FREE KERBSIDE PICKUP @ HONGKONG STREET

ORDERS ABOVE $200 FREE ECO DELIVERY, ELSE $4.99 ISLANDWIDE.

EXPRESS 2 HOUR DELIVERY ADD $10

5 Unforgettable Vineyards to Visit in Italy (By Region)

5 Unforgettable Vineyards to Visit in Italy (By Region)

Ops Role |

Italy's wine regions are as varied as its regional cooking — Renaissance-era cellars in Chianti, fog-draped Nebbiolo hills in Piedmont, volcanic vineyards on the slopes of an active volcano in Sicily. Here's one estate worth building a trip around from five of Italy's defining wine regions, each with a link to book directly.

1. Antinori nel Chianti Classico — Tuscany

The Antinori family has been making wine in Tuscany since 1385, and their current flagship winery, opened in 2012 near San Casciano Val di Pesa, is one of the most architecturally striking estates in the country — built into the hillside so the vineyards continue right over the top of the building's roof. Tours run through the production areas, barrel and bottle cellars, and a rooftop restaurant, Rinuccio 1180, with sweeping views over the Chianti countryside. The Bottaia Tour, the estate's signature two-hour experience, includes a tasting of four wines in a striking suspended glass tasting room and covers over six centuries of family history. Book well ahead — mid-week dates in the shoulder season are the easiest to secure, and walk-ins are rarely accommodated between April and October.

2. Castello Banfi — Montalcino, Tuscany

South of Siena, Castello Banfi is less a single winery than an entire winemaking village: a medieval fortress, a glass museum, a balsamic vinegar cellar, and a Michelin-starred restaurant, all built around the production of Brunello di Montalcino — Tuscany's most prestigious Sangiovese wine. The estate is one of the pioneers credited with elevating Montalcino's global reputation, and its public tours range from a straightforward cellar visit with tasting to the more in-depth "Discovering Excellence" experience, which covers vineyards, cellar, and an extended tasting flight. A car is required to get between the castle and the winery itself, about 4km apart, so factor that into your visit.

Worth the detour: If your Tuscany route passes near the coast, Bolgheri — home of Sassicaia and the Super Tuscan movement — is worth a stop even though its most famous estate, Tenuta San Guido, doesn't offer public tours. The Viale dei Cipressi, the 5km cypress-lined avenue leading into the village, is one of the most photographed roads in Italy and was immortalised in Giosuè Carducci's 1874 poem Davanti San Guido. Pair the drive with a tasting at the estate's own restaurant, Osteria Enoteca San Guido, or one of Bolgheri's other visitable wineries, like Le Macchiole or Ornellaia.

3. Marchesi di Barolo — Barolo, Piedmont

Sitting right in the town of Barolo itself, in the heart of the Langhe hills, Marchesi di Barolo has a genuine claim to history: the estate is credited with helping create the modern style of Barolo wine over 200 years ago, transforming what was then a sweet regional wine into the dry, age-worthy "King of Wines" the appellation is known for today. Tours run through the historic cellars — some of the oldest barrels in the region are on display — followed by a tasting, with the option to extend into a full multi-course Piedmontese lunch pairing four wines with four courses. Parking is limited right by the property, so plan for a short walk from a nearby lot.

4. Bisol1542 — Valdobbiadene, Veneto

For Prosecco done properly rather than as an afterthought, Bisol1542 has been farming the steep "heroic" hillsides of Valdobbiadene — a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled between the Dolomites and Venice — since 1542, making it one of the oldest continuously operating estates in the Prosecco Superiore denomination. The winery holds prized parcels in the Cartizze subzone, considered the finest terroir for sparkling Glera in the world. Tastings range from a straightforward four-glass flight through the denomination's range up to a deeper six-cru comparison tasting, held in a cellar dating to the late 19th century. It's an easy day trip from Venice, and a good pairing with the region's hill towns.

5. Planeta (Sciaranuova) — Mount Etna, Sicily

Sicily's most internationally recognised wine name, Planeta now farms five distinct territories across the island, but its Etna outpost at Sciaranuova is the most dramatic: vineyards planted directly on lava flow from a 1614 eruption, on the slopes of Europe's highest active volcano. The estate's Etna wines — whites from Carricante, reds from Nerello Mascalese — have played a significant role in putting the region on the international wine map over the last two decades. Visits typically combine a walk through the vineyard amphitheatre with a tasting and, in summer, the estate hosts an open-air theatre festival among the vines.

Planning tips

  • Book ahead, especially in Tuscany and Piedmont — the well-known estates fill up fast in peak season (April–October), and some, like Antinori, rarely take walk-ins at all.
  • A car genuinely helps in Tuscany, Piedmont, and Sicily, where estates are spread across hill country rather than clustered in a walkable town; Valdobbiadene is more compact and doable as a day trip from Venice.
  • Harvest season (September) is atmospheric everywhere, but each region's tasting rooms operate year-round.
  • Group by region rather than trying to combine them — Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, and Sicily are each a multi-day trip on their own, and the driving distances between them are longer than they look on a map of Italy.
Back to top