Tuscany (wine) in the context of Brunello di Montalcino

Canaiolo (Italian pronunciation: [kanaˈjɔːlo]), also called Canaiolo nero or Uva Canina, is a red Italian wine grape grown through Central Italy but is most noted in Tuscany. Other regions with plantings of Canaiolo include Lazio, Marche and Sardegna. In Umbria a white berried mutation known as Canaiolo bianco exists. Together with Sangiovese and Colorino it is often used to create Chianti wine and is an important but secondary component of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In the history of Chianti it has been a key component blend and during the 18th century may have been the primarily grape used in higher percentage than Sangiovese. Part of its popularity may have been the grape's ability to partially dry out without rotting for use in the governo method of prolonging fermentation. In the 19th century, the Chianti recipe of Bettino Ricasoli called for Canaiolo to play a supporting role to Sangiovese, adding fruitiness and softening tannins without detracting from the wine's aromas. In the aftermath of the phylloxera epidemic, the Canaiolo vines did not take well to grafting onto new American rootstock and the grape began to steadily fall out of favor. As of 2006, total plantings of Canaiolo throughout Italy dropped to under 7,410 acres (3,000 hectares). Today there are renewed efforts by Tuscan winemakers to find better clonal selections and re-introduce the variety into popular usage.

A white sub-variety exists, known as Canaiolo bianco, which is a permitted grape variety in the Umbrian wine region of Orvieto where is known as Drupeggio. In recent years plantings have been declining.

Mammolo is a red Italian wine grape that is planted primarily in Tuscany. While its use has been diminishing, Mammolo was historically included in the blended Sangiovese-based wines of Chianti where it contributed a distinctive violet or mammole aroma. In addition to small plantings in the Chianti zone, Mammolo can be found in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano region of Tuscany and in scattered vineyards throughout Central Italy.

Abruzzo (historically pl.: Abruzzi) is an Italian wine region located in the mountainous central Italian region of Abruzzo, along the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by the Molise wine region to the south, Marche to the north and Lazio to the west. Abruzzo's rugged terrain, 65% of which is mountainous, help to isolate the region from the winemaking influence of the ancient Romans and Etruscans in Tuscany, but the area has had a long history of wine production.

Today more than 22 million cases of wine are produced annually in Abruzzo, making it the seventh most productive region in Italy, but only 21.5% of which is made under the denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) designation. More than two-thirds of the region's wine is produced by co-operatives or sold in bulk to negociants in other Italian wine regions in Tuscany, Piedmont and the Veneto for blending. The most notable wine of the region is Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, produced with the Montepulciano grape, that is distinct from the Sangiovese grape behind the Tuscan wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Together with Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of the most widely exported DOC wine from Italy, particularly to the United States.

Colorino is a red Italian wine grape variety planted primarily in Tuscany. The grape is known for its deep dark colouring and is used primarily as a colouring agent in red blends. In the history of Chianti it played a minor role, mostly for its affinity and use to the governo winemaking technique. Like Canaiolo, Colorino did not rot easily while going through the partial drying process to later be added to the fermenting grape must. However, the grape did not provide the same level of fruit and softening effect that Canaiolo did and fell out of favour. In the late 1980s, there was a surge of interest in the variety among Tuscan winemakers who saw in this local grape variety similarity to the role Petit Verdot plays in Bordeaux blends. Colorino was planted and used to add darker colours and structure from phenolic compounds in the grape's thick skin without the overpowering aromatics that Cabernet Sauvignon could add. This enthusiasm was short-lived and by the turn of the 21st century Colorino returned once again to a minor role in Tuscan wines.

Governo is a winemaking technique reportedly invented in Tuscany in the 14th century to help complete fermentation and stabilize the wine. The technique involves saving a batch of harvested grapes and allowing them to partially dry. If fermentation of the main batch starts to slow or appears to be nearing stuck fermentation, the half dried grapes are added to the must which then gives the yeast cells a new source of sugar to enliven the batch. From there, the must can be fermented dry or stopped with the wine having a higher level of residual sugar. The process was widely used in the Chianti zones until the advent of temperature controlled fermentation tanks. From Tuscany the technique spread to Marche and Umbria where it is sometimes used today. In the Marche the technique is most often used on wines made from the Verdicchio grape to counteract the grape's natural bitterness and to add some sweetness and frizzante qualities.

Drupeggio (also known as Canaiolo bianco) is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Central Italy wine regions of Tuscany and Orvieto. The grape is often confused for the white Tuscan variety Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is also known under the synonym Canaiolo bianco and may be counted as one and the same in field blends.

Drupeggio is a permitted variety in several Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC)s including Orvieto in Umbria where it is usually blended with Trebbiano, Verdello, Grechetto and Malvasia Toscana and in the red and rosé wines of Barco Reale di Carmignano where it can blended with Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is also a permitted variety for use in Vin Santo production but the grape's limited ability to raisin sufficiently for use in straw wine production makes its appearance in these Italian dessert wines very rare.

Abruzzo (historically pl.: Abruzzi) is an Italian wine region located in the mountainous central Italian region of Abruzzo, along the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by the Molise wine region to the south, Marche to the north and Lazio to the west. Abruzzo's rugged terrain, 65% of which is mountainous, help to isolate the region from the winemaking influence of the ancient Romans and Etruscans in Tuscany, but the area has had a long history of wine production.

Today more than 22 million cases of wine are produced annually in Abruzzo, making it the fifth most productive region in Italy, but only 21.5% of which is made under the denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) designation. More than two-thirds of the region's wine is produced by co-operatives or sold in bulk to negociants in other Italian wine regions in Tuscany, Piedmont and the Veneto for blending. The most notable wine of the region is Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, produced with the Montepulciano grape, that is distinct from the Sangiovese grape behind the Tuscan wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Together with Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of the most widely exported DOC wine from Italy, particularly to the United States.