Tuscany is the home of many fine wineries.  Selecting the one or two to visit for a tasting and tour can be very confusing.  Two wineries, one small and the other medium size, welcome visitors and provide excellent wines with informative explanations of how wine is made.  They are Montecalvi and Isole e Olena.  Both  are located in the famous Chianti Classico area south of Florence.

    Montecalvi is the small winery located on a hillside just north of Greve.  Jacqueline (Jackie) Bolli and her husband produce about 1,500 cases of Chianti Classico and super Tuscan wines each year.  Jackie, whose father was Italian and mother Irish, decided 10 years ago to hold on to the vineyard started by her father and to produce small quantities of great wine.  She has succeeded.

    Jackie provides a very fine personal tour (in English), with an opporunity to ask many questions, and a tasting that includes cheese and salami. Jackie has small children, and she appreciates arrangements for a visit be made in advance: By telephone, 055 8544665, or By e-mail, bollij@tin.it.

    Isole e Olena is the larger winery located on the road to Castellina in Chianti several miles from the San Donato exit on the Florence-Siena superstrada.  The vineyards and winery are located  well off the main road in beautiful rolling hills.

    Paolo De Marchi, the owner, produces about 15,000 cases each year including Chianti Classico, super Tuscan, Chardonnay and Cabernet.  Paolo is fluent in English and throughly enjoys showing off his excellent cantina (wine making area) and offering tastings.  Visits should be arranged in advance: By telephone, 055 8072763, or By e-mail isolena@tin.it.

    Both of these wineries offer their products for sale.  If you only have time to visit one or two wineries during your stay in Tuscany, you cannot do better than Montecalvi and Isole e Olena.