Wine in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany

Avignonesi ★ 4.8

Montepulciano estate acquired by Belgian shipowner Virginie Saverys in 2009 and converted to Demeter-certified biodynamics. The Occhio di Pernice Vin Santo from Sangiovese remains a benchmark of the style.

Tasting: Cellar tours, Vin Santo vinsantaia tastings and estate lunches by reservation; certified biodynamic by Demeter.

Signature wines: Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Avignonesi Grandi Annate Vino Nobile Riserva, Avignonesi Occhio di Pernice Vin Santo, Avignonesi Capannelle 50 and 50

Scores: Vinous 95 (2017)

Salcheto ★ 4.6

Off-grid solar-powered cellar at Montepulciano, certified organic by CCPB. Salco Evoluzione is the Riserva flagship; the estate publishes a carbon-footprint declaration on every label.

Tasting: Tours of the off-grid energy-independent cellar, tastings and a restaurant overlooking Montepulciano; certified organic.

Signature wines: Salcheto Salco Evoluzione Vino Nobile Riserva, Salcheto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Salcheto Rosso di Montepulciano

Scores: Wine Advocate 94 (2017), Vinous 93 (2018)

Locanda San Francesco Enoteca ★ 4.3

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

Anteprima del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ★ 4.6

A record 57 producers pour Vino Nobile annata, Riserva and the newly introduced Pieve sub-zone tier inside the Fortezza di Montepulciano. Two press days precede the public tasting and assign vintage stars.

Tip: Combine the Anteprima with a walk through the Cantina Contucci and Cantina De Ricci, both carved into the medieval cellars beneath the town hall.

Distillerie Bonollo Torrita di Siena ★ 4.4

Bonollo's Tuscan flagship plant in Torrita di Siena, on the historic site of an ancient distillery rebuilt in 1976. Continuous and discontinuous alembics; pomace sourced from Brunello, Nobile and Chianti Classico estates.

Tasting: Distillery visits and tastings by appointment for groups; educational tours available

Avignonesi ★ 4.7

Owned since 2009 by Virginie Saverys. The estate completed organic certification in 2016 (Suolo e Salute) and biodynamic certification by Biodyvin in 2019. The Vino Nobile is now 100 percent biodynamic-and-organic Sangiovese, with Biodyvin and B Corp certifications.

Tip: Single-vineyard Pieve Vino Nobile bottlings (released 2024 onward) showcase the biodynamic farming village by village.

Salcheto ★ 4.6

Salcheto has been organically farmed since the late 1990s and fully certified organic and biodynamic since 2009. Carbon-neutral winery with a carbon-footprint-certified bottle of wine (ISO 14064, 2010).

Tip: Tour the off-grid cellar designed with gravity flow and natural light wells; tastings showcase the producer's no-added-sulfite Vino Nobile.

Avignonesi Vegan Society registered ★ 4.5

Avignonesi is registered with The Vegan Society and certified ISO 45001 by SGS; the estate's biodynamic-and-organic Vino Nobile carries vegan declarations on the technical sheets. The homepage lists Vegan among its certifications.

Tip: Verify on the bottle vintage by vintage; some single-vineyard cuvees outside the main Vino Nobile may not carry the same vegan declaration year to year.

Salcheto no-added-sulfite vinification ★ 4.6

Salcheto runs a no-added-sulfite vinification across its certified-organic-and-biodynamic Vino Nobile lineage; water waste is 100 percent recycled and the off-grid cellar runs on solar, geothermal and biomass energy.

Tip: The Salcheto Salco Vino Nobile bottling is the showcase no-added-sulfite Sangiovese; ask for the carbon-footprint passport at the cellar door.