Quaint wineries in Tuscany
 

My wife and I are looking to spend some time wine tasting in Tuscany. Is Chianti the best option...is it extremely touristy? Are they any small towns off the beaten path that are known for good wine tasting?

We stayed in Castillina in Chianti last summer. There are many small wineries and tasting rooms in the area, and we didn't find them touristy or crowded. You can just drive through the area, along all the backroads, and find little places to stop. We loved it just wandering along through the small villages, and stopping wherever we wanted.

Montalcino (south of Siena) has many (over 100) producers of Brunello which is one of the top wines in Italy.

tuscan coutryside is much less developed than california wine areas such as mendocino. Mantalcino would be a good base how rural would you like? It is also possible to stay on a olive farm or in a vineyard. Southern tuscany such as Mt.Amiata or st.antimo is very rural.

We enjoyed our visit to the Swiss-owned Dievole in the south end of the Chianti Classico region very much. The area is heavily touristed, but not touristy.

Cathy, where did you stay in Castellina in Chianti? We are renting a villa there in July and just wondered where you were.

You really can't go wrong in any of the Tuscan hill towns. We stayed in Gaiole in Chianti where there are several wineries. It is a beautiful town. We also visited Castellina, Greve and Radda which are nearby. They are also lovely. We did not find the wineries touristy or crowded. Generally they are smaller than California wineries and less dependent on tourist trade. At one winery in Gaiole, we had to sit in the driveway for a while until the owner returned from the fields to serve us. Enjoy!