I am planning a 7 day stay in Tuscany (Pisa-Florence-Siena triangle)with the intent of visiting various wineries while we are there. Are there any "wine trail" maps available for the Chianti region, similar to what is available for Napa and other popular U.S. wine regions? I found a posting online said the tourist bureau in Greve gave out such maps, but when I found what I think is their website I couldn't find any such resource.

If not, what is the best way locate some wineries other than by blind luck driving around? My web searching has come up with conflicted advice - some people write that they just drove to a winery and were welcomed, while others say making a reservation is a must.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Herb

Yes, I'm almost sure there's some sort of Chianti map, put out by the chianti producers - I'll see if I have something in my stack of literature......

RE: Wine trail map. The best resource I've found is the map provided by the Chianti Classico Consorzio---www.chianticlassico.com. Mine is dated 2004 and has been invaluable both as to the listings and locations of wineries but also as a map that includes small, graveled white roads into the interiors of the Chianti region. I received mine free of charge in the mail but believe it might be possible to pick one up at the headquarters listed on the website.

Your uncertainty as to calling ahead or not is understandable. My experience is that you can drop in on the major players but a call ahead is necessary for most everyone else. Be aware that you will likely be welcomed but don't expect Calif. style tasting rooms and presentations. Good luck.

If you click on this link you'll get a page about Chianti Classico. On this page is a link called "Chianti Classico producers" that will take you to a list of the wineries in the area. At the bottom of the page is a map of 'le strade del Gallo Nero'.

This link will give you info about all the wine regions of Tuscany.

Ah ha! my old mind is not completly feable. I remembered an old thread, 4 years ago where a chianti producer will sent a free map I searched and found it

Free chianti map RR

That's the map I was going to look for Robert - and now I remember how I got it! Before I looked for the map tho I just Googled "Chianti wine road" and came up with the links - having that map would be a big plus!

It will take a bit of work on your part to prepare a “wine road” for yourself. Here is a list of the top wines in Tuscany prepared by Gambero Rosso and Slow Food. You can google the names on the list starting with the geographical areas in which you are interested. Plus, you can search the names and wines/wineries with which you are familiar. Many will have web sites with address, including email and/or fax addresses.

As always, it is recommended to make reservations.

You can plot the itinerary with the help of Google maps.

At random I did a google search for Badia a Coltibuono plus some others and found their websites litle difficulty. All had a great deal of information:
www.coltibuono.com Also, www.collemassari.it (Grattamacco)--www.castellodiama.com--www.felsina.it --www.roccadicastagnoli.com Well, I guess you get the point.

Too, the October issue of the Wine Spectator features Italian wines, especially a piece discussing the wines of Tuscany. There is very good information in it to help you plan for visits to wineries.

TOSCANA
Amor Costante 2005 Brunelli - Le Chiuse di Sotto
Avvoltore 2006 Moris Farms
Bolgheri Rosso Sup. Grattamacco 2005 Grattamacco
Bolgheri Sassicaia 2005 Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sup. Argentiera 2005 Argentiera
Bolgheri Sup. Ornellaia 2005 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia
Brancaia Il Blu 2006 Brancaia
Brunello di Montalcino 2003 Biondi Santi
Caberlot 2005 Podere il Carnasciale
Cabreo Il Borgo 2006 Tenute Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari
Camartina 2005 Querciabella
Carmignano Villa di Capezzana 2005 Tenuta di Capezzana
Casalferro 2005 Barone Ricasoli
Cepparello 2005 Isole e Olena
Chianti Cl. 2006 Badia a Coltibuono
Chianti Cl. Castello di Ama 2005 Castello di Ama
Chianti Cl. Cortevecchia Ris. 2005 Fattoria le Corti
Chianti Cl. Il Margone Ris. 2005 Il Molino di Grace
Chianti Cl. Montegiachi Ris. 2005 Agricoltori del Chianti Geografico
Chianti Cl. Rancia Ris. 2005 Fattoria di Felsina
Chianti Cl. Ris. Ducale Oro 2004 Tenimenti Ruffino
Chianti Cl. Tenuta di Capraia Ris. 2005 Rocca di Castagnoli
Colline Lucchesi Tenuta di Valgiano 2005 Tenuta di Valgiano
Flaccianello della Pieve 2005 Tenuta Fontodi
Fontalloro 2005 Fattoria di Felsina
Galatrona 2006 Fattoria Petrolo
I Sodi di San Niccolò 2004 Castellare di Castellina
Il Carbonaione 2005 Podere Poggio Scalette
Il Corzano 2005 Fattoria Corzano e Paterno
Kepos 2006 Ampeleia
Livernano 2005 Livernano
Lupicaia 2005 Castello del Terriccio
Montecucco Sangiovese Lombrone Ris. 2004 Colle Massari
Mormoreto 2005 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi
Nambrot 2005 Tenuta di Ghizzano
Nobile di Montepulciano Asinone 2005 Poliziano
Nobile di Montepulciano Bossona Ris. 2004 Maria Caterina Dei
Nobile di Montepulciano Ris. 2004 La Calonica
Pietradonice 2005 Casanova di Neri
Poggiassai 2006 Poggio Bonelli
Pugnitello 2006 San Felice
Redigaffi 2006 Tua Rita
Rocca di Frassinello 2006 Rocca di Frassinello
Saffredi 2005 Fattoria Le Pupille
Sammarco 2005 Castello dei Rampolla
Siepi 2005 Castello di Fonterutoli
Tignanello 2005 Marchesi Antinori
Vignamaggio 2005 Villa Vignamaggio
Vin Santo 1996 Avignonesi


Peter

Thanks to all who replied - this information is TERRIFIC.

Herb

Re planning vs. just driving by- wine tourism is not as developed as it is in Napa or parts of France (hersay as I've not been to those parts of France just the Alps)

Visiting large wineries such as Badia a Coltibuono,Banfi etc. will be possible without appointment. But smaller wineries I would not count on it.
One of my favorite wineries is Fonterutoli In fact i've been to two of their properties for tastings
(maremma plus chianti).

I am going to a special wine dinner friday night with Francesco Mazzei and all of their top wines at the wine house here in L.A!. RR

Aound here, at least at the smaller wineries, they close (like everything else) for lunch between 1-4), so either call in advance or plan accordingly.

We ordered the free Chianti Classico map mentioned above for our trip to Chianti in 2007. The title on the front says "The Black Rooster Roads (Map of the Production Area)" and has a 10th edition date of February 2006. When we started planning our September 2009 return trip, I ordered it again hoping for the latest version. It never came. I ordered it again, a few months before we left. Still never came. When we were visiting Castellina in Chianti, I noticed that several of the shops were selling the map for 1 Euro, so they may have discontinued the practice of mailing it out free. I didn’t purchase one, as the one I had for 2006 seemed to be current. The map was invaluable to us, and we used it almost every day. It is definitely worth 1 Euro! It has all the roads (including the white roads) and vineyards on the map! It is a great tool, and I am glad I hung on to it.

Two other things about visiting wineries in the Chianti region that I'd like to mention are that many of them are not open on the week ends, especially on Sunday, and that taking a guided tour versus stopping at their cantina for a tasting can be very rewarding (allow about two hours). I especially enjoyed guided tours at Castello di Volpaia http://www.volpaia.it/sito/inglese/index.php (lunch before or after in the village would be lovely), http://www.vignamaggio.com/index-english.html, and http://www.verrazzano.com/en/index.php. While I haven't taken the wine cellar and garden tour at the Badia Coltibuono http://www.coltibuono.com/index.asp?lingua=_L2, I have enjoyed three excellent meals there. I think the wine cellar and garden tour there would be superb. The websites make it quite easy to arrange in advance for a guided tour.

The food and wine served at the wine cellar/garden tour at Villa Vignamaggio were very generous as well as delicious.

The wine making operation and olive oil production in the village of Volpaia is most surprising. Without a guide, you would never see it but you could taste the wine in the deconsecrated church which is where the wine is sold.

The Cortona wine producers website is here.

Just wanted to add (and hopefully this - my first ever Slow Trav post! - will be helpful) that I recently ordered the Chianti Classico map (Black Rooster Roads - Map of the Chianti Classico Wine Production Zone) after reading about it on this forum, and it arrived in less than two weeks!

Welcome to Slow Travel and to Slow Talk, fatamagistra! We are glad to have you on board, or rather sharing our trails!

Just another note on this map.....if it is still the same as the one we got from them in 2006, it was truly one of the best maps we had for our trip.

Of the 4 or 5 road maps we'd purchased, this was the only one that had all the white roads very clearly identified. It was the greatest thing during our stay in that area for exploring many places that we would not have found as the roads didn't exist on most regular road maps.

Enjoy your trip, it's a fantastic area.

Linda.

One suggestion. There is a wine shop (not my friend not my relative.....) in Bottai, right next to the Certosa exit. They have a fantastic selection and they will be very helpful in telling you some places to go...

sorry the mame is VINOTECA

http://www.vinotecaalchianti.it