Where to drink by the glass in Tuscany: natural, classical and grower-focused lists worth the detour.
Where to drink by the glass in Tuscany: natural, classical and grower-focused lists worth the detour.
Tiny Santo Spirito wine bar in a former cellar, sister venue to Il Santo Bevitore next door. Tuscan-favoured list with small artisan producers; standing-room counter and a handful of bar stools.
The list: 200 mostly Tuscan labels with rotating six reds and six whites by the glass, sourced from small under-the-radar producers; complimentary snack with each pour
Pours: Chianti Classico, Sangiovese Toscana IGT, Bolgheri Superiore
Wine shop and bar facing the Pitti Palace, focused on small-production handcrafted Tuscan wines. Tasting menus engineered around the bottle list; dinner service runs to 22:30.
The list: Hand-selected small-production Tuscan-led list with high-end vertical verticals available; structured tasting menus pair courses with wine across all price tiers
Pours: Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Bolgheri Superiore
Behind the San Lorenzo market under a colonnade, this 19th-century enoteca is run by the Migliorini family in its fourth generation. Wine by the glass alongside crostini and made-to-order panini.
The list: Florence's oldest operating wine shop with 25 bottles open daily; Tuscan-heavy by-the-glass list rotating with seasonal selections from grower producers
Pours: Chianti Rufina, Tuscan house wine carafe, Vin Santo del Chianti
Inside the 13th-century Palazzo Concini with multiple floors including a Renaissance courtyard. Ranked 22 on World's 50 Best Bars 2025; sommelier-led pairings alongside cocktail bar programme.
The list: Sommelier-prescribed pairing programme with deep Tuscan verticals plus international cellar; bar manager Fabio Fanni leads a parallel low-waste cocktail menu
Pours: Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Chianti Classico Riserva, Super Tuscan IGT
Run by Marco Capitoni since 1985 in the heart of Montalcino, with vaulted cellar tasting rooms below the shop. Pairings of Brunello with sliced pici, cinghiale and pecorino di Pienza.
The list: Brunello-specialist list with 200+ labels covering every producer in the consortium; verticals available by reservation and food-pairing platters from Tuscan producers
Pours: Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Wine bistrot on the historic centre's edge with a Vino Nobile-focused list across the consortium. Producer-led tastings and structured vertical flights in the vaulted cellar below.
The list: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano-led list of 150 labels with comprehensive vintage depth; producer flights weekly; food-friendly bistrot adjacent
Pours: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, Rosso di Montepulciano, Vin Santo di Montepulciano
Long-running San Niccolo enoteca with a 650-label cellar leaning hard on Tuscan classics. Crostoni and pasta plates designed to anchor the by-the-glass menu; terrace below the medieval gate.
The list: 650-bottle Tuscan-anchored list with deep verticals of Brunello, Chianti Classico and Bolgheri; sommelier rotation of 30 by-the-glass selections
Pours: Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri Superiore, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
San Frediano neighbourhood wine bar with marble counter and barrel-table seating. Famed for its house carafe Chianti and a deeper bottle list curated by the Latini family.
The list: Tuscan-anchored 200-label list with rotating producer tastings; classic by-the-glass programme of Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile
Pours: Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Vermentino di Maremma
A Siena institution off Piazza del Campo with vaulted cellar seating and a long marble pouring counter. Producer flights every Friday; pairing boards from Tuscan cured meats and pecorino.
The list: 300-label Tuscan list with vertical depth in Chianti Classico, Brunello and Vino Nobile; sommelier-led producer flights weekly
Pours: Chianti Colli Senesi, Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese Toscana IGT
The village wine bar of Bolgheri, established 1965 just off the Cypress Avenue. Full Bolgheri DOC roster on bottle and a long-standing relationship with the founding producers of the appellation.
The list: Bolgheri-specialist list with the full classified producer roster including Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Masseto, Le Macchiole and Grattamacco; vertical flights by reservation
Pours: Bolgheri Superiore DOC, Sassicaia, Toscana IGT
Tasting bar on Greve's central piazza specialising in producers from the Greve and Panzano sub-zones. Sommelier-curated flights match Chianti Classico tiers with classic Tuscan pairing plates.
The list: Chianti Classico-led list of 250 producers with by-the-glass selections across Greve and Panzano area estates; tasting flights of 3 to 6 wines
Pours: Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Sangiovese di Greve, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico
San Gimignano wine bar focused on Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG and the surrounding red appellations. Vaulted cellar room with a structured glass and bottle programme.
The list: Vernaccia-specialist list with full DOCG producer roster plus San Gimignano Rosso and Toscana IGT; flights of Vernaccia from different sub-zones available
Pours: Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, San Gimignano Rosso DOC, Vin Santo San Gimignano
Peak wine-travel season in Tuscany is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Tuscany rewards trust.