Perched on a hilltop overlooking endless vineyards, this small medieval town of Montalcino has become synonymous with Brunello, one of Italy's most prestigious wines. But Montalcino is much more than Brunello...

If there's one Italian wine that regularly confuses wine lovers, it's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Surely it's made from the Montepulciano grape? Nope. In one of Italy's greatest wine-related plot twists, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is named after the town, not the grape variety. Instead, it's made primarily from Sangiovese, known locally by the beautiful name (though slightly ever more complicated) Prugnolo Gentile. Meanwhile, the Montepulciano grape is a completely differ

Some of Tuscany's greatest wines are famous. Others are simply waiting to be discovered. Most visitors to Tuscany have heard of Chianti Classico or Brunello di Montalcino. Fewer know about Carmignano. And yet, this small wine region, nestled among the hills west of Florence, can claim something extraordinary: it was one of the very first officially protected wine regions in the world. Long before the French classified Bordeaux or Burgundy, the Medici family had already recogn