Fantastic tasting at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar led by Annette Schiller Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours: The wines of Tuscany cc Chain Bridge Cellars
Tuscany Tour by ombiasy WineTours led by Annette Schiller in 20226
Tour 1: Tuscany: Sunday, June 07 - Thursday, June 18, 2026 -> 12 days - 11nights (I do this tour together with Giuseppe Lauria, a winejournalist from Frankfurt, former editor of the wine magazine “Weinwisser”. He is a German / Italian, speaks the language and knows Tuscany like the back of his hand). We will explore the 5 core regions of Tuscany: Chianti, Chianti Classico, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Bolgheri. We stay 4 nights in a beautiful winery with an exquisite restaurant in Chianti Classico, move then for 4 nights to a top winery accommodation in Montalcino and will spend the last 3 nights in a beach resort on the Tuscan coast in the Bolgheri area.
Invitation
2024, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Poggio Alloro, DOCG
No reservations are required. You just show up (with US$35).
🌿 Key Grapes of Tuscany
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Sangiovese – the king of Tuscan grapes, forming the backbone of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and many “Super Tuscans.”
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Canaiolo – often blended with Sangiovese in Chianti.
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Colorino – a local grape used for depth of color.
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International varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah are widely used in modern blends (especially in Super Tuscans).
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White grapes – Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
🍷 Major Tuscan Wine Regions & Styles
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Chianti & Chianti Classico
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Centered between Florence and Siena.
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Must contain a high percentage of Sangiovese (minimum 70–80%, depending on regulations).
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Flavor: bright cherry, violet, herbal, earthy, with lively acidity.
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Brunello di Montalcino (DOCG)
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100% Sangiovese (locally called Sangiovese Grosso).
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Aged for at least 4 years (5 for Riserva).
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Powerful, structured, long-lived wines with dark fruit, leather, spice.
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Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (DOCG)
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Made primarily from Sangiovese (locally Prugnolo Gentile).
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Elegant and slightly softer than Brunello.
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Super Tuscans
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Began in the 1970s when winemakers broke free from strict DOC rules.
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Blends often include Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
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Famous names: Sassicaia, Tignanello, Ornellaia.
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Classified under Toscana IGT.
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Vernaccia di San Gimignano (DOCG)
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Crisp, dry white wine with citrus and almond notes.
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Tuscany’s first white wine to gain DOCG status.
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Other Notables
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Morellino di Scansano (DOCG) – coastal Sangiovese with a softer, juicier style.
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Bolgheri – home of many famous Super Tuscans.
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Vin Santo – traditional dessert wine, often paired with cantucci (almond biscuits).
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🥘 Food Pairings
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Chianti Classico → pasta with tomato-based sauces, grilled meats.
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Brunello di Montalcino → game, aged Pecorino, hearty stews.
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Super Tuscans → steak (especially the Florentine bistecca alla fiorentina).
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Vernaccia → seafood, light pasta, fresh cheeses.
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Vin Santo → almond biscotti, blue cheese, foie gras.
🌍 Tuscan Wine Personality
Tuscany’s wines reflect its landscape: rustic yet refined, with a balance of acidity, tannin, and terroir-driven flavors. Whether it’s a humble Chianti for everyday enjoyment or a world-class Brunello meant for decades of aging, Tuscan wines capture a sense of place rooted in centuries of tradition and innovation.
Full House
Handouts
Tasting
2024, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Poggio Alloro, DOCG
Bye-bye
Second Stop: Bolgheri (Tuscany)
This was an organized group tour, led by wine journalist Giuseppe Lauria.
Relais di Biserno
We stayed 4 nights at Relais di Biserno, which is part of Tenuta di Biserno.
Day 1 in Bolgheri
We drove from Lake Como du Bolgheri, checked in, relaxed at the pool and had dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci.
Dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci
Day 2 in Bolgheri
Breakfast at Relais di Biserno
Tenuta Argentiera
The flagship Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore is a blend typically of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a small portion of Cabernet Franc.
Ventaglio wine-searcher average price: Euro 315
Winery tour and tasting.
Osteria Magona
Michelin: Amidst vineyards and the renowned cypress avenue, Osteria Magona is a must-visit for meat enthusiasts and Tuscan regional cuisine aficionados. Impeccable are the famous soups, from ribollita to pappa al pomodoro, alongside gnudi and fresh pastas. The wine list offers ample room to various Bolgheri labels.
We run into Marco Balsimelli, the new Production Director of Ornellaia and Masseto, following the departure of Axel Heinz.
La Macchiole was founded in 1983 by a young couple, Eugenio Campolmi and Cinzia Merli. They released their first vintage in 1987, with the first release of the flagship Paleo released in 1989.
At the time, Paleo was a Bordeaux blend, but in the 1990s, La Macchiole began to move toward making varietal wines. Campolmi passed away in 2002, and the estate has been run by Merli since.
Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting.
Tenuta San Guido is much better known by the name of its most famous wine – Sassicaia. It is located in the Tuscan region of Maremma, and is has its own single-estate DOC appellation (Bolgheri Sassicaia) applied to its flagship label.
Sassicaia, one of the original Super Tuscan wines, is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. It is known for its supple texture, elegance and perfume.
Lunch at Enoteca San Guido
Ornellaia
Ornellaia is one of the foremost producers in the Bolgheri appellation on the coast of Tuscany. It is particularly known for making one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines, which shares the same name.
This Bordeaux-style blend is one of the original Super Tuscans. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The company was founded in 1981 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, with the first vintage in 1985. From 2002 to 2005 the estate was co-owned by Robert Mondavi and Marchesi De Frescobaldi but, since 2005 Frescobaldi has owned it outright, along with the now separate estate Masseto.
Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting.
Day 4 in Bolgheri
Lunch at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci
7- course Dinner on a Long Table in the Streets of Bolgheri
La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante
La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante is part of the Rignana complex. It is a wonderful restaurant with a breathtaking view. We had dinner twice there (and would have had dinner three times there, but they close on Tuesdays).
Day 2 in Chianti Classico
Greve
Barone Ricasoli
Villa de' Ricci Rignana/ Fattoria di Rignana
La Cantinetta di Rignana Ristaurante
Day 3 in Chianti Classico
The Antinori family has been making wine since 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild. The cutting edge Antinori nel Chianti Classico Winery in the Tuscan heartland opened in 2012 after 7 years of construction. Using locally sourced materials, it blends into the landscape both visually and environmentally: surrounded by olive groves and oak trees, its roof covered in vineyards, the building appears as two graceful slits in the hillside; within, gravity-flow vinification and naturally cool cellars reduce energy consumption. It forms the headquarters of Marchesi Antinori.
Isole e Olena
Fattoria Nittardi
Badia a Passignano
Dinner at Locanda di Poggio al Sole
Fourth Stop: (Brunello di) Montalcino and (Vino Nobile di) Montepulciano
Altesino
Ristorante Sala dei Grappoli and Chef Dominico Francone (1 Star Michelin)
Pieve di Santa Restituta (Angelo Gaja)
Dinner in Montalcino at La Sosta Bistrot and Wine Bar
Day 2
Poliziano
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Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
Lake Como
Bolgheri
Dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Winery Tour and Tasting at Tenuta Argentiera, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Florentine Steak - Dario Cecchini Selection - for Lunch at Osteria Magona in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Running into Marco Balsimelli, Production Director, Ornellaia and Masseto, at Osteria Magona, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at La Macchiole, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Visiting Vigna Lodovico and Tasting Lodovico Antinori's Cult Wines Lodovico and Il Nicchio with his Assistant at Locanda dell' Aioncino - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Dinner at Locanda dell' Aioncino, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno and Staying at Relais di Biserno, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia): Barrel Cellar Tour and Tasting - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Bistecca alla Fiorentina for Lunch at Osteria Enoteca San Guido (Sassicaia), Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Dinner at La Pineta, with Chef/ Co-owner Daniele Zazzeri, a Michelin Starred Seafood Restaurant, at Marina die Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Grattamacco, a Benchmark Producer in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
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