To many, thanks to media hype and too many Frances Mayes books, Tuscany is Italy; and by extension Italian wine begins and ends with Tuscany. Certainly, for many of us (of a certain age), our first exposure to Italy's vinous bounty was a dubious-at-best encounter, namely the cheap Chianti shipped to pizza parlors everywhere in straw-covered fiaschi.

The Tuscan wine scene has come a long way since then, with tremendous investment of both human capital (a dynamic young generation   More

To many, thanks to media hype and too many Frances Mayes books, Tuscany is Italy; and by extension Italian wine begins and ends with Tuscany. Certainly, for many of us (of a certain age), our first exposure to Italy's vinous bounty was a dubious-at-best encounter, namely the cheap Chianti shipped to pizza parlors everywhere in straw-covered fiaschi.

The Tuscan wine scene has come a long way since then, with tremendous investment of both human capital (a dynamic young generation breathing new life into formerly run-down family estates) and financial resources (think rich Swiss and retired Milanese bankers). Just as important, the borders of what constitutes Tuscan "wine country" have expanded into areas such as the Maremma along the coast, and in many cases the wines emerging from these regions have been nothing less than stunning.

Sangiovese is the workhouse grape of Tuscany. In concert with a couple of other varieties, it forms the base of Chianti and its sub-variants (Chianti Classico, Chianti Rufina, etc.) as well as Carmignano. On its own, it is responsible for Brunello di Montalcino (and Rosso di Montalcino), Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (and Rosso di Montepulciano), and Morellino di Scansano. Nevertheless, inroads have been made by other grapes, most notably the Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and Syrah.   Less