Like Chianti? Consider the Other Wines from Tuscany

If you love Chianti, explore Tuscany’s other great red wines—from Brunello di Montalcino and Montepulciano to Bolgheri and Super Tuscans—for deeper structure, broader styles, and exceptional value.

Highlights:

• Brunello di Montalcino and Montepulciano showcase Sangiovese beyond Chianti, offering greater depth, aging potential, and polished tannins.
• Bolgheri and Toscana IGT wines highlight Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, delivering structured, Bordeaux-inspired Tuscan reds.
• From everyday Montepulciano Rosso to collectible Super Tuscans, Tuscany’s diverse appellations reward Chianti drinkers ready to explore more Italian red wine.

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Chianti remains Tuscany’s global calling card. Its bright cherry fruit, savory acidity, and food-first character have anchored Italian wine lists for generations. Yet Tuscany extends far beyond Chianti Classico, as you will discover in Bottle Barn’s online wine collection. Over the past fifty years, producers across the region have expanded both stylistic range and grape choices, drawing on native varieties like Sangiovese as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. For Bottle Barn shoppers who enjoy Chianti, Tuscany’s other appellations offer familiar structure with deeper power, polish, and complexity.

More Sangiovese: Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino stands as Tuscany’s most prestigious Sangiovese-based wine. Produced exclusively from a local Sangiovese clone known as Brunello, these wines emphasize concentration, firm tannins, and long aging potential. Brunello trades Chianti’s brightness for depth, offering dark cherry, dried herbs, leather, and earth over a powerful frame. 2017 Franco Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino ($67.99) captures this balance beautifully, pairing muscular structure with aromatic precision. For Chianti lovers who appreciate seriousness and longevity, Brunello delivers a natural next step.

Delicious Montepulciano

Montepulciano offers another Sangiovese-driven expression, though here the grape appears as Prugnolo Gentile. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano tends to feel softer and more approachable than Brunello, with red fruit, spice, and rounded tannins. Bottlings labeled Rosso di Montepulciano deliver exceptional everyday value, as seen in 2022 Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano ($16.99), a wine that balances freshness and depth while remaining effortlessly drinkable.

Have you Heard of Bolgheri?

Along the Tuscan coast, the rise of Bolgheri reshaped the region’s reputation. Influenced by Bordeaux varieties and maritime breezes, Bolgheri wines emphasize structure, ripeness, and polish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc dominate, producing dark-fruited wines with graphite, cassis, and Mediterranean herbs. 2020 Argentiera Villa Donoratico Bolgheri Rosso ($44.99) exemplifies the style, combining elegance and power at a price that still feels grounded. These wines appeal to Chianti fans who enjoy firmer tannins and international flair.

Other Tuscan Wines

The broader Toscana IGT category provides producers freedom to blend grapes and styles without appellation constraints. Many of Tuscany’s most iconic wines fall here. 2022 Antinori Tignanello ($164.99) helped define the “Super Tuscan” movement, blending Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to create a wine of both tradition and modern refinement. 2022 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno Toscana ($80.99) leans more decisively into Bordeaux varieties, offering concentration, depth, and age-worthiness that rival top Left Bank wines.

Not all Toscana IGT wines chase power. 2021 Tolaini Al Passo Toscana ($22.99) balances Merlot’s plush texture with Sangiovese’s acidity, delivering exceptional value and versatility. 2021 Montevertine Rosso di Toscana ($89.99), by contrast, reflects a purist philosophy rooted in Sangiovese. Long admired for its restraint and transparency, Montevertine appeals to Chianti traditionalists who value elegance over extraction.

Southern Tuscany deserves equal attention. The Maremma, once better known for cattle than vineyards, now produces some of the region’s most compelling wines. Warmer temperatures and coastal influence yield generous fruit supported by freshness. 2017 Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Valente ($38.99) showcases Sangiovese’s darker side, with ripe plum, spice, and mineral depth, proving that southern Tuscany can deliver both power and finesse.

Collector Wines

For collectors seeking something truly singular when they buy wine online, Tuscany also offers cult bottlings that defy easy categorization. 2018 Il Carnasciale Caberlot 1.5L ($399.00) blends Cabernet Franc and Merlot in a style that feels both wild and precise, producing a wine of remarkable intensity and longevity. While far removed from everyday Chianti, it underscores the region’s creative breadth.

Tuscany rewards curiosity. Whether you gravitate toward the purity of Brunello, the coastal polish of Bolgheri, the innovation of Super Tuscans, or the value-driven wines of Montepulciano and Maremma, the region offers countless paths beyond Chianti. Each appellation builds on the same foundation of food-friendly acidity and respect for place, while expressing it through different grapes, climates, and philosophies.

If you already love Chianti, exploring Tuscany’s wider landscape in the online wine store feels less like a leap and more like a natural progression. Bottle Barn’s selection makes it easy to discover how diverse, expressive, and compelling Tuscan red wine can be.

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