicely. Best from 2020 through 2032. 515 cases imported.
Why it's of note: Siro Pacenti established his namesake estate in 1970; his son Giancarlo now manages the operation. The grapes for this red hail from Pelagrilli, on the northern side of Montalcino, where the property is and where its first vines were planted. (The winery has since expanded to vineyards south of Montalcino.)
LE MACCHIOLE Bolgheri 2017
WS review: Bright and succulent, this red offers cherry, blueberry and blackberry flavors, accented by bell pepper, iron and tobacco notes. Turns lean on the finish, with lightly astringent tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Best from 2021 through 2032. 1,350 cases imported.
Why it's of note: The family-owned Le Macchiole, run by Cinzia Merli and her two sons, farms its 64 acres of estate vineyards organically. This bottling, also a Bordeaux blend with Syrah, sources grapes from various plots around Bolgheri, showcasing the region's many soil types.
TOSCOLO Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2017
WS review: Fresh and vibrant, this white offer flavors of apple, almond, peach, wild herbs and earth, with a distinctive mineral streak. Displays some weight, a lightly oily texture and a lingering saline finish. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases imported.
Why it's of note: Toscolo was founded in 1988 by Neil and Maria Empson, of the Italian-wine imports company of the same name. The Vernaccia di San Gimignano appellation is the only white wine in Tuscany to have DOCG status. The wines, made from the Vernaccia grape, are refreshing and have a nice mix of fruit and savory notes.
CECCHI Chianti Classico Storia di Famiglia 2016
WS review: Cherry, leather, eucalyptus and earth notes combine here, while the iron and tobacco accents and firm, dry tannins suggest a traditional approach. Bright and elegant overall, with moderate length. Drink now through 2028. 20,000 cases imported.
Why it's of note: Since Luigi Cecchi founded the company in the 1890s, Cecchi has grown to include four estates in Tuscany and Umbria, but its original plantings were in Chianti Classico. Storia di Famiglia was Cecchi's first Chianti bottling and today is its signature wine.
MAZZEI Vermentino Toscana Belguardo 2017
WS review: Peach and lemon aromas and flavors mark this rich white. Accents of sage and iron add depth as this ends, with a chalky feel and citrus peel bitterness on the finish. Drink now. 2,000 cases imported.
Why it's of note: The Mazzei family has been making wine in Tuscany for 24 generations. Ser Lapo Mazzei, an ancestor, helped define the region by creating the first recorded mention of Chianti wine in a 1398 letter. Today, Mazzei owns two estates in Tuscany and one in Sicily. This Vermentino, also a signature white grape in the region, comes from their Belguardo property in Maremma, which features soft and sandy soils.