A wagon full of traditional Tuscan demigiana ( courtesy Keith Levit )
locals by shopping for lunch at the Co-op in Siena . No , do not just live on the skinny : treat yourself to a memorable meal . Si , ensure you visit great wineries , or taste some iconic Tuscan wines . No , do not avoid regional , everyday wines offered at local places .
One could spend weeks in Tuscany and barely scratch the surface . But a few moments of being there is enough to fall in love .
Sampling Tuscan wine is experiencing an art form of the highest order . Wine is produced in every small corner , from the coast to the Apennine slopes . From this canvas , grape growers and winemakers offer an array of impressive wine styles . At its heart are the ancient hills between Florence and Siena , a rolling landscape of vineyards , villas , cypress trees , and olives .
In the wine bars of Castellina in Chianti , one of the anchors of Chianti Classico , many owners know their winemakers as well as their wines . A modern wine tasting here can be enjoyed at a stand-up bar on a small street , protected by the town ’ s medieval fortified walls . Stop to shop , taste wine , and shop some more at wine bar and boutique Enoteca Le Volte di Olmastroni Alessandro ( at 12 , Via Ferruccio ).
A scenic drive south of Castellina is Montalcino . The town sits atop a hill , its stone walls majestically dominating the landscape that
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