Considered one of the oldest wine regions in the world, Tuscany's winemaking tradition was formed over 3,000 years ago when the Etruscans cultivated vines and made wine. Tuscany is a culturally and agriculturally wealthy region of incomparable beauty, located in west-central Italy, north of Rome. Triangular in shape, Tuscany is bounded on the north by the Emiliano Appennino mountain range, on the southeast by the provinces of Umbria and Latium, and on the southwest by the Mediterranean Sea. Two thirds of the territory is covered by steep hills and valleys.
Tuscany benefits from mild winters and warm summers with relatively high sunshine hours and low risk of frost in low altitudes during Spring. It receives an average annual rainfall of 25 inches (approximately 625 millimetres). Its soils range from limestone and sandstone to clay and sand. The soil depth varies from hilltops to river valleys and the shale, slate and massive limestone subsoils offer moderately good drainage where topsoil exists. The soil fertility varies across the region - generally increasing with depth. Many vineyards have been established on steep slopes resulting in variations in the soil depth water holding capacity and some areas prone to erosion.
Tuscany is famed for its Chianti, a strong and bold red wine. One of the grapes (Canaiolo Nero) used to make Chianti predates the Roman civilization and was once known as the "Etruscan grape". Chianti was first formally identified as a type in the 13th century. Its primary red grapes are Sangiovese and Canaiolo, while the main whites are Trebbiano and Malvasia.
The Chianti district in Tuscany stretches from Florence in the north to Siena in the south, and from the Mediterranean to just west of Arezzo. The Chianti appellation has seven sub zones, including Chianti Classico, which is its largest zone. In the Chianti Classico region, which was initially defined in 1716, fruit must be produced on site and cannot be purchased from elsewhere. In addition to Sangiovese, the region is known for Merlot, Cabernet and Colorino varieties.
