Chianti Classico wineries

With a few rather industrial exceptions (Villa Banfi springs to mind), most Chianti vineyards are small operations where you can taste the wines made on the estate if someone is available. During the grape harvest, the vendemmia, for example, very likely no one will be available. The aim of visiting these smaller wineries is to discover a local Chianti Classico that really appeals to you. Normally, they will have one or two years of Chianti Classico, maybe an IGT, a vinsanto and their olive oil. Sergio Ballini's Podere San Cresci is a typical example of a small winery producing excellent wines who will offer a tasting when he can. Some wineries have quite nice tasting rooms and some even offer a brief tour of the cellars - sometimes free, sometimes you have to pay. "Terre di Melazzano" has its sales point actually at the property.

If you are staying at a Tuscan agriturismo, always ask about their wine production and whether you can have a look around the cellars. This is the way to see the real thing. Here are some recommendations for vacation rentals at Chianti Classico properties that produce wine and/or olive oil: Agriturismi in Chianti.

The alternative to this rather hit and miss approach is to visit one of the huge wineries that offer scheduled tours in the Napa Valley style. These are informative for those who don't know much about wine production and have never seen a winery cellar before, but are not really suited to oenophiles looking for a good buy. They seem to cater to tour buses and the price of a tour is fairly high.