Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Sunday Greetings (Feb. 22, 2026) from ombiasy WineTours/ Annette Schiller - Focus Today: I am talking about Tuscany (June 8 -18, 2026)!







 
Dear wine friends,
 
after weeks of being buried in snow and awaiting another cold and snow spell at the North-East US shore, just let us think about a beautiful, warm, romantic region where gorgeous wines are made, where great food is ubiquitous, and where the dreamlike landscape captivates everyone.
 
I am talking about Tuscany!

It is here in the forever medieval hills of Tuscany where you find the greatest concentration of ambitious, dedicated winemaking in all of Italy. Tuscan people have a deep understanding of their region’s history and there is an intangible heritage of habits, food, consciousness despite implementing modern ways. Wine has been produced here for more than 3000 years, first by the Etruscans, followed by the Romans, the Medici, in medieval times by the noble families: the Marchesi Antinori, Barone Ricasoli, Marchesi di Frescobaldi, who are even older than the Medici and who have not died out. These three noble families are protagonists in today’s modern cultural life and a driving force in modern, high quality winemaking, as their ancestors were during the Renaissance. 

The late 1960s and 1970s saw a resurgence of quality consciousness. The Sangiovese grape is the backbone of winemaking here. The quality of wines produced with Sangiovese depends heavily on the exposure, and particularly on the attitude at which the vines are planted and on the careful use of French barriques and other varieties of oak and the size of the oak barrels. The late 1960s also saw the introduction of a classification system to enforce quality control and as guidance for the consumer. Currently there are 26 appellations with 11 DOCG and 41 DOC. In the 1980s winemakers embraced the idea of adding Cabernet-Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet-Franc, and Petit-Verdot to the Sangiovese in order to make the wines softer on the palate and for easier understanding for non-Italian consumers. Hence the “Super Tuscan” was born. These wines did not fit into any DOC or DOCG classification and were labeled as Vino di Tavola. In 1994 the Bogheri DOC was created to do justice to these “Super Tuscans”.  

I invite you to see for yourself how incredibly gorgeous and interesting Tuscany is. Join me on a 11 day wine tour through the most prominent appellations in Tuscany: Chianti Classico, Brunello Di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montalcino, Bolgheri. We will indulge in this rural, yet enchanting landscape, savoring the famous Bistecci Fiorentina, tasting fantastic wines and very prominent wineries, and enjoying camaraderie and the warm hospitality and generosity of the Tuscan people.
 
I would like to introduce you to the “real” Italien feel and because I do not master the Italian language, I teamed up with a prominent European wine critic, a friend of mine for years, and a native Italian, Giuseppe Lauria. 
 
 
Do not hesitate to send me an email for any questions you may have. Also: I am more than happy to send you the itinerary of this tour. Please note: there are no single rooms available anymore on this tour! 

I wish you a great Sunday afternoon and a good start into the next week.

Ciao e cordiali saluti della Virgina
 
Annette

WINE EDUCATION ///  WINE TOURS
Annette Schiller, Diplom-Volkswirt
Professional Member and Wine Educator 
American Wine Society AWS
German Wine Society, Capital Chapter
ombiasy PR, LLC
Washington DC - Frankfurt am Main
T: +1 (703) 459.7513
T: + 49  177.337.0281
aschiller@ombiasypr.com
web: ombiasypr.com
blog: schiller-wine.blogspot.com
 
Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025 
 











 
From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car. For an overview, go to:  Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
 
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