Tuscany

The Tuscany region is located in central Italy along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is home to some of the world's most notable and famous wines such as Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Tuscany is also known for its dessert wine Vin Santo, made from a variety of the region's grapes. Tuscany has twenty-nine DOC and seven DOCG and in the 1970s a new class of wine known in the trade as "Super Tuscans" emerged. These wines were made outside DOC/DOCG regulations but were considered of high quality and commanded high prices. Many of these wines became cult wines.
After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third highest volume of DOC/G quality wines. Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in production volume. This is partly because the soil of Tuscany is very poor, and producers emphasize low yields and higher quality levels in their wine. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine.
The Sangiovese grape is Tuscanys' most prominent grape, however, many different clonal varieties exist, as many towns have their own 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.