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Tuscany is the place to taste.

© Audra Ligumsky

I am back from my trip to Tuscany and I must share with you the great wines I found! You don't need to go on a wine tour to find good wine from Tuscany, you just need a healthy appetite. You will find the great wines from the area in the restaurants. My friends and I found a wonderful place in Lucca called ALL' OLIVE Restaurant that offered exceptional meals and a great wine list. We started our wine tasting by asking the owner to recommend his best and favorite wines of the area. Getting the help of a restauranteur is always a good start. Here is a list and some information of wine we found to be delicious.

Gaja, Barbaresco. Sori Tildin. This is a excellent wine for someone with deep pockets. The wine is produced in Piedmont and made from the Nebbiolo grape variety. Try to get your hands on a 1989, 1990, or 1993. Even these recent years might be hard to find, but well worth the search. A excellent full bodied wine for a collector's cellar.

Ornellaia, Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderful wine that has taken the fast track to becoming one of the top producers in Bolgheri. I recommend acquiring a 1986, 1988, or 1990. Don't worry if you don't get the recommended year, I drank a 1993 and loved it.

Solaia, Marchese Antinori. This wine is a beautiful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. I recommend the 1988 or 1990. I liked it strong fruit and oak so much I brought two bottles home with me and put them in my cellar.

Sassicaia, Cabernet Sauvignon. Cousin to the Solaia vineyard. Has been referred to as Italy's most prestigious red wine. If you have a cellar you should also have a Sassicaia. The wine contains a full berry flavour with a hint of cassis and oak. The highly rated vintages you can try to acquire are 1988 and 1990. If you do find one buy it they are very rare in the market place today.

Don't be discouraged if the wines I have listed have a vino da tavola (table wine) listing on the bottle. Many Italian producers choose not to register for a higher rating because it allows them to produce wine with full control over viticulture and vinification without having government regulations imposed on the vineyard.