Tuscan wineries

I did not find a general rule of thumb. Each winery has their own policy. Check online ahead of time.

If you have the time, I highly suggest a food and wine tasting. The wines of the region are for drinking with a meal, not sipping and a standard tasting doesn't give you a true appreciation of the wine.

We stayed at Castillo di Verrazzano and did their lunch food and wine tasting. It was a real treat! They also offer dinner tastings. There are several food courses and a different wine is served with each. We had their Chianti Classico, Chianti Reserva and their Super Tuscan. We started with a Prosecco and finished with biscotti and Vin Santo.

It's much more than just a tasting, it's a complete experience. It was a highlight of our trip! We've also done a food and wine lunch in Sonoma California, and it is the best way to appreciate the wine.

Thank you for the replies. I have had no luck with these winery websites for this type of info, was hoping for some people's personal experiences. Also not looking for a meal in the middle of the day, as we have a heavy dinner included each evening at our agrotourismo. Maybe it would be better to skip the wineries (don't care for the tours anyway) and just taste/buy wines at the hill town wine bars?

Also, the booking/reservation scheme is a bit restricting for a drive around the area; as we are doing other things as well.

Also not looking for a meal in the middle of the day, as we have a heavy dinner included each evening at our agriturismo.

I'd ask them of a good winery or two to visit. I'm sure they will serve a good wine at dinner. There's another advantage, you can enjoy it without worrying about driving afterward. That's one reason we limit tastings to no more than two a day even in places like Napa.

I hope you have a great trip!

Its been our experience that most wineries in Tuscany don't sell retail and don't charge a tasting fee and most require either a reservation or visits as a part of a tour.

confirming DougMac response above...we did the Verrazzano dinner some years ago and it remains a highlight in our memory that will never be forgotten. I didn't think they did the dinner any longer, but I don't think we could ever recapture the entire evening ever again. Some things are meant to be remembered as they were.