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Tuscany’s Maremma: Scenes from the Coast
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jul 2026
The Tuscan Maremma is home to some of Italy’s most iconic estates and wines, showing what is possible in a region that was once marshland. These labels have garnered considerable critical acclaim over the years and become favorites with consumers around the world. And yet within the context of fine wine, Maremma is a very young region. Only a small handful of estates are in their third generation, and virtually all others are much younger. My most recent round of tastings revealed a region in the middle of a radical transformation.
Cellar Favorite: 1983 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello
Italy: Tuscany, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2026
The 1983 Tignanello, tasted from double magnum, is splendid and fully mature with a rustic charm.
Cellar Favorite: 2016 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve
Italy: Tuscany, cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites
, Jul 2026
At ten years of age, the 2016 Flaccianello della Pieve is every bit as captivating as it has always been.
Remembering Franco Bernabei
Italy: Tuscany, featured, Vinous Remembers
, Jul 2026
The wine world lost a true giant when Franco Bernabei passed away at 73 years of age on July 2. Bernabei was one of the handful of consultants in the late 1970s and early 1980s who brought contemporary best practices in winemaking to Tuscany and helped catapult Italian wines onto the global stage. He was an avid proponent of the virtues of Sangiovese at a time when few believed in its potential.
Sassicaia from Magnum at Vinous Icons: Italy
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, May 2026
I have tasted Sassicaia from magnum a few times over the years. But never ten vintages at once. This vertical tasting of Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia, held at the inaugural edition of Vinous Icons: Italy, provided an incredible opportunity to do just that. The selection of vintages spanned many of the classics, with some lesser-known vintages sprinkled into the mix. And of course, in Vinous style, we finished with the 1985, the wine that put Sassicaia and Bolgheri on the map.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Credit Where Credit is Due
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, May 2026
Montepulciano is at a crossroads. The region has consistently raised the bar by improving standards, mapping its diverse terrain and distinguishing historical subzones. However, the vagaries of recent growing seasons have pushed winemakers, while a lingering identity crisis over naming conventions threatens to create uncertainties in the marketplace.
Tuscany’s Quintessential Underdogs
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Apr 2026
Step outside Tuscany’s famous DOCGs, and you’ll find that much of the region’s potential lies in its lesser-known appellations. My latest tastings revealed a quality revolution among smaller producers who are crafting wines of grace, structural depth and aging potential that rival Tuscany’s elite.
2026 Tuscany Preview
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Apr 2026
Spring is a time of renewal. Vines are awaking from their winter dormancy while new releases start appearing in the market at a rapid pace. This report looks at some of the year’s most anticipated releases, along with some newer projects, with an emphasis on the Tuscan Coast. Full coverage will follow later in the year.
Two Sides of the Same Coin: 2023 and 2024 Rosso di Montalcino
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Mar 2026
Montalcino’s 2023 and 2024 vintages are a study in extremes. Two thousand twenty-three brought severe yield reductions but wines of serious finesse. The elegant, energetic 2024s coincided with the first major expansion of Rosso di Montalcino production in decades. Together, the two vintages demonstrate that rigorous selection and progressive cellar management are the only paths to success in challenging growing seasons.
Rocca di Montegrossi: Act Two
Verticals & Retrospectives, Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Feb 2026
This recent vertical was a terrific opportunity to revisit a number of older wines, essentially picking up where my 2018 article, “Rocca di Montegrossi: Chianti Classico Vigneto San Marcellino 1995–2013,” left off. From his first vintage in 1995, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi has crafted powerful yet elegant wines that capture the truest essence of this very special part of Chianti Classico.