Under the Tuscan sun

EARLY October is an ideal time to visit Tuscany. Just outside the peak travel season, travellers can avoid the throngs of summer tourists, while still enjoying unique autumn highlights, top among which is the annual vinicultural harvest.

Italy is the largest producer of wine in the world – it accounted for almost one-fifth of the entire global production in 2022. The country is also the world’s most viniculturally diverse: Around 400 native grape varieties are grown for winemaking, and Tuscany exemplifies much of this kaleidoscope of different terroirs, strains, and production methods.

The history of wine is intertwined with the rolling Tuscan hills that dominate the region’s landscape. Home to the likes of famous wine classifications such as Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and the more recent (yet no less famous) Super Tuscans from the 1970s, Tuscany’s wineries produce wines from 41 DOC (Denominazioni di origine controllata or controlled destination of origin) and 11 DOCG (Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita or controlled and guaranteed destination of origin).