The DOC sparkling wines of Toscana, Italy

As aptly described on tripadvisor.com, "The achingly beautiful Tuscany region of Italy is a touchstone of art, food, and culture. Made up of stunning countrysides and distinguished cities, Tuscany is the perfect escape for gastronomes, cognoscenti, and fans of the Italian Renaissance." The characteristic Tuscan landscape is a blend of gently rolling hills (66.5% of the region's 22,985 sq. km) leading to steep-peaked mountains (25%) and plains (8.5%).

But Tuscany is also a wine powerhouse, ranking sixth among Italian regions in overall wine production and third in terms of DOP wine production. It is renowned for its red wines with Sangiovese ruling the roost in Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano, and Bordeaux varietals prominent in the Maremma region (especially Bolgheri and Suvereto) as well as having some presence in Chianti and Montalcino.

Climate and soil composition in Tuscany is location-dependent. For example, Chianti-based producers operate in a continental climate with galestro and albarese soils while their coastal counterparts operate in temperate climates with stone- and rock-imbued clay soils.

Tuscany's focus on Sangiovese and red wines is reflected in the relative paucity of sparkling wines in the region. As shown in the following chart, a total of six DOCs offer approximately 11 labels to the market.

The Pomino DOC is Metodo-Classico-only. Four of the remaining sparkling DOCs are Charmat while sparkling wines made in the Maremma Toscana DOC could utilize either the Charmat or Metodo Classico processes.

The dominant variety used in these sparkling wines is Trebbiano Toscana; Pomino DOC (Metodo Classico) makes use of the classic Italian version of the Champagne varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero).

Toscana sparkling wines live in the deep, dark shadows of their red, still counterparts. There are no indications that this will change anytime soon.


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